Comcast NBCUniversal To Premiere HBCU Documentary ‘The Return’, Executive Produced By Will Packer
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
EXCLUSIVE: Comcast NBCUniversal said Tuesday that it will exclusively premiere the documentary The Return, a film about the HBCU experience. Will Packer is executive producer of the doc, which is directed by Ali Muhammad.
The documentary arrives Friday on the recently launched Black Experience on Xfinity Channel.
More from Deadline
In 2020, the global Covid-19 pandemic put a pause on most large-scale college activities and sent students into virtual learning. After a year of lockdowns and sheltering in place, 2021 marked a return to campuses and the traditions that come with it. In the HBCU world, the biggest of these traditions is Homecoming, an annual pilgrimage that brings thousands of alumni, students, family, and friends together in one place for a week-long celebration. The Return explores the HBCU experience through the prism of these celebrations.
Packer, a magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University, is a longtime supporter of HBCU initiatives.
“As a product and supporter of HBCUs, I am honored to support Ali and his vision of this love letter,” Packer said. “Many thanks to Comcast’s Black Experience on Xfinity channel for their continued support for these institutions.”
The Return was shot in 2021 during the pandemic when many schools either canceled or limited homecoming. The team traveled to a few of the schools that decided to move forward with events last year including Jackson State, Florida A&M University and North Carolina Central.
The film features candid conversations with alumni from Morehouse, Spelman, Clark Atlanta, Howard, FAMU, Tennessee State, Jackson State, NC A&T and more. Notable alumni featured in the film include music manager Cortez Bryant, from Jackson State University, and Packer, who attended FAMU.
“We’re thrilled to work with producer, Will Packer, and emerging director Ali Muhammad to bring this exclusive premiere to the Black Experience on Xfinity channel, furthering our company-wide mission of investing in and showcasing authentic Black stories and culture.,” said Keesha Boyd, Executive Director, Multicultural Video & Entertainment, Xfinity Consumer Services. “When we launched this channel in 2021, our goal was to facilitate the discovery of authentic stories like The Return, while providing a platform for both our existing partners, as well as emerging Black content creators.”
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
