Join us for a screening of Never Leave Your Side, followed by a community conversation with independent film directors, producers, and educators Torell Shavone Taylor, Deshawn Plair, and Reesha L. Archibald.

Working across film, television, and digital content, Torell Shavone is committed to telling authentic stories about people of color, with a focus on enhancing the presence of culturally resonant media and creating memorable narratives.

Most recently, her short film Never Leave Your Side was awarded Best Drama at the Atlanta Short Film Festival 2025 and is an official selection of the London Lift Off Festival 2025. Her documentary “Interview with The Stars” shot on location in Lagos, Nigeria was featured on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. She was Associate Producer on the feature film “All In” which won the Audience Award at the 2019 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and premiered on BET. She directed and produced music video “Clumsy” which made it’s world premiere on BET Her and BET Soul.

Amid directing and producing, Torell has worked as a film programmer for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture where she programmed films for NMAAHC’s state-of-the-art Oprah Winfrey Theater. She led the programming and production team for the first-ever inaugural Smithsonian African American Film Festival. She also managed production and programming for the Smithsonian +234 Film Festival at the National Museum of African Art. She worked as a producer – director of media production for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

Torell hosted a conversation with Angela Bassett and Kevin Sullivan for 2023 Tribeca Film Festival’s 25th Anniversary Screening of How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Last year, she hosted a conversation for 2022 Tribeca Film Festival’s 25th Anniversary screening of Eve’s Bayou. Torell has been featured in Black Enterprise, MSNBC, The New York Times, Deadline, Essence and Ebony.

Torell is an alumna of Howard University MFA Film Program. She has served on the US Narrative and Documentary screening committees for the 2021 and 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. She is a member of the African American Film Critics Association.

Deshawn Plair is a dynamic writer, producer, and director whose rising career has already left a powerful mark on the entertainment industry. A three-time NAACP Image Award winner and co-owner of Flower Ave. Films, she is dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and creating bold, authentic stories that inspire and connect.

Most recently, Deshawn produced the feature film Glamping, premiering on Tubi. Her credits also include serving as Supervising Producer of Hulu’s acclaimed documentary Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told and Producer on Showtime’s Peabody Award–winning We Need to Talk About Cosby. She served as Co-Showrunner on the ALLBLK comedy series For the Love of Jason and directed the award-winning short film First Day Back.

With a passion for cultural impact and inclusive storytelling, Deshawn Plair continues to shine as a creative force in film and television.

Reesha L. Archibald is a multifaceted creative executive, producer, and artist whose work spans film, television, music, and distribution. Originally from Denver, Colorado, by way of St. Louis, Missouri, she carries the hardworking spirit of the Show Me State, instilled by her St. Louisian parents, into every facet of her career. Reesha is known for her ability to connect people, stories, and opportunities across the entertainment industry.

She currently serves as Executive Producer on the hit series Johnson, airing on Hulu and Bounce TV. The record-breaking show has run for four successful seasons and stars comedy legends D.L. Hughley, Earthquake, Terri Vaughn, and Cedric the Entertainer. Reesha is also Executive Producer of Bounce TV’s Finding Happy, starring B. Simone, Kim Coles, and Clifton Powell, and appears on the series as the character “Arnie.”

Reesha’s producing credits include serving as Associate Producer on CBS’s feature documentary 13 Days in Ferguson and producing award-winning projects such as Mr. Benjamin’s Birthday (written, directed by Crystle Roberson Dorsey and Omar Dorsey), Never Leave Your Side, Daddy’s Big Girl (Gentleman Jack Real to Reel winner), Quotes: Divided We Fall, and the feature documentary Target: St. Louis Vol. 1, which won Best Documentary at the 2021 Urbanworld Film Festival. She has also served as Music Supervisor on numerous projects, including Lionsgate’s The Devil You Know, Mr. Benjamin’s Birthday, and Danielle Brooks’ directorial debut Tacos.

Reesha also works alongside Cheo Hodari Coker as his producing partner and is the VP of Acquisitions and Partnerships with Filmworks Distribution. She also is the Director of Sync Strategy for WVZ MFG.

In addition to her work behind the camera, Reesha is an accomplished background vocalist having worked with Morris Day and the Time, For King and Country, and as a member of Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir, earning a Grammy certificate for Jesus Is King and a Grammy nomination for Jesus Is Born. She holds a BS in Business Administration and an MBA from Lincoln University of Missouri, mentors emerging creatives nationwide, is a board member of the Black Women Film Network, and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

This conversation will be moderated by John Burton, Jr., a Charlotte-based filmmaker and IPH Board Chair for the Education & Collaboration Committee.