Bryan G Thompson brings true-story drama EFFIE to Williamsburg on Oct. 17

Virginia Black Film Festival founder Bryan G Thompson will screen his new film EFFIE at Williamsburg’s Kimball Theatre on Oct. 17, 2026, followed by a live Q&A. The film, set in rural Georgia and based on a true story, centers on injustice, perseverance and the human spirit under pressure.

Why it matters: - EFFIE puts a real-life story about racial injustice and legal inequity in front of a Williamsburg audience on a prime fall screening date. - The event also extends Bryan G Thompson’s work as both a filmmaker and the founder of the Virginia Black Film Festival, tying the screening to broader independent storytelling efforts. - The follow-up conversation adds historical context and a behind-the-scenes look at how true events become a feature film.

What happened: - Bryan G Thompson will screen EFFIE on Oct. 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the historic Kimball Theatre in Williamsburg, Virginia. - The screening will be followed by a live conversation with Thompson and writer/executive producer Ted Knight. - EFFIE is based on a true story and is set in rural Georgia. - The film follows a Black woman accused and convicted of killing her husband through a judicial process marked by profound inequities.

The details: - Thompson describes the film as a story about courage, compassion and perseverance in the face of a system that appears determined to deny justice. - Thompson said, “Hope, perseverance, and human decency can prevail in the face of injustice. People need that reminder in 2026 as much as they did in 1920.” - Thompson is the founder of the Virginia Black Film Festival and has directed 13 feature films across multiple genres. - Thompson’s work has focused on creating opportunities for independent storytelling and connecting filmmakers with audiences around boundary-crossing stories. - Knight said, “This is an American story beyond race and politics. It reminds us that oppression can build walls and bars, but it cannot imprison faith, dignity, or truth. The human spirit endures, and courage becomes an act of kindness.” - The post-screening Q&A will cover the real-life case behind EFFIE, which parts of the film are drawn from actual events, the process of adapting the story for the screen and the development of the upcoming feature KINDNESS – The Effie Williams Story. - Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Between the lines: - The event is being framed as more than a screening. The Q&A suggests the filmmakers want audiences to leave with historical context, not just a dramatic retelling. - The references to 1920 and 2026 point to a deliberate message: the film is meant to connect past injustice to present-day conversations about dignity, faith and civil rights. - The upcoming feature KINDNESS – The Effie Williams Story indicates EFFIE may be part of a larger storytelling campaign around the same case.

What's next: - Audiences can see EFFIE at the Kimball Theatre on Oct. 17, 2026, then hear directly from Thompson and Knight after the screening. - The filmmakers are also developing KINDNESS – The Effie Williams Story, which could expand the reach of the underlying case and its themes.

The bottom line: - EFFIE is being positioned as a true-story drama with a strong civic message: injustice can be documented on screen, but so can resilience, dignity and hope.