Pam Grier attends 20th Annual NC Black Film Festival in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A film icon is in the Port City for this weekend’s 20th Annual North Carolina Black Film Festival.

Actress Pam Grier was at Cameron Art Museum on Thursday night for the opening night of the festival.

Pam Grier is from Winston Salem, North Carolina.

She is best known for her work in films such as “Foxy Brown”, “Coffy” and “Jackie Brown.”

The festival awarded Grier with their Lifetime Achievement Award Thursday night.

Following the presentation of the award, there was a Q&A session, and a screening of the 1974 “Foxy Brown” film.

Grier emphasized the importance of behind-the-scenes crew members and writers in filmmaking, and advised ambitious actors to expand their skillsets.

“That’s one thing as an actor– be a musician, be a painter, be a dancer. Bring other levels of you. That’s given me a 50 year career. 50 years! Fifty!”

Festival Director Charlon Turner Everett praised Grier, saying, “It is an honor. She is a groundbreaker, she’s an icon. All the things that she’s accomplished in the industry, the doors that she knocked down for Black women but women in general, is just absolutely amazing. The fact that she’s from North Carolina and to have her here with us for the 20th annual festival is just… we are ecstatic.”

The North Carolina Black Film Festival will run through Sunday, May 21st, and The Cameron Art Museum says it will showcase the best in Black cinema.

Click here for the full schedule.