Upstate NY native stars in award-winning film at American Black Film Festival

Sulayman Tahir's new film " Peripheral ," starring Rochester native Andria B. Langston, made its world debut and won Best Narrative Feature at the American Black Film Festival last weekend.

The sci-fi film follows a young woman and her husband as they move into a new town where paranormal events leave the woman feeling isolated and gaslit.

Langston, a 33-year-old Black woman, expressed that starring in this film and winning Best Narrative Feature has been incredibly meaningful to her, allowing her to showcase Black women's perspectives, nuances, and experiences.

Andria Langston's family owns radio station WDKX in Rochester NY

Langston's family owns Rochester radio station 103.9 WDKX , the only Black family-owned commercial radio station in New York. Since she was five, Langston said she worked at the station every day after school and every summer, learning about production, sales, and engineering.

She even worked on her own show at the station, where her creativity with content and production flourished.

"It definitely gave me a good foundation for work ethic," Langston said.

Andria Langston: Rochester NY roots

Growing up in Rochester, Langston said theater was a significant part of her childhood. Since age four, she participated in summer theater programs at Geva Theater, school musicals, plays, and short films with The Rochester Film Club. Performing and theater consumed her life, but she didn't realize then that it could one day become her career.

Family ties: Andrew Langston: WDKX visionary chased his dream

The lightbulb went off after she graduated with a Master's degree from USC, and people began asking her to work on their projects. Her father tells her he knew God chose this for his daughter when he watched her perform a monologue at age 17.

Reflecting on her childhood, Langston said she is honored and appreciative of the opportunities and creative freedom the city of Rochester and WDKX have given her.

To everyone in Rochester with a creative mind and soul, Langston advises staying true to your creativity. Whether it's writing every morning or recording a monologue, she believes nothing should stop you from letting your creativity flow.

"There's so many opportunities for us today, and it can be discouraging, and you think things are supposed to happen on your timeline, but they're not," Langston said. "You have to just let things flow and let things go and just continue to put beautiful art into the world and you never know what could happen when you do."

Sulayman Tahir directed “Peripheral," which Tahir and Jordan Tortorello co-wrote. The film has not yet been released to the public.

— Madison Scott is a journalist with the Democrat and Chronicle who edited our Weld Street Project and also did reporting for it. She has an interest in how the system helps or doesn't help families with missing loved ones . She can be reached at MDScott@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Upstate NY native stars in award-winning film at American Black Film Festival