Marlon Royal Reid

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Marlon began his filmmaking journey at an early age, persuading a group of older teens to let him join their crew with nothing more than an 8mm camera and a passion for storytelling. A graduate of Morgan State University, he developed his craft directing a series of 8mm short films, including The Visit, which earned third place in the AFI/Sony Home Visions Video Competition. Marlon later received a generous grant to attend the New York Film Academy’s Four-Week Intensive Workshop, where he wrote and directed four 16mm silent short films in just four weeks. One of those films, The Last Condom, screened at the San Francisco Black Film Festival and the Planet Ant Film Series, and won the People’s Choice Award at the Motor City International Film Festival. The short was subsequently acquired for Russell Simmons’ Def Filmmakers Tour. His short film NIGHT, which explores the intersection of sexuality, stigma, and HIV within the Black community, screened at multiple film festivals across the country and was featured in A&U Magazine. In 2014, Marlon co-wrote the short documentary Electric Roots: The Detroit Sound Project with filmmaker Kristian Hill. The documentary screened at the Short Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival and the Pan African Film Festival. Committed to continually developing his craft, Marlon is an alumnus of the Guy Hanks Screenwriting Program and a three-time scholarship recipient of Sundance Collab’s educational programs. In 2022, he was selected for the Blackmagic Collective’s Filmmaker’s Initiative. Marlon’s latest short film, REPEAT, is currently making its way through the film festival circuit. He is also in pre-production on his next horror short, JINGLING KEYS. Through his work, Marlon continues to explore compelling stories and distinctive perspectives, bringing his creative vision to life across genres.