BESSIE COLEMAN CENTENNIAL AVIATION FILM FESTIVAL TAKES FLIGHT IN CHICAGO AREA

A first-of-its-kind aviation film festival celebrates courage, innovation, and the future of flight.

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, December 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The legacy of aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman—the first African American and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license—will rise again with the launch of the Queen Bess Centennial Aviation Film Festival, a new national celebration of aviation history, innovation, and storytelling, on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Bult Field in Monee, Illinois.

Marking the centennial of Coleman’s death on April 30, 1925, the festival honors her fearless spirit while looking ahead to the next century of flight. Founded through a collaboration between the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, Advanced Air Mobility Institute, Vertiport Chicago, Tuskegee Airmen, Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars, and Aviatrix Company, the festival uniquely combines film, technology, education, and community engagement.

“Aunt Bessie opened the sky for everyone,” says Gigi Coleman, great-niece of Bessie Coleman and founder of the Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars. “This festival carries her legacy forward—showing young people that aviation is not just a career, but a calling.”

About the Festival

The Queen Bess Centennial Aviation Film Festival (BessFF.com) is the first U.S. film festival dedicated entirely to aviation—bridging early flight history with emerging technologies such as electric aircraft, eVTOLs, drones, and sustainable aviation systems. Through film and live experiences, the festival showcases stories of courage, equity, innovation, and environmental responsibility.

The one-day event at Bult Field (28261 S. Kedzie Ave., Monee, IL) will include:

·        Film Screenings of short and feature films exploring aviation history, women in flight, and future-forward technologies

·        A special presentation by Gigi Coleman, featuring her acclaimed one-woman show on Bessie Coleman’s legacy

·        Tuskegee Airmen Official Honorary Flyover and a presentation, honoring history and service

·        Electric aviation and eVTOL demonstrations, offering hands-on exposure to next-generation flight

·        Panel discussions with women leaders, engineers, pilots, and filmmakers on diversity and sustainability in aerospace

·        Youth and family STEM programming, including storytelling workshops inspired by Coleman’s life

·        A special screening of Discovering Bessie Coleman by Captain Beth Powell

·        Special events at Vertiport Chicago, connecting innovation with real-world infrastructure

Festival Leadership

The festival is produced by Susan Roe Musacchio, an award-winning filmmaker, third-generation aviator, and founder of Aviatrix Company. Musacchio’s work bridges aviation history, women’s leadership, and the future of sustainable flight through film, festivals, and public education. She is also the creator of the Queen Bess Centennial Aviation Coleman Film Festival and the Little Fort Film Festival, which spotlight underrepresented voices in aviation and environmental stewardship. Her films explore legacy—from early flight to electric aviation—while inspiring girls and communities through STEM, storytelling, and access to the skies.  Susan is also s student pilot!

“Our goal is to connect the fearless spirit of Bessie Coleman with the future of flight—one powered by imagination, sustainability, and equity,” says Musacchio. “Her story reminds us that aviation isn’t just about aircraft. It’s about possibility.”

Why Now

As aviation enters a new era defined by sustainability and access, the Queen Bess  Centennial Aviation Film Festival offers a timely platform to reflect on the past 100 years—and to inspire the next generation of pilots, engineers, filmmakers, and innovators to take flight.

 

 





 

 

Joanne Levine
Lekas & Levine PR
joannepr@aol.com

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