BAMFI Enterprises Presents: “Untold Stories: Black and Missing – Pamela Butler’s Story” at the 6th Annual LightReel Film Festival
(Hyattsville, MD, May 31, 2025) – In collaboration with the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. (BAMFI), BAMFI Enterprises will present a special screening of the powerful documentary “Untold Stories: Black and Missing – Pamela Butler’s Story” at the 6th Annual LightReel Film Festival. The event will take place on Thursday, June 5, at 4 PM at Union Market in Washington, DC.
This timely film, featuring exclusive, never-before-seen interviews, explores the heartbreaking and complex case of Pamela Butler, a Black woman who vanished without a trace in the nation’s capital in 2009. It wasn’t until family members pressured law enforcement to pursue her case that authorities finally appointed a detective who discovered she had been murdered. Though her case reached a tragic resolution, the broader implications remain painfully relevant, highlighting systemic disparities in how missing people of color are treated by media, law enforcement, and society at large.
“Pamela Butler’s story is not just one family’s tragedy — it underscores a national crisis. Every day, we hear from families who are crying out—not just for answers, but for someone to care enough to look for their loved ones. Visibility can mean the difference between a cold case and a breakthrough,” said Natalie and Derrica Wilson, co-founders and managing partners of BAMFI Enterprises. “Our mission is simple: use every platform available to give the missing a name, a face, and a chance to come home. BAMFI Enterprises was born from that mission, which continues to grow with every story we tell.”
This screening comes as BAMFI marks its 17th anniversary — a milestone for the organization that has been at the forefront of increasing awareness for missing people of color, who make up 40% of missing persons cases in the United States. The foundation’s offshoot, BAMFI Enterprises, was founded to produce compelling, culturally-rooted media that centers the experiences of marginalized communities, amplifies their voices, and increases visibility for their missing.
The Telly Award-winning company’s growing slate of mission-driven films and digital projects includes the critically acclaimed “Black and Missing” docuseries on HBO and the Untold Stories: Black and Missing podcast, which is gearing up for the release of its third season this year.
Why Media Coverage Matters
The LightReel screening arrives at a critical time when public pressure is mounting for more equitable media coverage of missing persons cases. The disparity in attention given to cases involving people of color continues to be a glaring issue in newsrooms and on television screens nationwide. Events like this are vital in tipping this scale, offering journalists and content creators a lens into how the missing persons crisis points to larger societal injustices and continues to impact countless families across the country.
“The LightReel Film Festival is committed to highlighting the stories and filmmakers of Washington D.C.,” remarked LightReel Film Festival Director Tim Gordon. “We are thrilled that our partnership with the Black and Missing Foundation allows us the opportunity to focus on a topic that is so vitally important to the health, safety, and future of our culture, our citizens, and ultimately our city.”
Members of the media are also encouraged to attend the post-screening panel discussion, which will feature impactful commentary from experts, advocates, and family members who have lived these stories firsthand.
Join us in amplifying voices that too often go unheard. This film is more than a true crime retelling — it is a movement toward justice.
About the Black and Missing Foundation
Founded in 2008, BAMFI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing awareness to missing persons of color, providing vital resources to families, and educating the community on personal safety. Through public awareness campaigns and partnerships with media and law enforcement, BAMFI has successfully reunited families in more than 500 cases.
About BAMFI Enterprises
BAMFI Enterprises is a multi-faceted production company dedicated to developing content and providing technical consultation for television, film, and digital/streaming media with a focus on missing persons of color and real-life challenges affecting BIPOC communities. As the production arm of the Black and Missing Foundation, the company uses the power of narrative to drive awareness and advocacy for missing persons of color, humanize the faces behind the statistics, and inspire systemic change.
Photo credit: BAMFI Enterprises