Kathleen Collins is set to receive the inaugural Icon Tribute posthumously during the 2021 Gotham Awards Ceremony. A press release announced that the event will honor the poet, playwright, writer, filmmaker, director, civil rights activist, and educator. Nina Lorez Collins will accept the award on her mother’s behalf.

The honor was conceived as a way “to call attention to the boldness, artistry, and impact of a filmmaker from a marginalized community whose work has not been previously recognized by the organization in its 30 previous years.”

An activist with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the Civil Rights Movement, Collins was one of the first Black American women to produce a feature-length film. The filmmaker and playwright is best known for her 1982 feature “Losing Ground.” Her plays included “In the Midnight Hour” and “The Brothers.” She died in 1988.

“Kathleen Collins lived an inspirational life itself worthy of a film. She fought for civil rights then fought for the opportunity to tell powerful stories about people of color,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “She is an expert and nuanced storyteller who overcame a variety of systematic obstacles in order to tell stories that challenged stereotypes and featured nuanced depictions of marginalized communities. It is an honor to recognize this talented and dedicated individual who never got the appreciation she deserved.”

The Gotham Awards are set for November 29. As previously announced, this year’s other honorees include “The Power of the Dog” filmmaker Jane Campion and “Spencer” star Kristen Stewart. The former will receive the Director’s Tribute and the latter a Performer Tribute. “The Lost Daughter,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s portrait of motherhood based on Elena Ferrante’s novel, and “Passing,” Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of the Nella Larsen novel about Black women who live on opposite sides of the color line, lead in nominations.