The American Black Film Festival and The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau Join to Present ABFF’s Annual Community Day Showcase
Free Admission, Sunday, June 19 at The Historic Lyric Theater Featuring After Jackie and a New Comic Book Sneak Peek
MIAMI, (June 6, 2022) – The American Black Film Festival (ABFF), in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) today announced its Annual Community Day Showcase lineup for the 2022 ABFF. The joint annual Community Day Showcase will be held Sunday, June 19 from 12 to 6 p.m. at the Historic Lyric Theater, 819 NW 2nd Ave, Miami. After two years of presenting the festival virtually, ABFF returns to the greater Miami area for its five-day event June 15 – 19 and continues virtually June 20-30 on its custom-designed platform ABFF PLAY.
This year marks ABFF and the GMCVB eighth year of partnership which will be celebrated with a special Juneteenth screening of The SpringHill Company’s After Jackie documentary from Emmy Award® winning and Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson and critically acclaimed director Andre Gaines premiering on The HISTORY® Channel. Also showcased will be a sneak peek at Endeavor Content’s new comic book franchise.
The event, inspired by family and community, support ABFF’s mission to facilitate more involvement from the Miami community provide education about television and film entertainment, exposure to resources and promote artistic collaboration. In addition, the event also introduces festival attendees to Historic Overtown to support the community’s local businesses and experience the heritage of the neighborhood.
“We are extremely excited to extend the festival to Miami’s historic Overtown community,” said Jeff Friday, Founder ABFF Ventures LLC and CEO Jeff Friday Media (JFM). ABFF is rooted in community and this event allows us to join with our local partners at the GMCVB to give back, support the community and share valuable information about the entertainment industry.”
“Community Day was created as a special grand finale for visitors and residents alike to engage with ABFF and up-and-coming industry talent. Hosting it in Historic Overtown also provides an ideal opportunity to showcase our heritage communities. And it’s especially meaningful that it falls on Juneteenth and Father’s Day, adding to all there is to celebrate in Greater Miami and Miami Beach,” said David Whitaker, President & CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We value this opportunity and our continued partnership with the American Black Film Festival.”
“We’re proud to be a part of this annual celebration and look forward to the film screenings scheduled at the Historic Lyric Theater, added the GMCVB’s Vice President of Multicultural Tourism & Development, Connie Kinnard. “Kudos to Nicole and Jeff Friday, along with the ABFF leadership team, for their commitment to diversity, and helping to bring the festival’s films, celebrity buzz and economic development opportunities into our heritage communities.”
The schedule of events for the 2022 ABFF Annual Community Day follows. To attend, visit Eventbrite and register for a free admission ticket at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/abff-community-day-tickets-354113411747
12:45 p.m.
After Jackie
During the 75th anniversary year of Jackie Robinson becoming the first Black player allowed to play modern Major League Baseball, this new two-hour documentary from The SpringHill Company and The HISTORY® Channel After Jackie tells the often-overlooked story of the second wave of talented Black baseball players after Jackie Robinson, including Bill White, Curt Flood and Bob Gibson, who fought battles on and off the field to demand a fairer and more inclusive America for African Americans, and athletes around the world.
Executive Producers: LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, Phil Byron of The SpringHill Company; Stanley Nelson, Andre Gaines; Eli Lehrer, Jim Pasquarella of the HISTORY® Channel: Nick Trotta, Jon O’Sheal of Major League Baseball
Courtesy of The HISTORY® Channel, The SpringHill Company and Major League Baseball
3 p.m.
New Comic Book Franchise Sneak Peek
Preview an innovative, one-of-a-kind, multi-verse comic book experience weaving together art, storytelling, music, and merchandise. Designed as a wholly engaging experience for creativity, exploration and consumption.
Courtesy of Endeavor Content
ABFF 2022 sponsors and partners to date include Warner Bros. Discovery & HBO® (Founding); Cadillac, City of Miami Beach, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Prime Video (Presenting); American Airlines, Comcast NBCUniversal, Meta, Bounce TV, Black Experience on Xfinity, UPS, IMDb (Premier); ALLBLK, Prudential Financial, Variety, TV One, Netflix, Starz, Disney+, Onyx Collective (Official); Accenture, Motion Pictures Association (MPA), A&E, The SpringHill Company, The Boston Globe, Color Of Change, Confluential Films, Arrington & Phillips, BET Her, Morgan Stanley, Miami Beach VCA, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Supporting); Endeavor Content and DC Office of Television (Industry).
For festival information visit www.abff.com. Follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.
ABOUT ABFF
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to recognizing Black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. Dedicated to the belief that diverse artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts, ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the Black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, education and artistic collaboration. Now in its 26th year, the festival has become a cornerstone of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging Black artists – many of whom have become today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, an entertainment company specializing in the production of live events that promote Black culture and achievements.
Media Contacts:
Chelsye J. Burrows
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) and ABFF Ventures LLC
[email protected]
Yvette N. Harris (for ABFF)
Harris Public Relations
[email protected]
