Additional Sponsors Sign to Support American Black Film Festival

Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Joins Home Box Office and Lincoln as Major Sponsor of Event

New York – The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, representatives of the host city of the American Black Film Festival, has joined founding sponsor, Home Box Office and platinum sponsor Lincoln in support of the event to encourage, discover and explore talent in the independent Black filmmaking community. The Bureau’s participation was announced today by ABFF founder, Byron Lewis Sr., Chairman and CEO of UniWorld Group, Inc. and the Festival’s Producer, Jeff Friday, President and CEO of Film Life, Inc.

“We wholeheartedly welcome our new partners, as well as those who have been with us in the past, and praise the encouragement their sponsorship demonstrates to the growing community of black writers, directors and producers,” Lewis Sr. and Friday said in their joint announcement.

The American Black Film Festival will be held June 26-June 30 in South Beach. The event was formerly known as the Acapulco Black Film Festival, and was relocated to Miami to provide better accessibility and state-of-the-art facilities to Festival attendees.

In addition, Blockbuster, American Airlines, Black Enterprise, BET and The Walt Disney Company/ ABC Inc. have agreed to provide sponsorship.

Home Box Office, the founding sponsor of ABFF, will again this year present the HBO Short Film Award. The submissions of five finalists will be screened during the Festival, and a jury of established filmmakers will select a grand prize winner, who will receive a $20,000 prize.

For the 3rd year since the award’s inception, Lincoln will present the prestigious Lincoln Filmmaker Trophy for Best Film, encompassing both U.S. and International submissions.

Other sponsors of the 2002 American Black Film Festival are: UniWorld Group, Inc., Film Life, Inc., Upscale, Regal Cinemas, Vibe, Enyce and Daily Blossom.