LEE DANIELS WAS PRESENTED WITH THE CAREER ACHEIVEMENT AWARD AND PRIZES WERE HANDED OUT FOR FILMS IN COMPETITION. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED THE HBO® SHORT FILM COMPETITION WINNER, “STAG & DOE,” IDRIS ELBA’S “LEGACY” WINNING BEST FILM AND GOLDEN BROOKS NAMED BEST ACTRESS FOR HER PERFORMANCE IN “THE INHERITANCE.”

RECOGNITION FOR ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT ALSO WENT TO CHRISETTE MICHELE WHO GRACED THE EVENT TO ACCEPT THE GREY GOOSE RISING ICON AWARD.

New York, NY (June 28, 2010) – The 14th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF), which took place in Miami, June 23-26, was an energetic and inspiring experience for approximately 3,500 festivalgoers. Wrapping up the star-studded four-day festival which was well attended by multi-talented aspiring actors and filmmakers, who received acclamation at the closing night ceremony, ABFF Honors. Hosted by Producer/Director Robert Townsend at the New World Symphony Lincoln Theater, the evening ended on a high with the recognition of Oscar nominated Producer/Director Lee Daniels receiving the “Career Achievement Award” for his success and great talent. In accepting his award, Daniels thanked his mother, who was seated front row with other family members, “for allowing me to be me” in celebration of this well-deserved honor.

“The close of ABFF is always full of mixed emotions,” stated ABFF Founder Jeff Friday. “As we’re happy that another successful year is behind us, we’re also looking forward to what’s ahead. I would like to thank our Ambassador Idris Elba, our supportive alumni filmmakers Will Packer and Rob Hardy of Rainforest Films, and Sony/Screen Gems Studios for bringing us our opening and centerpiece films. My sincerest appreciation to my staff and to all who have contributed to make this year a stellar event.”

This event would not be a success without our fantastic sponsor family led by founding and premier sponsor HBO?. For the first time in ABFF history, the slate of films presented were the most diverse and inspiring with categories ranging from horror to drama. The goal of the ABFF is to be a platform for independent showcases for people of African descent and to strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development.

The complete list of ABFF Honors awards is as follows:

• HBO® Short Film Competition – Stag & Doe, presented by Olivia Smashum, Executive VP of Affiliate Marketing, HBO® and Actress Tamara Tunie. Prize of $20,000 sponsored by HBO®.
• Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor (male/female) – Golden Brooks for her role as Karen in The Inheritance, award presented by Actress Jazsmin Lewis and Mark Pitts, Vice President and General Manager of Coffee and Tea for Coca-Cola. Prize of $5,000 sponsored by Gold Peak Tea.
• Grand Jury Prize for Best Film – Legacy directed by Thomas Ikimi, award presented by Actress Rochelle Aytes and Jason Williams, Regional Managing Director of Wealth Management for Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company. Prize of $5,000 sponsored by Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company.
• 2010 ABFF Star Project Winners – Emayatzy Corinealdi and Stephen Hill presented by Writer/Producer/Director Gina Prince Bythewood.
• American Airlines presented Grand Jury Prize and Star Project Winners with complimentary round-trip airline tickets.
• Rising Icon Award – Singer-Songwriter Chrisette Michele presented by Julious Grant, Senior Vice President, Bacardi USA.
• Career Achievement Award – Oscar Nominated Producer/Director Lee Daniels presented by Writer/Producer/Director Robert Townsend.

The festival opened with the premiere of Takers, courtesy of Screen Gems and a festive after-party at the Miami nightclub Klutch, sponsored by BET Networks. As the week progressed, festivalgoers experienced a range of film screenings and master classes led by acclaimed filmmakers Spike Lee, Cliff Charles and screenwriter Steve Duncan. CNN presented a symposium with Soledad O’Brien – an inside-look at the new In America documentary unit and sneak peak of the Black in America documentary, Churched; HBO® presented a two part “Talk Series,” kicking off with a candid discussion among artists from popular HBO Shows followed by a conversation between Soledad and Spike Lee “Katrina – 5 years after the Storm.” Other symposiums by leading media companies included Nickelodeon, MTV Networks, Black Enterprise and The Nielsen Media Company.

In between classes and screenings, festivalgoers visited the Stella Artois Cutting Room Mixers for serious industry networking. Come mid-week, centerpiece screening of Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, courtesy of Stage 6 Films, RCR Partners and Rainforest Films, proved to be a big hit selling out and causing festival producers to add a second screening.

Festival attendees know the ABFF parties are always a hit. But this year’s 10th Anniversary celebration of Film Life proved to be extra special when Idris Elba turned in his acting hat to join DJ D-Nice in keeping the partygoers electrified into the wee hours of the morning at trendy Miami nightclub LIV.

The most unique addition to the festival was ABFF’s new “Pro-Hollywood Initiative” (PHI) which brings together an impressive group of athletes with an equally impressive group of filmmakers to stimulate athletes’ interest in the movie business, connecting them with talented filmmakers, educating them about the workings of the industry and promoting their involvement in the production of quality independent films.

The PHI roundtable was hosted by founder Jeff Friday and attended by filmmakers Spike Lee, John Singleton, Robert Townsend, Steve Duncan; athletes Ikechuku Ndukwe, Isaac Keys, Hannibal Navies and Terrell Suggs with exclusive coverage by Sam Alipour (EPSN.com). Terrell Suggs was given the opportunity to screen his debut film Sisters for this elite group. Suggs states, “…the ABFF enabled me to connect with an aspiring writer and produce my first film.” Due to PHI’s success, Jeff Friday plans to expand this initiative beyond the festival and launch a filmmaking boot camp targeted to professional athletes in 2011.

Established in 1997, the core mission of the ABFF is to promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry by strengthening the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Through its film showcases and special contests, it annually introduces the top echelon of emerging artists to the film and television industry. The ABFF is a property of Film Life, Inc., a New York-based event marketing, production and distribution company founded in 2000 by Jeff Friday (CEO).

HBO® is the festival’s Founding and Premier Sponsor. Other sponsors on board this year include: Grey Goose and Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company (Premier Sponsors); American Airlines and BET Networks (Official Sponsors); CNN, Codeblack Entertainment, Gold Peak Tea, Nickelodeon, The Nielsen Company, and Stella Artois (Supporting Sponsors); City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (Host Sponsors); Fox Searchlight Pictures, Halle Berry Pure Orchid, MTV Networks, SAGIndie and the Writers Guild of America, West (Industry Partners). Media Sponsors: AOL Black Voices, Black Enterprise (Official Level); Automotive Rhythms, Heart & Soul, MIA, Monarch, Precious Times, Upscale and Uptown magazines (Supporting Level).

Red carpet video and coverage can be found on AOL Black Voices www.aolblackvoices.com

For media inquiries, call Lisa Sorensen (LSPR) at (646) 330-5458 or via email at [email protected]. General registration information can be obtained by visiting www.abff.com, calling 646-375-2144, ext 1, or contacting the festival via email at [email protected].

CRA to Host Trolley Service for American Black Film Festival participants June 24 and June 25, 2010, to the Overtown, Omni and Park West Redevelopment Districts.

MIAMI, FL (June 2010) – The City of Miami’s Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRA) have signed on as Host Sponsors for the 14th annual American Black Film Festival(ABFF)that will be held June 23-27, 2010, in Miami Beach. As part of their $50,000 sponsorship, the CRA hopes to create strategic partnerships with the film industry and attract filmmakers to consider filming and doing business in the Community Redevelopment Areas that include Overtown, Park West and Omni.

The CRA will roll out their film initiative with an impressive program that includes a trolley service for the ABFF participants on June 24 and June 25 from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. The trolley will pick up festival-goers from The Ritz-Carlton South Beach hotel and take them to destination points of interest in Overtown, Park West, Omni and downtown Miami. The CRA will also sponsor 15 students from the Overtown area to attend the American Black Film Festival’s master classes. The students will have an opportunity to take master classes on the Art of Filmmaking with director Spike Lee; on cinematography with Cliff Charles, director of photography(When the Levees Broke, Good Hair); and screenwriting, led by Loyola Maramount professor Dean Steve Duncan. In addition, the CRA has put together a filmmakers tour and roundtable discussion that will be held at Big Time Productions facility. The goal is to find out what incentives need to be in place for filmmakers to consider filming in the Community Redevelopment Areas.

The American Black Film Festival culminates with the CRA’s signature community showcase of the soon-to-be-released movie Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming, which will be held on Sunday, June 27, from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. This is a free-ticketed event for the community. The writer, director and actor will be in attendance for a talk-back after the movie.

“We are extremely excited and proud to once again be a Host Sponsor for this year’s American Black Film Festival. Our partnership with Film Life Inc. allows us the unique opportunity to highlight our diverse culture in Miami and promote our growing film industry within the CRA district. We look forward to the events and to attracting future film projects to Miami,” said Commissioner Richard P. Dunn II, Chair of the City of Miami Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency.

“The City of Miami is extremely proud to host some of America’s top film makers as part of the American Black Film Festival. The event has a rich tradition and is a prime example of the City’s and the CRA’s commitment to supporting and enriching the arts,” said Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, Chair of the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency.

“The City of Miami’s Community Redevelopment Agencies are proud to be a Host Sponsor for Film Life’s 14th annual American Black Film Festival. This year we are aggressively reaching out to filmmakers to create a dialogue on how we can be a resource to attract more film projects to the Miami’s Redevelopment Areas,” states CRA Executive Director James Villacorta.

“We are excited about the continued support of the City of Miami’s Community Redevelopment Agency. We remain committed to our community outreach program in Miami and look forward to a successful program this year of helping to facilitate partnerships with the film community and the CRA”, states Jeff Friday, CEO, Film Life Inc.

About the City of Miami’s Community Redevelopment Agencies
The CRAs’ long-range vision is to improve the quality of life for residents and stakeholders of the Overtown, Park West and Omni community redevelopment areas by generating successful redevelopment projects from both the private and public sectors that will improve the appearance of the area, remove slum and blight conditions, create new job opportunities and spur the local economy. Visit www.miami-cra.org.

About the American Black Film Festival
Established in 1997, the core mission of the ABFF is to promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry by strengthening the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. With its film showcases, workshops and special contests, it annually introduces the top echelon of emerging artists to the film and television industry. The ABFF is the property of Film Life Inc., a New York-based event marketing, production and distribution company founded in 2000 by Jeff Friday (CEO). Visit www.abff.com.

Media Contact:
Yvette N. Harris
786.897.8854

NEW YORK, NY (April 28, 2010) – The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will launch the Pro-Hollywood Initiative (PHI), a pilot program created to encourage professional athletes to explore careers in the motion picture industry. The program’s main objectives are to stimulate athletes’ interest in the movie business, connecting them with talented filmmakers, educating them about the workings of the industry and promoting their involvement in the production of quality independent films. The inaugural program will be held during the 14th annual American Black Film Festival June 23-26, 2010 in Miami, FL.

The PHI centers on master classes covering a variety of disciplines related to filmmaking, including screenwriting, directing, cinematography, producing, acting and film financing. Instructors will be selected from among leading filmmakers, industry executives and professors at top-tier film schools. The highlight of this year’s program will be the “Art of Directing” master class led by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee. The PHI will culminate with a private roundtable luncheon to honor the participants in the 2010 program, and provide them the opportunity to gain valuable industry insight from Mr. Lee and other distinguished filmmakers.

The PHI was inspired by the 2009 meeting between ABFF founder Jeff Friday and Baltimore Ravens All-Pro linebacker Terrell Suggs, who attended the festival for the first time that year after launching a film production company. Mr. Suggs is currently in production on his first film, Sisters, based on a screenplay by a writer he met at the festival. “Last year I attended the ABFF for the first time and left the festival inspired to produce my own film. The ABFF master classes I attended gave me a comprehensive crash course in the filmmaking process and provided a foundation for my future professional pursuits in the motion picture business,” says Mr. Suggs. “I look forward to participating in the Pro-Hollywood activities and commend Jeff for his unique vision to bring this groundbreaking opportunity to the ABFF.”

“I am proud to provide a platform for professional athletes to learn about the filmmaking process,” says festival founder Jeff Friday. “The dedication, focus and commitment to detail exhibited by most great athletes in their careers will suit them well in the film industry, regardless of whether their interest lies in front of or behind the camera. We hope to see more sports stars like Terrell engaged in the film arena as part of their off the field agendas.”

The premier Pro-Hollywood Initiative at this year’s festival is by invitation only and will be limited to ten (10) participants. Current or retired athletes from any professional sport are eligible to attend. This innovative program will seek the support of player associations and major sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB.

In 2011, Mr. Friday will expand the PHI, offering a Bootcamp focusing on the various disciplines of the filmmaking process to professional athletes and sports leagues. The Pro Hollywood Bootcamp is an intensive one-week program which will be held in Los Angeles, the movie capital of the world.

Founded in 1997, the ABFF is a leading international film festival and marketplace dedicated to promoting the work of Black filmmakers. The festival was created to stimulate the development of independent films and to increase cultural diversity in Hollywood. One of the festival’s main objectives is to showcase emerging talent in front of and behind the camera. Aspiring and accomplished filmmakers, actors, producers and other industry professionals gather at the four-day festival to participate in workshops, panel discussions, networking activities and, of course, film screenings, with the intention to build interpersonal relationships that lead to artistic advancements and greater access to coveted positions in the film industry.

HBO® is the festival’s Founding and Premier Sponsor. Other sponsors on board for this year include: Grey Goose (Premier); BET Networks (Official); Nielsen, Nickelodeon, Gold Peak Tea, Stella Artois and Code Black Entertainment (Supporting); Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority and the City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (Host); SAG Indie, WGA West and Coty Inc. (Industry partners). Media Sponsors include: AOL Black Voices, Black Enterprise, Uptown, Monarch, Heart & Soul, and Precious Times.

For media inquiries, call Lisa Sorensen (LSPR) at (646) 330-5458 or via email at [email protected]. Program registration information can be obtained by contacting Ghana Wilson at [email protected] or by calling 646-375-2144, ext 5. Regular festival updates are available at abff.com.