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American Black Film Festival Ventures Appoints IMG to Develop and Market Cohesive Sponsorship Offering

LOS ANGELES, CA, (March 17, 2021) – ABFF Ventures LLC. today announced an exclusive commercial partnership with IMG, a global leader in events, media, fashion and sports, that will see IMG sell sponsorship for the entertainment company’s portfolio of annual events.

IMG, an Endeavor company, will develop and market a long-term, cohesive sponsorship strategy for the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), ABFF Honors awards gala, and new ABFF Comedy Festival launching in 2021, as well as Film Life Foundation’s Social Justice Now Film Festival.

Founded in 1997, ABFF Ventures’ primary mission is to create properties that entertain, educate and inspire communities of color while showcasing the work of Black artists and content creators in Hollywood.

The multi-year agreement builds on the Endeavor network’s relationship with ABFF, which was formalized when Endeavor Content partnered with ABFF to launch the Social Justice Now Film Festival. IMG will also provide valuation, data and insights powered by Endeavor Analytics, and utilize the broader Endeavor network to identify new and existing assets that will help extend the festivals’ reach in different markets and facilitate year-round engagement.

“IMG is undeniably the industry leader in the events and live experiences arena,” said Jeff Friday ABFF Ventures Founder & CEO. “We are very thrilled to join forces to expand the global footprint of the ABFF brand and cultivate new partnership opportunities.”

Robbie Henchman, Executive Vice-President, IMG, said: “Over the last 25 years, ABFF has become a cornerstone for diversity in Hollywood. We’re excited to be partnering with them to re-engineer their sponsorship strategy into one cohesive aggregated offering, providing an opportunity for brands to support this incredible portfolio of festivals for the first time.

“We’ll be engaging the full power of the Endeavor network to identify expansion opportunities with the goal of maximizing the festivals’ reach and engagement in new markets around the world,” he added.

IMG owns, manages and/or represents more than 600 events around the world, including Frieze art fairs, the Miami Open, New York Fashion Week: The Shows, and Culturespaces’ new digital art center launching in New York City.

Endeavor Content is a global leader in the development, financing and sales of premium film, television, theater and audio content. Endeavor Analytics provides actionable consumer, marketplace and media intelligence to leading brands, leagues and teams.

ABOUT ABFF VENTURES LLC:
ABFF Ventures LLC (ABFFV) is a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live and digital events that celebrate Black culture and achievement. Its mission is to curate experiences that entertain, educate and inspire communities of color while showcasing the work of Black artists in Hollywood. The company, through its flagship property the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), has been a leading advocate for diversity in Hollywood since its inception in 1997. Since then, the festival has been the standard bearer of excellence for Black creativity, having premiered the work and supported the careers of many of today’s most successful actors and content creators. ABFFV is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA and led by husband-and-wife team Jeff and Nicole Friday.

ABOUT IMG:
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. The company manages some of the world’s greatest athletes and fashion icons; owns and operates hundreds of live events annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in licensing, sports training and league development. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global entertainment, sports and content company.

ABOUT ENDEAVOR CONTENT:
Endeavor Content is a global leader in the development, financing and sales of premium film, television, theater and audio content. Endeavor Content seeks to facilitate more ownership and creative freedom for artists, creators and production companies in an ever-evolving media landscape. Endeavor Content is a division of Endeavor, a global entertainment, sports and content company.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jo Robertson
+44 (0) 7392 088227
[email protected]

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American Black Film Festival to Celebrate Milestone 25th Anniversary with In-Person and Virtual Programming to Reach a Global Audience

Festival Returns to Miami Beach November 3-14.

LOS ANGELES, CA, (March 10, 2021) – ABFF Ventures LLC., announced today that it will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) with a return to Miami Beach from November 3-7, and virtually for seven days thereafter, November 8-14 on ABFF PLAY (www.abffplay.com), its streaming platform. The festival will feature studio screenings, panel discussions, and networking events to elevate timely issues and celebrate Black entertainment, and provide Black and Brown filmmakers a platform to tell their stories and drive momentum toward creating a more equal and diverse media landscape.

The premier destination event for Black film and television enthusiasts, ABFF has historically attracted an audience of 7,000 to 10,000 people who travel to Miami Beach for the five day Fest. The 2020 ABFF Online Edition broadened that audience, drawing in viewers from more than 90 countries around the world. Festival registration and call for submissions will open March 23, 2021 at abff.com.

“We are so excited to return to Miami Beach to celebrate 25 years of storytelling and storytellers, and engage with a global audience around the world through our virtual programming on ABFF PLAY,” said Nicole Friday, President ABFF Ventures. “ABFF has served as a place of inspiration and a launching pad for so many great filmmakers and artists, and we remain committed to using our platform to catapulte a new generation of Black and Brown filmmakers forward.”

“We are honored that American Black Film Festival has once again chosen our great destination for this event, says Mayor Dan Gelber, and confident the Royal Palm Hotel and our city partners will safely host ABFF participants, audience members, talent, and workers to make sure this is another successful event, for Miami Beach.”

“We are eager to safely welcome film enthusiasts and our friends with the ABFF team to Miami Beach this upcoming November,” says William D. Talbert, III CDME, President & CEO, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). “The GMCVB’s Multicultural Tourism & Development Department will help ABFF successfully showcase the diversity of our community, including our local stakeholders and businesses. Utilizing ABFF Play technology will be a game changer, enabling global audiences to participate in this hybrid event and showcasing our amazing destination to an even broader audience than would have been possible before”.

ABFF Sponsors to date include Warner Media, HBO® (Founding), Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (Presenting Sponsors); Jeff Friday Media, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Premier Sponsor); Netflix, Verizon Media (Official Sponsors); Accenture (Supporting Sponsor).

For additional information on the festival visit abff.com and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook. Join in on the conversation by using #ABFF21 and #ABFF.

ABOUT ABFF VENTURES:
ABFF Ventures LLC (ABFFV) is a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live and digital events that celebrate Black culture and achievement. The company’s mission is to curate content and experiences that entertain, educate and inspire communities of color while showcasing the work of Black artists in Hollywood. Its tent-pole event properties are the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), cited by MovieMaker magazine as “One of the Coolest Festivals in the World;” and “ABFF Honors,” an annual awards gala saluting the top stars of film and television. ABFFV also provides consulting services to studios and networks to promote content specific to African American audiences through its ABFF Insider Marketing division. Led by husband-and-wife team Jeff and Nicole Friday, ABFF is headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif.

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 25th year, the
festival has become a cornerstone of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging black artists – many of who have become today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians.

PRESS CONTACT:

American Black Film Festival:
MPRM Communications
[email protected]
323-933-3399

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ABFF Launches New Comedy Festival to Showcase Up and Coming Multicultural Comedians and Comedy Writers

Kenya Barris Will Serve as Ambassador for the Five-Day Virtual Event

Submission Now Open for Stand-Up Comedy Performance, Shorts Films, Web Series and Podcasts

LOS ANGELES, CA, (January 28, 2021) – ABFF Ventures LLC., announced the launch of ABFF Comedy Festival, a new event dedicated to supporting emerging Black and Brown comedians and comedy writers. Kenya Barris (“Black-ish,” “Grown-ish,” “Black AF”) will serve as the ABFF Comedy Festival event Ambassador.

A spin off of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, ABFF Comedy Festival’s mission is to be a global stage for the multicultural comedy community and to help propel new generations of diverse artists to stardom by introducing them to the industry-at-large. It is a natural extension of the ABFF comedy sidebar which has given visibility to the biggest names in comedy including Kevin Hart, Cedric The Entertainer, Mike Epps, Rickey Smiley, Craig Robinson, JB Smoove and more, who performed at the film festival early in their careers.

Virtual for its first year, the five-day Comedy Festival will stream live and pre-recorded content on ABFF Play streaming service June 2-6, 2021. Highlights will include four national competitions; one for stand-up comics and the other three for writers of comedic short films, webisodes and podcasts as well as live stand-up comedy performances, panels, conversations and master classes, plus digital screenings of studio and network films and television content in the comedy genre. The festival will culminate with “Black Comedy Live,” a global pay-per-view special featuring top headline comics. Early bird passes on sale February 1, visit https://www.abff.com/miami/comedyfest/

“We are proud to expand our legacy of supporting Black talent in the early stages of their careers with the launch of the ABFF Comedy Festival. I’m very appreciative and excited to have Kenya Barris serve as our inaugural Ambassador. He is one of my favorite writers and sits amongst the most prolific content creators in the comedy arena,” says Jeff Friday, ABFF Ventures CEO.

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with American Black Film Festival on their very first ABFF Comedy Festival. Jeff and Nicole have built a long legacy of identifying new Black talent over the past 25 years, and as someone who shares their passion for championing and amplifying Black and Brown voices, I am excited to see them expand the ABFF imprint in this way. To be a part of something that will provide greater exposure, access, and opportunities to these comedians and comedy writers while also giving our community a reason to laugh together….this was a no-brainer and I’m honored to lend my support,” says Kenya Barris, writer, producer, actor.

The festival will feature four competitions – Stand-Up Performance, Comedy Web Series, Comedy Shorts, and Comedy Podcasts – designed to discover and reward emerging black and brown comedic talent, creators, and performing artists. Entrees for the four categories are due no later than March 8, 2021. Contestants must be age 21 or older, of African descent, or who identify as Latinx, or Native American, who reside, and are eligible to work, in the U.S. For additional information, please visit https://www.abff.com/miami/comedyfest/

Sponsors to date include WarnerMedia (Official).

ABOUT ABFF VENTURES:
ABFF Ventures LLC (ABFFV) is a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of events (live and digital), as well as marketing services and talent procurement. The company’s mission is to entertain and inspire communities of color while promoting diversity in Hollywood. Its tent-pole event properties are the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), cited by MovieMaker magazine as “One of the Coolest Festivals in the World;” and “ABFF Honors,” an annual awards gala saluting the top stars of film and television. ABFFV also provides consulting services to studios and networks aimed at securing talent and promoting content targeted toward African American audiences.

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 25th year, the festival has become a cornerstone of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging black artists – many of who have become today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians.

PRESS CONTACT:

American Black Film Festival:
MPRM Communications
[email protected]
323-933-3399

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American Black Film Festival and IMDb Presents New Digital Series – Hollywood Homecoming – Premiering April 1, 2021

The Best Man Kicks Off Series Reuniting Directors and Stars of Iconic Black Films

LOS ANGELES, CA, (January 14, 2021) – American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced a new series, Hollywood Homecoming, in collaboration with IMDb, the world’s most popular and authoritative source for information on movies, TV shows, and celebrities. The new series will bring together the director and cast and pay homage to iconic films that showcase Black humanity and provide balanced portrayals of the African American experience. Hollywood Homecoming will premiere during Black History Month, with the quintessential Black romantic comedy, The Best Man.

Director Malcolm D. Lee will be reunited with cast members Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, Melissa DeSoussa, Terrence Howard, Harold Perrineau, Taye Diggs and more, to share stories and memories about the film, which served as a launching pad for several of their careers.

Hosted by Nischelle Turner (Entertainment Tonight), Hollywood Homecoming: The Best Man will broadcast on ABFF PLAY (www.abffplay.com), a free streaming platform focused on Black culture. The first two episodes of Hollywood Homecoming will also simulcast on the IMDb (https://www.IMDb.com) homepage, as well as the IMDb Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/imdb) and social media channels by following @IMDb. Hollywood Homecoming: The Best Man will premiere on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 3:00 PM PST. Jeff Friday Media is producing the series.

Fan engagement will also be an essential part of the series, with a segment entitled “Fan Mail.” Viewers are invited to share their memories of how the film and cast touched their lives or how they would imagine themselves in one of the iconic scenes. Fandom videos can be submitted in advance to [email protected] by January 20th.

“We created Hollywood Homecoming to highlight the indelible impact that Black films have had on American culture. Congratulations to Malcolm Lee and The Best Man’s incredible cast for creating a movie that’s stood the test of time and proves that Black Films Don’t Crack”, says Jeff Friday, Series Creator.

“‘The Best Man’ is incredibly special to me: it was my first feature and truly a story and characters that came from the heart representing images of Black culture that I felt was missing on screen. We cast incredible actors and the support for this film from the movie going audience, as well as from ABFF, was groundbreaking. It’s very fitting more than 20 years later, it’s still a fan favorite and the cast and I have this amazing opportunity to engage with fans globally through ‘Hollywood Homecoming’ to share behind the scenes stories of the franchise. It’s going to be a great time,” says director, producer, and screenwriter Malcolm D. Lee.

ABOUT JEFF FRIDAY MEDIA:
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) is a production company founded by American Black Film Festival producer Jeff Friday in 2019 as a platform to license and produce a diverse portfolio of feature films, unscripted television and digital content. The studio’s output will focus on Black and brown audiences, and is designed for dissemination across an array of platforms including major studio partnerships, streaming platforms, traditional broadcast and cable television networks. The company recently announced a first-look production deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment.

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 25th year, the festival has become a cornerstone of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging black artists – many of who have become today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians, including Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Will Packer (Girls Trip), Issa Rae (Insecure), Kevin Hart (Night School), Omari Hardwick (Power) and Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II). The ABFF is the preeminent pipeline for Black artists in front of and behind the camera, and has significantly expanded the range of talent working in the entertainment Industry.

ABOUT IMDb:
IMDb is the world’s most popular and authoritative source for information on movies, TV shows and celebrities. Products and services to help fans decide what to watch and where to watch it include: the IMDb website for desktop and mobile devices; apps for iOS and Android; and X-Ray on Prime Video. IMDb also offers a free streaming channel, IMDb TV, and produces IMDb original video series and podcasts. For entertainment industry professionals, IMDb provides IMDbPro and Box Office Mojo. IMDb licenses information from its vast and authoritative database to third-party businesses worldwide; learn more at developer.imdb.com. IMDb is an Amazon company. For more information, visit imdb.com/press and follow @IMDb.

PRESS CONTACT:

American Black Film Festival:
MPRM Communications
[email protected]
323-933-3399