Issa Rae, Chanté Adams, Yahya Abdul- Mateen II, Kenya Barris, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Ben Crump, Michael Ealy, DeVon Franklin, Kasi Lemmons, Judge Greg Mathis, LisaRaye McCoy, Kyla Pratt, Trevante Rhodes, Kendrick Sampson, Robin Thede, Judge Lynn Toler, Susan Kelechi Watson, Salli Richardson Whitfield And More Topline Programming Slate For 2022 American Black Film Festival

Five-Day Fest Returns to Miami June 15-19, Followed by a Virtual Segment, June 20-30 Featuring a Mix of Conversations, Casting Calls, Networking Events and Live Streamed Content

LOS ANGELES, (June 7, 2022) – The first hybrid edition of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), now in its 26th year, will feature a robust slate of speakers including Kenya Barris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Trevante Rhodes, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Kyla Pratt, Judge Greg Mathis, Naturi Naughton, DeVon Franklin and 2022 Festival Ambassador Issa Rae who will provide opening night welcome remarks and close out the festival with new series Rap Sh!t, as well as panels ranging from the business of Hollywood to spotlights on new films and television series. Regarded as one of the “nation’s largest community of Black film and television enthusiasts,” the festival will be held live June 15-19 and continue virtually June 20–30 on its custom-designed online platform ABFF PLAY https://abffplay.com/.

“We are thrilled to have the support of the industry with so much content targeted towards Black audiences. For 26 years, we have provided a platform for Black creatives to deliver provocative conversations and compelling entertainment to our community. This year’s ABFF will be no different with our live and virtual programming,” said Nicole Friday, President and General Manager, ABFF Ventures LLC.

Highlights include, The Leading Man panel sponsored by Cadillac will bring some of today’s most sought-after actors Michael Ealy (Fatale), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Candyman) and Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight) to the stage for a revealing discussion about their roles in Hollywood and how they have become leading men, moderated by Malinda Williams (The Wood); a conversation with trailblazing filmmakers Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King), Kasi Lemmons (I Wanna Dance With Somebody) and Nicole Brown (President of TriStar Pictures) in Fierce Female Filmmakers of TriStar Pictures sit down to talk about their upcoming releases and a sneak peak of the films; Prime Video will present an intimate discussion on how Black women are leading the charge in creating content for all audiences to love in Leading from Within. The hit Peacock Original series Bel-Air: will showcase Clips and Conversations with the Co-Showrunner/Executive Producer Rasheed Newson and cast Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola, and Jordan L. Jones; NBCUniversal will present Bust Down in Laughter with NBCU’s Comedy Crew with Sam Jay, Langston Kerman, Jak Knight and Chris Redd from Peacock’s “Bust Down” and Nicole Byer, Phil Augusta Jackson and Carl Tart from NBC’s “Grand Crew;” and in celebration of the final season of This Is Us, actress/writer Susan Kelechi Watson, writer/producer Eboni Freeman, and producer Christiana Hooks will give the audience a behind the scenes look at the episode, “Our Little Island Girl: Part Two.” During the Black Experience on Xfinity panel, series creator Andrea Lewis, Beauty Expert Kahlana Barfield Brown, natural hair entrepreneur Whitney White (aka@Naptural85) and producer CJ Faison will highlight Black women and their overall effect on the beauty industry in the upcoming docuseries The Black Beauty Effect; renowned filmmaker Ayoka Chenzira honors a beloved independent film advocate in A Champion of Independent Black Film: Celebrating the Legacy of Michelle Materre; a peak into Bounce’s Original series, Johnson and Finding Happy, with Clips and Conversation panels featuring the cast and producers; so you want to be a showrunner?; learn how from Robin Thede (Black Lady Sketch Show), Rikki Hughes (Dave Chappelle Sticks & Stones) and Randy Huggins (BMF) in Life of a Showrunner delivered by UPS. Prudential Financial brings their Cocktails, Conversations and Financial Facts with LisaRaye McCoy. Disney+ and NatGeo’s Drs. Ferguson and Hodges of hit series, Critter Fixers will offer the best tips to care for your pets during their Clips and Conversation. The Motion Picture Association (MPA) will discuss a finance plan for filmmakers’ creative content in Funding Your Story: The Nuts & Bolts of Film Finance; and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ leadership will discuss the Academy’s outreach outside of Oscar Sunday.

Not-to-be-missed events include, the 25th HBO Short Film Award Showcase hosted by Bevy Smith featuring five short films from emerging filmmakers who compete for the prestigious award; the ABFF Comedy Wings showcase hosted by Aida Rodriquez, and; The “Best of the ABFF Awards” where the 2022 independent film awards and talent contest winners will be presented.

ABFF’s talent discovery programs find emerging talent and introduce them to the entertainment industry. Included on this year’s lineup is the return of ALLBLK’s Shoot Your Shot Casting Call featuring the honorable Judge Lynn Toler (Commit or Quit) and the Warner Bros. Discovery Writers Competition. The live festival culminates with its annual ABFF Greater Miami Community Day in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitor’s Bureau as part of its commitment to inform, educate and provide opportunities to the local community about the entertainment industry. Community Day is free to South Florida residents.

Previously announced, the festival will open with the Netflix documentary CIVIL, an intimate verité look at the life of maverick civil rights attorney Ben Crump directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Nadia Hallgren and produced by Kenya Barris, Roger Ross Williams and Lauren Cioffi.

All live events are held in and around South Beach including The Regal South Beach, the New World Center Performance Hall, the Bass Museum and the Black Archives Historic Lyric Theatre.

As part of its virtual talk series events, the lineup includes Life as Entrepreneurs about what it takes to build a family brand with Gia Casey and DJ Envy presented by Morgan Stanley, and; an intimate conversation with the cast of the new docuseries on E!, Mathis Family Matters featuring Judge Greg Mathis. Universal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion (GTDI) department will celebrate its five-year anniversary with Universal GTDI’s Five Years of Creative Impact. Lionsgate and Starz bring their Black executives for a Gate-Opening: Black Exec Round Table.

As previously announced the full feature, documentary and web series and spotlight screenings lineup is available here https://www.abff.com/miami/2022-screenings/narrative-features/. All virtual events are available on ABFF PLAY.

Following is the schedule of 2022 ABFF talk series events to date. For times, locations, and the latest information visit, www.ABFF.com

Live Events

Thursday, June 16, 2022

The NFT Masterclass for Creative
NFTs have risen as one of the hottest topics in the entertainment industry. Understanding the intellectual property issues in NFTs is essential to our protection and advancement. This session will address the ABCs of NFTs, including copyright, trademark, publicity issues, and tax matters surrounding NFTs. Instructed by Kimra Major-Morris, Attorney at Law.

Leading From Within
Presented by Prime Video
From the suffrage movement to the civil rights movement, history has shown us we all win when Black women lead. Join three Black women executives from Prime Video for an intimate discussion on how they are leading the charge to create content across series and features that all audiences will love.
Moderators: Latasha Gillespie (Head of DEI, Prime Video)
Panelists: Amber Rasberry (Sr. Executive Development, Movies – Amazon Studios), Lauren Anderson (Co-Head Content & Programming, Amazon Freevee) and Larissa Bell (Development Executive, Amazon St)

The Black Beauty Effect Panel
Presented by Black Experience on Xfinity
An intimate discussion on the global impact of Black Beauty in the upcoming docuseries, The Black Beauty Effect. This discussion will highlight black women and their overall impact in the beauty industry, despite its historical exclusion and oppression of black women.
Panelists: Andrea Lewis, Series Creator, Kahlana Barfield Brown, Beauty Expert, Whitney White, Natural Hair entrepreneur, CJ Faison, Executive Producer

Funding Your Story: The Nuts & Bolts of Film Finance
Presented by the Motion Picture Association
You can be a great storyteller and writer of words that captivate the masses. However, you can’t share that story with the world without having a financing plan in place to get the story made! In this panel, representatives from major studios and a lead film finance company will provide an overview of the variety of ways content creators can finance their production. As each panelist has a unique background in the film finance world, this panel will provide filmmakers with a basic understanding of what to expect when putting together a financing package.
Moderator: John Gibson, Vice President, External and Multicultural Affairs, Motion Picture Association
Panelists: Donyelle Marshall, LATAM Business & Tax Analyst, Florida Office of Film & Entertainment; Chiquita Banks, Esq., Sr. Vice President, TPC; Graham Lee, Esq., Vice President, Tax Counsel-Production, Paramount; Brian O’Leary, Esq., Sr. Vice President- Tax, NBCUniversal (Invited)

Bel-Air: Clips & Conversations
Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal
Peacock presents an intimate conversation with the cast members from BEL-AIR about celebrating Black on-screen characters and discussing story themes such as love, family, and relationships.
Moderator: Scott Evans
Panelists: Rasheed Newson, Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola and Jordan Jones

Bust Down in Laughter with NBCU’s Comedy Crew
Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal
Join talent from NBCU’s hit comedies for a lively conversation about celebrating and shaping Black culture through stories of family, friendships, love and joy on TV.
Moderator: Danielle Young, Journalist and Host of Real Quick
Panelists: Nicole Byer, Phil Augusta Jackson and Carl Tart from NBCU’s “Grand Crew” and Sam, Jay, Langston Kerman, Jak Knight and Chris Red from Peacock’s “Bust Down”

Shoot Your Shot
Presented by ALLBLK
ALLBLK, the first and largest streaming service for Black TV and film from AMC Networks, is partnering with the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) to kick off a nationwide casting call for the co-star of its latest original production, “Judge Me Not.” A new hour-long psychological/legal drama created by TV icon, Judge Lynn Toler. “Judge Me Not” focuses on a millennial Black female attorney navigating mental health issues, a rocky romantic relationship and a volatile family, who shocks everyone when she wins a judicial seat at 31. Once there, she fights her demons while managing the chaos of a busy court.

25th Annual HBO Short Film Award Showcase
Presented by Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO
Five finalists will compete in ABFF’s HBO^® Short Film Award. The prestigious showcase will celebrate 25 years of HBO’s commitment to recognizing the next generation of diverse, artistic and creative talent at ABFF. This year’s groudbreaking directors with diverse style of filmmaking are: Sherif Alabede (Another Country), Elisee Junior St Preux (Aurinko in Adagio), Gia-Rayne Harris (Pens & Pencils), Destiny J. Macon (Talk Black) and Rebecca Usoro (The Family Meeting)

Friday, June 17, 2022

Masterclass: Legal Aspects of Indie Filmmaking
Presented by Arrington & Phillips
This seminar will introduce filmmakers to the legal and business aspects of independent filmmaking. From conception to distribution, attendees will learn all the basics needed to make, produce and distribute their own independent film. Instructed by Marvin Arrington and Vince Phillips.

Johnson: Clips & Conversations
Presented by Bounce TV
Join the cast and producer of Johnson for a conversation around the anticipated return of season 2. Johnson focuses on life-long best friends and their sometimes-complicated journey of love, friendship, heartbreak, and personal growth as told from the Black male perspective. The show is executive produced by Eric C. Rhone and Cedric The Entertainer’s A Bird & A Bear Entertainment.
Moderator: David J. Hudson, Head of Original Programming for Scripps Networks
Panelists: Deji LaRay (series creator & show runner); Thomas Q. Jones (show runner, “P- Valley,” “Luke Cage”); Philip Smithey (“Switched at Birth,” “The Rookie”); and Derrex Brady (“NCIS,” “First”) with Earthquake (“The Neighborhood,” “Chappelle’s Home Team – Earthquake: Legendary”) and Eric C. Rhone (executive producer)

Finding Happy: Clips & Conversations
Presented by Bounce TV
Meet the cast of Bounce’s newest series, Finding Happy, a show created about, for and by Black women. The dramedy follows Yaz Carter as she navigates her loving-but-complicated family, her stagnant career, and a merry-go-round of unrequited love as she looks to find her happy. The show is executive produced by Eric C. Rhone and Cedric The Entertainer’s A Bird & A Bear Entertainment.
Moderator: Keisha Taylor Starr, Chief Marketing Officer for Scripps Networks
Panelists: B. Simone (MTV’s “Wild ‘n Out”); Kim Coles (“Living Single”); Marketta Patrice (“Black Jesus”); Angela Gibbs (“Hacks,” “The Fosters”); and, Kendra Jo (series creator & show runner)

A Champion of Independent Black Film: Celebrating the Legacy of Michelle Materre
Presented by Meta
Michelle Materre, prolific film distributor, professor, curator, and fervent supporter of women and BIPOC filmmakers, passed away in March. To honor her decades as a champion of independent film and her mission to lift the voices of underrepresented people in cinema, ABFF and Daughters of Eve Media will present a roundtable discussion featuring trailblazing and renowned women filmmakers.
Moderators: Terri Bowles and Dr. Michele Prettyman
Panelist: Ayoka Chenzira

Fierce Female Filmmakers of TriStar Pictures
Presented by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Join three trailblazing fierce, female, filmmakers – Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball), Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou), and Nicole Brown (TriStar Pictures President) for an intimate sit-down conversation as they open up about their highly anticipated Sony Pictures releases: The Woman King starring Viola Davis, and the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody starring Naomi Ackie. This conversation will dive into the importance, power and future of Black film while providing a sneak peek of what audiences can expect in their upcoming releases via exclusive content.
Moderator: Brett King, Vice President, Creative Programming, Diversity & Inclusion for Sony Pictures Entertainment
Panelists: Nicole Brown, President of TriStar Pictures; Kasi Lemmons, Director, I Wanna Dance with Somebody; Gina Prince-Bythewood, Director, The Woman King

Flipping the Script: Defining your own Path to Success presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Equity and Inclusion
Presented by Warner Bros. Discovery
Over the last few decades, the road to stardom and success in Hollywood has changed significantly. With the emergence of the digital age, social media and waves of new talent, many are finding success, their own way and on their own terms. This engaging and motivating panel discusses the impact of breaking into the entertainment industry both traditionally and non-traditionally; and ways to stay relevant in an ever-changing production landscape that is no longer one size fits all.
Moderator: Karen Horne, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Discovery, Equity + Inclusion
Panelists: Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Winning Time and The Gilded Age, HBO), Carlos King (Love & Marriage Franchise, OWN), Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins (Trials to Triumphs Podcast, OWN), Bashir Salahuddin (South Side, HBO Max), Diallo Riddle (South Side, HBO Max). Networking Reception to follow. RSVP and COVID vaccination required.

“This Is Us”: From Script to Screen
Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal
Go behind the scenes of NBC’s beloved drama “This Is Us” with actress/writer Susan Kelechi Watson, writer/producer Eboni Freeman and producer Christiana Hooks. Delve into a poignant conversation about the final season and the episode “Our Little Island Girl: Part Two” that is centered on Beth Pearson and was co-written by Susan and Eboni. Learn about the show’s unique approach to bringing multidimensional narratives to life by reflecting on the past, inspiring the future, and creating beautiful stories that transcend generations.
Moderator: Danielle Young, Journalist and Host of Real Quick
Panelists: Susan Kelechi Watson, Actress/Writer; Eboni Freeman, Writer/Producer; Christiana Hooks, Producer

Life Of A Showrunner
Presented by UPS
This panel examines the road to becoming a television showrunner, the duties and demands it entails, career strategies to be considered, the parameters of creative control as well as the freedom it affords, and what running a writers room looks like.
Panelists: Robin Thede (A Black Lady Sketch Show), Rikki Hughes (The Hype), Randy Huggins (BMF)

ABFF Comedy Wings Showcase
Presented by Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO
A night of laugher hosted by Aida Rodriquez and introducing: Marshall Brandon, Cherie Danielle, Shanna Christmas, Rob Gordon, and Alan Massenburg

Saturday, June 18, 2022

Academy 365
Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a 95-year-old organization that has long been known for the Oscars, often called “Hollywood’s biggest night.” But what goes on the other 364 days of the year? In this panel, key leadership shares how the Academy engages their membership of over 10,000 members on a year-round basis and leads industry initiatives that celebrate the history of film, amplifies its global community of artists and advocates for increased representation across the industry.
Moderator: Scott Evans, Access Hollywood
Panelists: DeVon Franklin, Governor-at-Large; Christine Simmons, COO, Academy; Shawn Finnie, EVP, Member Relations & Awards, Academy; Meryl Johnson, VP, Digital Marketing, Academy

Best of ABFF Awards Presentation
Hosted by Dondré Whitfield
Join us for the announcement of the festival winner of this year’s competitions including: Best Narrative Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay, John Singleton Award for Best First Feature, Best Documentary, Best Web Series and HBO Short Film Award. This event will be live-streamed on ABFF PLAY

Cocktails, Conversations, and Financial Facts with LisaRaye McCoy
Presented by Prudential Financial
Actress and Entrepreneur LisaRaye McCoy will share her journey with money, finances, and setting financial goals from her life on the South Side of Chicago to her life in the film industry. Prudential financial professionals will be available to answer financial questions.
Moderator: Delvin Joyce (Prudential Financial Planner & Founder of Prosperity Wealth Group)

The Leading Man
Presented by Cadillac
A panel of esteemed male actors examine the images of Black men in film and television, share stories about their journeys to success and discuss the messages they wish to convey to boys and young men in the community.
Moderator: Malinda Williams
Panelists: Trevante Rhodes, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Michael Ealy

Critter Fixers: Clips & Conversation
Presented by Disney+
Join veterinarians Dr. Terrence Ferguson and Dr. Vernard Hodges as they discuss some of their most unique animal cases and provide great tips and techniques to help care for your pets.
Moderator: Jill Tracey, Morning Show Co-Host on WHQT Hot 105 Miami
Panelists: Dr. Terrence Ferguson, Dr. Vernard Hodges

Closing Night Screening
Rap Sh!t
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO Max
Rap Sh!t follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna and Mia, who reunite to form a rap group.
Cast: Aida Osman (Shawna), KaMillion (Mia), Jonica Booth (Chastity), Devon Terrell (Cliff,) RJ Cyler (Lamont)
Executive Producer/Writer: Issa Rae (for HOORAE); Executive Producer/Showrunner: Syreeta Singleton; Executive Producer: Montrel McKay (for HOORAE); Executive Producers: Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry (for 3 Arts Entertainment); Executive Producer: Deniese Davis
Hip hop duo Yung Miami and JT of City Girls serve as co-executive producers, along with Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas for Quality Control Films and Sara Rastogi for HOORAE. Sadé Clacken Joseph directed the pilot. Rae’s audio content company Raedio will handle music supervision for the series.

Sunday, June 18, 2022

ABFF Community Day
Sponsored by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB)
The festival, in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, presents a day of entertainment curated for family audiences.

Virtual Events available on ABFF PLAY https://abffplay.com/

Life As Entrepreneurs
Presented by Morgan Stanley
A discussion exploring what it takes to build a family brand, the importance of being financially literate, and the value of building generational wealth.
Panelists: Husband and wife team DJ Envy and Gia Casey

Mathis Family Matters
Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal
E! Entertainment presents an intimate conversation with the cast of E!’s new docuseries, “Mathis Family Matters” about representation, the black family on television today, their personal experiences and perspectives around diversity both in front of and behind the camera. To further the dialogue regarding unscripted television, they will exchange thoughts on the importance of Black producers ensuring that our stories aren’t overlooked and we are represented equally in today’s diverse culture.
Moderators: Ebony Magazine
Panelists: Judge Greg Mathis, Linda Mathis, Jade Mathis, Camara Mathis, Greg Mathis Jr., Amir Mathis

Universal GTDI’s Five Years of Creative Impact
Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal
In celebration of Universal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion (GTDI) 5-year anniversary, this panel spotlights friend-of-GTDI director Jude Weng, accompanied by four incredible alumni who have participated in GTDI’s flagship programs. Moderated by Rotten Tomatoes Awards Editor Jacqueline Coley, this panel aims to highlight the participants’ journeys towards establishing a career in the industry, as well as provide their perspective on how they view representation and access in the industry.
Moderators: Jacqueline Coley
Panelists: Jermaine Stegall, Juel Taylor, Jude Weng, Marielle Woods

Gate-Opening: Black Exec Round Table
Presented by Lionsgate and Starz
A candid conversation with Black development executives at Lionsgate and Starz demystifying the studio system, providing helpful guidance and insight into the initial development stages to support rising Black filmmakers.
Moderator: Kamala Avila-Salmon – Head of Inclusive Content at Lionsgate
Panelists: Kathryn Tyus-Adair, Senior Vice President of Original Programming at Starz, Jade-Addon Hall, Vice President of Current Series at Lionsgate TV, Aaron Edmonds, Vice President of Production and Development at Lionsgate

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, Fulton Films, BET Her, Morgan Stanley, Miami Beach VCA, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Supporting); Endeavor Content and DC Office of Television (Industry).

For festival information and to obtain an ABFF pass on site, visit www.abff.com. Follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.

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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 achievement.

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Media Contact:

Chelsye J. Burrows
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) and ABFF Ventures LLC
[email protected]

LOS ANGELES, CA, (May 18, 2022) – The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) today announced its lineup of 12 spotlight screenings from its studio and network partners. The screenings include premieres and previews of feature films, documentaries and episodic series. Regarded as the preeminent showcase for quality Black content, the festival will take place live in Miami Beach June 15-19 and continues virtually June 20–30 on ABFF PLAY, https://abffplay.com/, the festival’s custom-designed online platform.

This year’s collection of live spotlight screenings include, Rap Sh!t, the new series created by award-winning actress/director/writer/producer and 2022 Festival Ambassador Issa Rae presented by HBO Max; Down With the King, starring rapper Freddie Gibbs from Sony Pictures Entertainment; a sneak peak of Prime Video’s A League of Their Own starring Chanté Adams; Onyx Collective and ABC News Studio’s Aftershock, a film that explores America’s maternal health care crisis; Disney+’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, the critically acclaimed revival of Disney Channel’s groundbreaking original series “The Proud Family;” TV One’s upcoming Stranger Next Door from Emmy Award^® winning director Victoria Rowell; A&E’s Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution, an exploration documenting how Black comedians used laughter to push social boundaries and cultural change; a first look at 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^®; a new episode of Black Love, entitled There Isn’t One Way, featuring couples Remy Ma & Papoose and Kenric & Sonequa Martin Green from Confluential Films, and; a compilation of shorts from BET Her, focusing on issues affecting the mental and physical health in the Black community, Behind the Smile! directed by Naturi Naughton and The Pink Fight directed by LisaRaye McCoy. Previously announced, the festival will open with the Netflix documentary CIVIL, an intimate verité look at the life of maverick civil rights attorney Ben Crump directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Nadia Hallgren and produced by Kenya Barris, Roger Ross Williams and Lauren Cioffi.

“ABFF continues to be an unparalleled resource for studios, networks and streamers to promote and publicize their upcoming releases to Black audiences. We are excited to share these films and series with this year’s attendees,” said Jeff Friday, founder and CEO ABFF Ventures LLC.

Virtual spotlight screenings to be featured on ABFF PLAY include Color Of Change’s eye-opening documentary What’s Costing Hollywood?, a mini-documentary that explores how data is often used to inform executive-level decision-making in Hollywood with a talkback moderated by Kendrick Sampson and A Beautiful Resistance from The Boston Globe. Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution will have an encore presentation on the platform.

For more details on the spotlight-screenings see below and visit www.abff.com for the full schedule.

Rap Sh!t
Rap Sh!t follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna and Mia, who reunite to form a rap group.
Cast: Aida Osman (Shawna), KaMillion (Mia), Jonica Booth (Chastity), Devon Terrell (Cliff,) RJ Cyler (Lamont)
Executive Producer/Writer: Issa Rae (for HOORAE); Executive Producer/Showrunner: Syreeta Singleton; Executive Producer: Montrel McKay (for HOORAE); Executive Producers: Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry (for 3 Arts Entertainment); Executive Producer: Deniese Davis Hip hop duo Yung Miami and JT of City Girls serve as co-executive producers, along with Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas for Quality Control Films and Sara Rastogi for HOORAE. Sadé Clacken Joseph directed the pilot. Rae’s audio content company Raedio will handle music supervision for the series.
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO Max

Down With the King
Rap star Money Merc (Freddie Gibbs) has been sent by his manager, Paul, to a rural house in the Berkshires to focus on his next album. Disenchanted with his music career and the 24/7 upkeep that such fame entails, Merc has no desire to write or record music. Instead, he spends most of his time at his neighbor’s farm learning about farming and enjoying the simplicity of country life. After Merc abruptly announces his retirement on Twitter, Paul rushes to the countryside to lure him back into the music industry.
Director: Diego Ongaro
Producers: Rob Cristiano, Zach LeBeau & Kim Jackson
Cast: Freddie Gibbs, Jamie Neumann, David Krumholtz, Sharon Washington & Bob Tarasuk
Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own evokes the joyful spirit of Penny Marshall’s beloved classic, while widening the lens to tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball. The show takes a deeper look at race and sexuality, following the journey of a whole new ensemble of characters as they carve their own paths towards the field, both in the League and outside of it.
Cast: Chanté Adams (Maxine “Max” Chapman)
Co-Creator and Executive Producer: Will Graham
Executive Producer: Desta Tedros Reff
Moderator: Latasha Gillespie, Head of DEI, Prime Video
Courtesy Prime Video and Sony Pictures Television

Aftershock
Shamony Gibson and Amber Rose Isaac were excited mothers-to-be whose deaths due to childbirth complications were preventable. Directors Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee follow Gibson’s and Isaac’s bereaved partners as they fight for justice and build communities of support with other surviving Black fathers. Aftershock shines a light on the world of gynecology—one that has a long-standing history of exploiting and neglecting Black women in America—while simultaneously uplifting the families, activists, and birth workers who are striving to bring change.
Directed and Produced by: Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee
Executive Producers: Dawn Porter, Jenny Raskin, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Patty Quillin, Jennifer and Jonathan Allan Soros, Tegan Acton, Emma Pompetti, Janet Tittiger, Davis Guggenheim and Rahdi Taylor
Co-Executive Producers: Lauren Haber, Kelsey Koenig, Nina and David Fialkow, Barbara and Eric Dobkin, Donna and Kevin Gruneich, Bill and Eva Price
Courtesy of Onyx Collective and ABC News Studios

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
A continuation of the acclaimed series, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder follows the adventures and misadventures of newly 14-year-old Penny Proud and her Proud Family as they navigate modern life with hilarity and heart. The 2020s brings new career highs for mom Trudy, wilder dreams for dad Oscar and new challenges for Penny, including a socially woke neighbor who thinks she has a lot to teach her, bullying social media influencers who want to cancel her and her own teenage hormones.
Cast: Kyla Pratt, Tommy Davidson, Paula Jai Parker, JoMarie Payton, Cedric the Entertainer
Executive Producers: Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar
Courtesy of Disney+

Stranger Next Door
Former police detective Rochelle Sellers (Vicky Jeudy) has had a year for the ages. After being shot by an unknown assailant and forced to retire, she divorces her husband and has to testify against him as the key witness in a high-profile police corruption trial. To ensure she is protected, she decided to live in seclusion and take on the role of caretaker for her ill father. However, when Jesse Holmes (Skyh Black) moves in next door, Rochelle is smitten. The perceived fairy tale takes a turn for the worst when it appears that Jesse is not the man he professes to be.
Director: Victoria Rowell
Cast: Tim Reid (Ernest Sellers), Vicky Jeudy (Rochelle Sellers) and Skyh Black (Jesse Holmes)
Produced for TV One by Je’Caryous Johnson (Je’Caryous Productions) and Jami McCoy-Lankford (Hillionaire Productions)
Courtesy of TV One

Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution
This new two-part documentary event explores the progression of Black comedy and the comedians who have used pointed humor to expose, challenge and ridicule society’s injustices and to articulate the Black experience in America. The series examines Black comedy through a unique lens, tracing the evolution and social awakening of the courageous comedians who dared to push against the constraints of their time and spoke truth to power.
Directors: Mario Diaz and Jessica Sherif
Executive Producers: Alexa Conway, Mario Diaz, Loren Hammonds, Lance Nichols, Ian Orefice, Jessica Sherif, Brad Abramson and Elaine Frontain Bryant
Courtesy of A&E Network

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 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 Spring Hill 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

Black Love
Black Love from filmmakers Codie Elaine Oliver & Tommy Oliver and Confluential Films, seeks to answer, “What does it take to make a marriage work?” In the 6th and final season premiere, a diverse set of couples detail the early days of their relationship and how they knew the other was the one. From meeting and marrying in under a year, break ups to make ups, dating a coworker, and a pre-prison proposal, these couples highlight their beginnings and the hurdles they faced along the way.
Couples: Remy Ma & Papoose, Kenric & Sonequa Martin-Green, Ashleigh Blaine Featherson & Darroll Jenkins, Codie & Tommy Oliver
Director: Codie Elaine Oliver
Executive Producers: Tommy Oliver, Codie Elaine Oliver
Courtesy of Confluential Films

A compilation of shorts:
Behind the Smile!
Focuses on a newly promoted anchorwoman who falls into a severe depression when she is forced to choose between her dream job and her Vitiligo support group.
Director: Naturi Naughton
Executive Producer: Tressa “Azarel” Smallwood
Written by: Lori Conway Ray
Courtesy of BET Her

The Pink Fight
Revolves around a female boxer who is diagnosed with breast cancer and follows her battle as she and her wife fight for survival both in and out of the ring.
Director: LisaRaye McCoy
Executive Producer: Tressa “Azarel” Smallwood
Written by: K. Senay
Courtesy of BET Her

CIVIL
CIVIL, directed by award-winning filmmaker Nadia Hallgren, is an intimate vérité look at the life of maverick civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Considered a trailblazer of his field, Crump gives viewers an inside look at his mission to raise the value of Black life. As the civil lawyer for the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Black farmers and banking while Black victims, Crump challenges America to come to terms with what it owes his clients.
Directed and Produced by: Nadia Hallgren
Produced by: Kenya Barris, Roger Ross Williams and Lauren Cioffi
Executive Producers: Erynn Sampson, Matthew Carnahan, Geoff Martz
Courtesy of Netflix

Spotlight screenings that will appear virtually on ABFF PLAY are:

A Beautiful Resistance
The Boston Globe culture columnist Jeneé Osterheldt created A Beautiful Resistance to carry on the tradition of Black arts and Black journalists in reclaiming the truth of Black folk. Like Frederick Douglas taught us, there is power in representation. Too often, we are measured by our suffering. Blackness must not be defined by our brutalization. We are more than death. When we are depicted by our extremes, the truth of us is lost. We live, fully. Our joy, our dreams our everyday stories? That’s a beautiful resistance. Every season consists of a weekly mixtape: we deliver a short film, a longform story, a Q&A, and we invite the community to share their own beautiful resistance on Instagram. There is music, there is story, there is love. Joy lives her. Join us Globe.com/abeautiful resistance
Courtesy of The Boston Globe

What is Costing Hollywood?
“What’s Costing Hollywood?” explores the ways in which more transparency around data collection and use can help the film and entertainment industry address costly racial disparities. The mini-documentary develops the story through the lens of changemakers like Kendrick Sampson (actor, activist, and co-founder of BLD PWR); Tas Plater (head of human resources at Endeavor Content); Fanshen Cox (inclusion rider co-author and development executive at Pearl Street Films); and Alex Simmons (data scientist at Snap Inc.) who provide insight into the underlying root issue of data collection and discriminatory algorithms — depicting a clear path for a new paradigm shift in the entertainment industry.
Moderator: Kendrick Sampson
Panelists: Rashad Robinson; Romola Ratnam; Aerica Shimizu Banks; and, Darnell Hunt
Courtesy of Color Of Change’s #ChangeHollywood initiative

All official selections can be found here https://www.abff.com/miami/2022-screenings/.

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, 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, BET Her, Morgan Stanley, VCA, (Supporting); Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, Endeavor Content (Industry).

For festival information and to obtain an ABFF pass, visit www.abff.com. Follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.

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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 achievement.

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Media Contact:

Chelsye J. Burrows
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) and ABFF Ventures LLC
[email protected]

26th ANNUAL FESTIVAL TO OPEN ON JUNE 15 WITH “CIVIL” A PROFILE OF CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY BEN CRUMP DIRECTED BY NADIA HALLGREN

LOS ANGELES, CA, (April 27, 2022) – The 2022 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) today announced its lineup of narrative and documentary features, and web series. This year’s festival format returns as a hybrid with live events June 15-19 in Miami, Fl., followed by virtual panels and screenings June 20-30 on the festival’s custom-built online platform ABFF PLAY (https://abffplay.com/).

The Features program includes Narrative competitions (U.S. and international), World Premieres and first-time directors representing a diverse group of independent filmmakers from around the globe. The lineup offers a mixture of thought-provoking, entertaining and authentic stories that uplift and highlight Black culture.

The festival opens with the documentary “CIVIL,” an intimate vérité look at the life of maverick civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Considered a trailblazer of his field, “CIVIL” gives viewers an inside look at Crump’s mission to raise the value of Black life. As the civil lawyer for the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Black farmers and banking while Black victims, Crump challenges America to come to terms with what it owes his clients. The film is directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Nadia Hallgren (Becoming, After Maria, The Show). Produced by Kenya Barris, Roger Ross Williams and Lauren Cioffi. The Netflix release of “CIVIL” will premiere on Juneteenth (June 19) this year.

“We are thrilled to open the festival with “CIVIL,” a timely documentary bringing light to issues of social justice and equity in America,” said Nicole Friday, festival producer and president of ABFF Ventures LLC. “We’ve curated an entertaining and thought-provoking lineup of features, documentaries and web series and I am so excited to share our content with a live audience again.”

Universally considered the premiere festival for Black storytellers and storytelling, ABFF presents a wide range of independent films, studio and network previews, a series of talk events, master classes, live entertainment and more. The festival continues to spotlight talent both in front of and behind the camera and provide a platform for emerging artists to tell their stories.

The full feature, documentary and web series lineup is listed below and here https://www.abff.com/2022-screenings/narrative-features/. Finalists for the HBO Short Film Award presented by Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO will be announced at a later date. For more updates on the complete list of programming of the 2022 American Black Film Festival, in the coming week, follow us. #ABFF2022 @ABFF on Twitter, @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram, Facebook and at https://www.abff.com/

NARRATIVE FEATURES (U.S. & International)
A competitive section for U.S. and international feature-length films directed by or written and produced by persons of African descent. Films in this category are eligible to be nominated to compete for the following Jury Awards – Best Director (presented by Cadillac, $5,000 cash prize), Best Narrative Feature (presented by Sony, $2,500 cash prize), and Best Screenplay (presented by TV One, $2,500 cash prize). In addition, if a person of African descent has directed a film in this section and it is their first feature, they will be eligible to compete for the John Singleton Award for Best First Feature (presented by Netflix, $5,000 cash prize). The following films represent the 2022 official selections in the Narrative Features category:

Between Sins *World Premiere
Faced with the responsibilities of an ill mother and estranged daughter, Coy searches for redemption for past sins while trying to avoid the pitfalls that could lead to repeating them.
USA | 83 min
Director: Carlos Miller
Writer: Carlos Miller
Producers: Tyler Cheatham, Carlos Gonzalez, Carlos Miller
Cast: George Taylor, Rigoberto Duval, Carolyn Johnson, Skyla Rain Rowe, Angela Kohn

Bite of a Mango *World Premiere
2020 comes with enough challenges of its own, but as four best friends each attempt to overcome their own trying situations, they are left unsure if the group can survive.
CANADA | 98 min
Director: Ron Dias
Writers: Joanne Jansen, Ron Dias
Producers: Joanne Jansen, Ron Dias
Cast: Jayne Kamara, Ryan Rosery, Orville Cummings, Nathan Taylor

Escaping Paradise *World Premiere
A young couples’ anniversary trip turns deadly in a foreign land.
PHILIPPINES | 91 min
Director: Paul Tanter
Writer: Deji LaRay
Producers: Thomas Q. Jones, Deji LaRay, DeNorvious Pickett
Cast: Deji LaRay, Simon Phillips, Shayla Hale

Feel Like Ghosts *World Premiere
Two recent exes with an undeniable connection confront what could have been if their cultural differences hadn’t pushed them to new lives on opposite coasts.
USA | 100 min
Director: Kali Baker-Johnson
Writer: Kali Baker-Johnson
Producer: Lola Ridgell
Cast: Nican Robinson, Misha Molani

God of Dreams *U.S. Festival Premiere
Welcome to the future, where dreaming is Illegal.
USA | 104 min
Director: Jurian Isabelle
Writer: Jurian Isabelle
Producers: Jurian Isabelle, Joe Langford
Cast: Ann Nesby, Julia Reilly, Jessie Reeder, Keshawn Pettigrew, Omar Cook

Our Father, the Devil
An African immigrant’s quiet life in a small French town is upended by the arrival of a charismatic Catholic priest, whom she recognizes as the warlord who slaughtered her family.
USA | FRANCE | 108 min
Director: Ellie Foumbi
Writer: Ellie Foumbi
Producers: Ellie Foumbi, Joseph Mastantuono
Cast: Babetida Sadjo, Souleymane Sy Savané, Jennifer Tchiakpe

Scheme Queens *World Premiere
Four friends who are down on their luck decide to rob a ruthless Rastafarian jewel thief by conning his second in command.
USA | 94 min
Director: Cas Sigers Beedles
Writer: Cas Sigers Beedles
Producers: Cas Sigers Beedles, Ernestine Johnson
Cast: B. Simone, Ernestine Johnson, Brii Reneé, Jacky Oh

Survival
A car-jacked mother and entrepreneur is forced to bond with her violent assailant in order to escape.
USA | 90 min
Director: Damon Jamal
Writers: Damon Jamal, Dave Eisenstark
Producers: Leah Daniels Butler, Henry Black Butler, Damone Smith, Damon Jamal
Cast: Elise Neal, Demetrius Grosse, Dylan McNamara, Miguel A. Nuñez Jr.

The Threesome *World Premiere
A sex comedy told in three ways.
USA | 92 min
Director: Jamal Dedeaux
Writer: Jamal Dedeaux
Producers: Jaleel Ghafur, Rebecca Haze, Jamal Dedeaux
Cast: Andrea Lewis, Brittany S. Hall, Jerrel O’Neal

You Married Dat
Two happy brides, one dead guy!
USA | 114 min
Director: Dame Pierre
Writers: Byron Manuel, Curtis L. Ellison Jr., Tarek Abdelkhalig
Producers: Timothy Christian, Sherah Rider, Elijah Kelley
Cast: Juhahn Jones, Apryl Jones, LisaRaye, Audra Kinkead, Michael Colyar

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
A competitive section for nonfiction feature films directed by persons of African descent or centered on the culture and experiences of persons of African descent. Films in this category are eligible to be nominated to compete for the Jury Award for Best Documentary (presented by Amazon, $2,500 cash prize). The following films represent the 2022 official selections in the Documentary Features category:

A Woman on the Outside
Kristal is a young, ambitious Philadelphian driven to keep families connected to their incarcerated loved ones. But when her father and brother return from prison, she confronts the ultimate question: can she reunite her own family?
USA | 85 min
Directors: Zara Katz, Lisa Riordan Seville
Writer: Kiara C. Jones
Producers: Kiara C. Jones, Zara Katz, Lisa Riordan Seville
Cast: Kristal Bush, Nyvae Scott, Kristal Speaks

American Immigrants *World Premiere
Being homeless is an experience not a person.
USA | 60 min
Director: Ken Miles
Writer: Ken Miles
Producer: Ken Miles
Cast: Jorge Colina, Nathan White

Black As U R: a micheal rice film
Micheal Rice’s kaleidoscopic journey through the fault lines of race, gender and sexuality in America.
USA | 87 min
Director: Micheal Rice
Writer: Micheal Rice
Producer: Edward Radford
Executive Producers: Micheal Rice, Gerald Oxford
Cast: Micheal Rice, Dr. Charlene Sinclair, Michael Roberson

Blind Eye Artist *World Premiere
The origin story of painter Justin Wadlington, blind in his left eye.
USA | 76 min
Director: Ashwin Chaudhary
Producers: Ashwin Chaudhary, Jonathan Korn, Justin Wadlington
Cast: Justin Wadlington, Glenn Fuhrman

Drowning in Silence
A mother goes on a healing journey to investigate the silent epidemic of childhood drowning after losing her son.
USA | 81 min
Director: Chezik Tsunoda
Writers: Chezik Tsunoda, Claire Ave’Lallemant
Producers: Hill Harper, Joe Beshenkovsky, Chezik Tsunod

Let The Church Say *World Premiere
In a time of racial upheaval and a multitude of woes affecting marginalized communities, a young African American filmmaker journeys to the heart of the Black experience to find the answer to a daunting question: Is the Black church dead?
USA | 70 min
Director: Rafiq J Nabali
Writer: Rafiq J Nabali
Producers: Joe Howell, Nancy Howard, Danielle Nebeliuk
Cast: Jekalyn Carr, Dr. Teresa Fry Brown, Dr. Walter Fluker, Darlene McCoy

Lovely Jackson *World Premiere
America’s longest wrongfully held exonerated prisoner, Rickey Jackson, returns to the prison where his 39-year journey of survival began and guides his younger self from death row to freedom.
USA | 104 min
Director: Matt Waldeck
Writers: Rickey Jackson, Matt Waldeck
Producers: Rickey Jackson, Matt Waldeck, Jillian Wolstein, Ben Hecht, Travis Killian
Cast: Rickey Jackson, Edward Vernon, Pr. Anthony Singleton, Mario Beverly, Devito Parker Jr.

The Young Vote *World Premiere
Filmmaker Diane Robinson follows a diverse group of students and activists during the 2020 election to understand young peoples’ perceptions of voting and civic engagement.
USA | 67 min
Director: Diane Robinson
Writer: Diane Robinson
Producer: Diane Robinson
Cast: Ariana Tulay, Dariel Cruz Rodriguez, Elena Ashburn, Liz Magallanes, Sophia DeLoretto-Chudy, John King, Bradley Tusk, Jeremy Gruber

WEB SERIES
A competitive section for short-form episodic television directed by or produced and written by persons of African descent. Each series in this section will compete for the Jury Award for Best Web Series (presented by Comcast NBCUniversal, $2,500 cash prize). The following are the 2022 official selections in the Web Series category:

Bourn Kind: The Tiny Kindness Project
A Black/Jewish artist creates a project of kindness to celebrate connection in his community.
USA | 12 min
Director: Rachel Myers
Writer: Rachel Myers
Producer: Tamika Lamison, Connie Jo Sechrist, Rachel Myers
Cast: Bourn Rich

Dreamers
The zany misadventures of two sisters navigating the ups and downs of life, as artists, in the wild and unpredictable streets of La La Land.
USA | 7:30 min
Director: Kimberly Dooley
Writer: Kimberly Dooley
Producer: Kimberly Dooley
Cast: Kimberly Dooley, Dayna Dooley

I am Mara *World Premiere
Striving to break free from a life of espionage, murder and destructive family ties, Mara sets out to fabricate a new life for herself, but soon realizes the truth will always reveal itself and all sins must be atoned for.
USA | 14:33 min
Directors: Cody Duncum, Demetrius Feaster
Writers: Candace West, Clarinda D’Cruze
Producer: Candace West, Demetrius Feaster, Clarinda D’Cruze
Cast: Candace Kirstin West, Keith Elgin Douglas, Alek President, Jose Navarro, Virginia Elliot, David Chin

Jonathan’s World *U.S. Festival Premiere
Boy genius sips magical potion causing him to obtain enhanced capabilities.
USA | 14 min
Director: Tyler D. Lambert
Writer: Tyler D. Lambert
Producer: Tyler D. Lambert
Cast: Tyler D. Lambert

Last Name Unknown *World Premiere
Beyond Hope Youth Shelter’s homeless youth beat the odds, and find their place in society.
USA | 15 min
Director: Dui Jarrod
Writer: Dui Jarrod
Producers: Kevin “Coach K” Lee, Pierre “Pee” Thomas, Dui Jarrod, Chris Hicks, David Blackman
Cast: Chakeefe Gordon, Erika Norrell, Braxton Jordan, Lindsey G. Smith

Layered, “Stalker” *World Premiere
A series following three black women from Philadelphia, two of them Muslim, trying to break into the media industry while being met with challenges in mental health, faith, and loss due to gun violence.
USA | 12:57 min
Director: Zareefa Abdul-Adl
Writers: Arraiyan DuBose, Aiko Brown, Zareefa Abdul-Adl
Producers: Aiko Brown, Arraiyan DuBose, Zareefa Abdul-Adl
Cast: Merceedes White, LaPorscha Rodgers, Aisha Saran

Little Lawyer *U.S. Festival Premiere
A six-year-old girl with aspirations of being an attorney puts her little brother on trial after she discovers her toy is inoperative.
USA | 12 min
Director: Sam Buckner III
Writer: Sam Buckner III
Producers: Sam Buckner, Samantha O. Buckner
Cast: Sophia Dejesus, London Sinead, Wyatt Hinz, Ayani Tamar, Brandon. L Ward, Alex Jackson

Mine
When the sudden disappearance of water — their main life source — threatens to upend a vibrant utopia, an intrepid teen named Blaze must save their community before it’s too late.
USA | 12:30 min
Directors: Randall Dottin, Luisa Dantas
Writers: Randall Dottin, Angela Tucker, Paige Wood, Luisa Dantas, Rise-Home Stories Project
Producers: Randall Dottin, Angela Tucker, Paige Wood, Luisa Dantas, Rise-Home Stories Project, Anna Lee, Russell Hornsby
Cast: Russell Hornsby, Denny Dillon, Imani Russell, Kaya Fraites, Sunni Patterson

The Green Couch (Ep. 2) *World Premiere
Psychologist Dr. Rhemington Lee engages patients in an unwitting experiment of truth as each convene on The Green Couch.
USA | 14:08 min
Director: Mirlande Amazan
Writer: Mirlande Amazan
Producer: Mirlande Amazan
Cast: Mirlande Amazan, Antuone Torbert; narrated by Gordon Greene

The Whippersnappers *World Premiere
OG, Big Mama and Foegy, aka “The Oldheads,” growing tired of the same routine, decide to use technology to become younger.
USA | 4:56 min
Director: Ryan Cole
Writer: Ryan Cole
Producer: Ryan Cole
Cast: Ryan Cole

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, IMDb (Premier); ALLBLK, Prudential Financial, Variety, TV One, Netflix, Starz, Disney+ (Official); Accenture, Motion Pictures Association (MPA), A&E Indie Films, Springhill Company, The Boston Globe, Color of Change, Confluential Films (Supporting).

For festival information and to obtain an ABFF pass, visit www.abff.com. Pre-registration closes May 13. Press interested in media credentials to cover ABFF go to https://www.abff.com/press-room/media-credentials/.

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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 achievement.

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Media Contact:

Chelsye J. Burrows
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) and ABFF Ventures LLC
[email protected]

Image provided Courtesy of ABFF

Inaugural Conversation Will Feature Emmy-nominated Actor and Author Dondré Whitfield on Monday, March 7, 2022

LOS ANGELES, CA, (February 17, 2022) – The American Black Film Festival (ABFF), in partnership with the City of Miami Beach, will present the first installment in its biannual Business of Entertainment Conversation Series featuring three-time Emmy-nominated actor and author Dondré Whitfield. The event will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 7, 2022 at O Cinema South Beach located at 1130 Washington Avenue. Former news anchor, journalist and Florida Memorial University professor Russell Motley will moderate the conversation.

The biannual series will bring top production experts and artists to the area to discuss the inner workings of the film and television industry. The series is an extension of the festival’s partnership with the City of Miami Beach and is free to the community. Advanced registration is requested as seating is limited. To register for the event go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/abff-business-of-entertainment-conversation-series-dondre-whitfield-tickets-272123888877

“Miami Beach is a global arts and culture destination thanks in large part to our long relationship with the American Black Film Festival,” said Mayor Dan Gelber. “So we welcome this new series as a natural step in our and the ABFF’s efforts to democratize the arts and make them something all can enjoy and appreciate.”

“We are excited to bring the Business of Entertainment Conversation Series to Miami Beach as an extension of our 17-year partnership with the city, and hope that it will inspire members of the community to pursue careers in film and television,” said Jeff Friday, founder and CEO, ABFF Ventures LLC.

Dondré Whitfield’s career has spanned over a quarter century. He has worked with such industry heavyweights as John Travolta, Helen Mirren, David Oyelowo, Michael B. Jordan and Kevin Hart, to name a few. Dondré was a regular on the Ava DuVernay series Queen Sugar for OWN, playing Remy Newell, a role which earned a nomination for a 2018 NAACP Award. He also recently starred in the hit BET comedy series Real Husbands of Hollywood opposite Kevin Hart, Boris Kodjoe and Nick Cannon.

Dondré’s versatility as a comedic and dramatic actor has been showcased in several of his feature films, including the Independent Spirit Award-winning and Sundance Award-winning film Middle of Nowhere opposite David Oyelowo that was directed by Ava DuVernay, the comedy 35 and Ticking opposite Kevin Hart, the award-nominated drama Pastor Brown opposite Michael B. Jordan, the comedies Mr. 3000 opposite Bernie Mac and Two Can Play That Game opposite Vivica A. Fox, and the Helen Mirren-directed film Happy Birthday opposite Helen Mirren and John Goodman.

Dondré’s recent and perhaps most impressive role is not on the screen, but in his community. He is the co-creator of The Manhood Tour, a global movement committed to awakening the consciousness of men, giving them the keys to manhood and teaching them how to live it in the highest degree. Dondré travels throughout the country speaking on behalf of the movement.

The American Black Film Festival, now in its 26th year, will return to Miami Beach June 15-19, 2022, followed by virtual events on ABFF PLAY, the festival’s custom-built platform, from June 20 -30. The festival brings together Black culture enthusiasts, artists, executives and filmmakers from around the world. For more information about the American Black Film Festival visit www.abff.com. Follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.

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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 achievement.

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Media Contacts:

Chelsye J. Burrows
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) and ABFF Ventures LLC
[email protected]

Yvette N. Harris
Harris Public Relations for ABFF
[email protected]

The 2021 American Black Film Festival Celebrates Its 25th Year with a Wide-ranging Lineup of Spotlight Screenings, Talk and Networking Events Featuring Some of Hollywood’s Most Accomplished Artists and Content Creators

Top-line Talent Includes Halle Berry, Debra Martin Chase, Morris Chestnut, Meagan Good, Charles D. King, Regina King, MC Lyte, Niecy Nash, Michael Rainey Jr., Amanda Seales, Larenz Tate, Flex Alexander and Shanice Wilson

LOS ANGELES, CA, (November 2, 2021) – The 2021 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) today unveiled its 25th anniversary program slate that highlights the festival’s commitment to showcasing exceptional Black content and providing a platform for emerging artists and new voices. The 26-day virtual event will feature an array of spotlight screenings, talk and virtual networking events with top-line talent. The festival will be available as a worldwide global event November 3 – 28 on its online platform ABFFPLAY.

“As is customary with ABFF, our 2021 festival event presents a wide selection of inspiring, educational and entertaining content from a diverse group of artists,” said Nicole Friday, president and general manager, ABFF Ventures LLC. “We are grateful for the continued support of our partners and sponsors who have helped to make our 25th anniversary a memorable event.”

The festival opens with a special limited in-person screening in Los Angeles of Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated film King Richard starring two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith under the direction of Reinaldo Marcus Green. Reinaldo is an ABFF alum and previous finalist in HBO’s Short Film Competition held exclusively at ABFF.

ABFF’s 24th HBO Short Film Competition, hosted by Bevy Smith, features five compelling short films from emerging filmmakers who compete for the prestigious 2021 HBO Short Film Award and a $10,000 cash prize. In addition, the WarnerMedia Access Writers TV Competition spotlights two talented new writers in the genres of drama and comedy.

The Best of the ABFF Awards, hosted by actress Amanda Seales (Insecure), will culminate the festival with the presentation of the 2021 independent film awards and talent contest winners on Saturday, November 27, at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST.

“In celebration of ABFF’s 25th anniversary, the festival is set to bring an engaging and memorable program to its global community,” said Amelia M. Winfree, vice president, sponsorship & media partnerships. “This year’s slate is undeniably a testament to our steadfast corporate partners, who are truly committed to ensure that we continue to uplift diverse stories and storytellers and keep the spotlight powered on.”

Following are highlights of the festival’s 2021 lineup intended to entertain, educate and inspire. All talks and spotlight screenings will be available free on ABFFPLAY beginning, Monday, November 15. For the complete list and details of 2021 ABFF events visit www.ABFF.com.

TALKS

A festival favorite, one of this year’s ABFF Master Classes — The Art of Directing — features directors David E. Talbert (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story), Liesl Tommy (Respect) and Deon Taylor (Fatale), who will discuss scenes from their most popular films and provide unique insights into creating moments on screen as well as their individual creative process. Moderated by Jacqueline Coley. Presented by Cadillac.

A window into the complex world of animation will be in full view in the Animation Demystified Master Class moderated by Karen Rupert Toliver, EVP, creative, Sony Pictures Animation with panelists Kemp Powers, director, untitled sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Carl Jones, showrunner, Young Love. In Anne Boleyn Radically Reimagined, the downfall of the wife of Henry VIII portrayed by actress Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) is examined. A Celebration of John Singleton, in honor of director and long-time ABFF supporter John Singleton, reunites cast from Singleton’s classic films, Boyz n the Hood and Baby Boy. All presented by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Meet the cast of Prime Video’s new single-camera comedy series Harlem in a Clips & Conversation event. Amazon Studios brings together creator Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip) with the cast, including Meagan Good (Intruder), Grace Byers (Empire), Jerrie Johnson (Good Trouble) and Shoniqua Shandai (Bodied) to give you an inside look at the making of the show. Moderated by Latasha Gillespie, head of global diversity, equity and inclusion, Amazon Studios.

ESSENCE deputy editor Cori Murray in One on One with veteran producer Debra Martin Chase (The Equalizer) will discuss her career and the business of Hollywood. In an insightful talk event, This is Our Story writers Kay Oyegun, Jon Dorsey and Eboni Freeman from the hit drama series This is Us take a look Inside the Writers Room and provide details about what we might see in the upcoming final season of the show. Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal.

From creator Phil Augusta Jackson (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and executive producer Dan Goor (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) comes Grand Crew, a new comedy that proves life is better with your crew. This group of young professionals are all trying to navigate the ups and downs of life and love in Los Angeles — and they always find time to gather at their favorite bar to “wine down” and unpack it all. NBC and Universal Television hosts a spirited conversation with the creator, executive producer and cast.

Oscar-winning actress, director and ABFF’s 2021 Ambassador Halle Berry discusses her extraordinary career and the release of her Netflix directorial debut Bruised, in an intimate one-on-one Conversation moderated by the Kelley L. Carter, senior entertainment editor at The Undefeated. The stellar cast of The Harder They Fall recount their experiences making the all-Black western. All presented by Netflix.

In Icons, Idols + Influencers, ABFF will be in Conversation with the Tate Brothers for an in-depth interview with Larenz Tate (Power Book II: Ghost) and his brothers Larron Tate and Lahmard Tate, both producers and actors. Presented by American Airlines.

AT&T Dream in Black hosts this year’s Hot in Hollywood panel featuring actors making a name for themselves, including Storm Reid (Euphoria), Kendrick Sampson (Insecure), Javicia Leslie (Batwoman). Moderated by Cortney Wills, entertainment director, TheGrio.

Conversation & Financial Facts with Shanice Wilson and Flex Alexander, moderated by financial planner Delvin Joyce, addresses the role finances play in the growth of their careers and the impact of COVID-19. Presented by Prudential Financial.

Starz hosts Power Book II: Ghost Next Up with cast members Lovell Adams-Gray, Alix Lapri, Gianni Paolo, Michael Rainey Jr. and LaToya Tonodeo discussing the series and its upcoming season.

Disney Television Studios and ABC gives us a look inside the new American coming-of-age comedy The Wonder Years, inspired by the beloved award-winning series of the same name, followed by a panel with creator, executive producer and ABFF alum Saladin K. Patterson, executive producer Fred Savage and series stars Elisha “EJ” Williams, Dulé Hill, Saycon Sengbloh and Laura Kariuki. Then, meet the creative minds behind Queens, the story of four women in their 40s who reunite for a chance to recapture their fame and regain the swagger they had in the ‘90s, during a panel with creator and executive producer Zahir McGhee, executive producer Sabrina Wind, costume designer Provi Fulp and soundtrack consultant Grady Spivey.

Facebook shares their approach to giving diverse creators the power to be seen, to be heard, to build their business, and to inspire a more just and inclusive world leveraging the power of social media with a spotlight on the newly launched We The Culture initiative. Join for a special preview of We The Culture’s House of Jubilee short film, followed by a conversation with Facebook and a selection of We the Culture creators. Facebook also presents Wave Makers: Black Women Storytellers in Horror and the Supernatural, features Tananarive Due—pioneering UCLA scholar of Black Horror and Afrofuturism, TV producer and award-winning fiction writer (“Ghost Summer: Stories”, “My Soul to Keep”)—in conversation with Dr. Michele Prettyman (Fordham University) of Daughters of Eve Media, a longtime ABFF partner.

The Motion Picture Association will take us behind the scenes of the film ratings process with the leaders of its Classification and Rating Administration in A Conversation panel Rate My Movie. Moderated by John Gibson, vice president, external and multicultural affairs, Motion Picture Association.

Life as Entrepreneurs features MACRO’s Charles D. King and Stacey Walker King. Moderated by Lauren A. Ziadie, executive director of Morgan Stanley.

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and Warner Bros. Television welcome you to meet the cast and creator of OWN’s new must-watch juicy drama series The Kings of Napa in a virtual panel experience featuring acclaimed series showrunner and executive producer Janine Sherman Barrois (Claws).

SPOTLIGHT SCREENINGS

In addition to our opening night film, ABFF will host Spotlight Screenings on select nights throughout the festival.

Legacy Lives On is a story about three Black millennial women from Detroit, Tulsa and Atlanta who, despite historic and present-day barriers, are discovering their path to financial independence. Insurance industry veteran Salene Hitchcock-Gear will lead a candid discussion about legacy planning and financial wellness with industry experts Brittni Smallwood and Omari Hall. Courtesy of Prudential Financial.

The Disney+ original series from National Geographic, Welcome to Earth follows two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith on an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime adventure around the world to explore Earth’s greatest wonders. British polar explorer Dwayne Fields discusses the six-part awe-inspiring series, which premieres on Disney+ in December, with Rolling Out CEO Munson Steed. Courtesy of Disney+.

She devoted her life to seeking justice for her son Emmett Till. Mamie Till Mobley is the focus of a six-part series Women of the Movement, which will be followed by a conversation with stars Adrienne Warren and Cedric Joe and executive producers Marissa Jo Cerar and Gina Prince-Bythewood. Courtesy of ABC and Kapital Entertainment.

AspireTV showcases the short film HIStory, a story about a Black father, played by actor/comedian Rodney Perry, having to address the relevance of his son’s middle school history curriculum. The film is followed by an intimate conversation with the cast and crew.

IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and trusted source for movie, TV and celebrity content, is committed to celebrating content that reflects its diverse global audience, including helping entertainment fans discover a new generation of Black stories and storytellers. IMDb ratings help entertainment fans make informed viewing choices and discover new films, shows and talent and ABFF audience members are encouraged to rate and review any or all of the titles screening at the 2021 festival.

ABFF 2021 features some 100 official film selections, including narrative and documentary features, the HBO Short Film Competition, web series, ABFF Pride, World Showcase and New Voices. Film producer and ABFF alumnus Will Packer (Girls Trip, Ride Along) serves as the festival’s 2021 Jury President, overseeing the voting process. For the complete selection of ABFF’s 100 official film selections from 35 countries and web series visit,
https://www.abff.com/miami/2021-screenings/narrative-features/

NETWORKING & EXPERIENCES

Although the festival is virtual, ABFF is true to its mission to provide networking, mentoring and casting opportunities to festival participants.

ALLBLK’s Shoot Your Shot returns to ABFF with an opportunity for aspiring Black talent to audition for a role in the upcoming original series West Philly, Baby. The session features Niecy Nash (Claws) as the celebrity reader, along with MC Lyte, Precious Way (Queens), Colman Domingo (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Brett Dismuke, general manager, ALLBLK and WE tv, Nikki Love, SVP, development & production, ALLBLK and the 2021 finalists. Moderated by LDB Casting.

Meet and connect with festival attendees at AT&T 5G Fast Connections, a digital networking event where festival attendees can expand their network through a virtual speed networking session. Participants will also have the opportunity to sign up for mentorship sessions with leading executives and creatives in film and television through AT&T Office Hours. To learn more and sign up visit, www.ABFF.com.

ABFF sponsors to date include WarnerMedia, HBO^® (Founding); Cadillac, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Amazon Studios (Presenting); Comcast NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, American Airlines, AT&T, Facebook, IMDb (Premier); ALLBLK, HBOMax, City of Miami Beach, Netflix, Prudential Financial, TBS, Yahoo!, Starz, Warner Bros. Pictures, Disney Television Studios, National Geographic, and Variety (Official); Accenture, AspireTV, Motion Picture Association (MPA), Morgan Stanley, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) (Supporting). Media partners include BIN: Black Information Network, TheGrio and Rolling Out

For festival information, visit and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook. Join in on the conversation by using #ABFF. For information about media credentials, visit: https://www.abff.com/pressroom/.

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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 whom have become today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, a division of Jeff Friday Media (JFM).

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Media Contact:

Chelsye J. Burrows
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) and ABFF Ventures LLC
[email protected]