American Black Film Festival Will Return to Miami Beach June 14-18, 2023, for Its 27th Year

American Black Film Festival - Since 1997 logo

Call for Submissions Is Now Open

LOS ANGELES, (September 20, 2022) – The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) today announced the 27th annual event will be held in Miami Beach June 14-18, followed by a virtual segment streaming on ABFF PLAY June 19-25, 2023. Submissions for the upcoming festival are now open in three categories: narrative features, documentary features and web series. Submission dates for the festival’s short film category will soon be announced. For submission, deadline and eligibility details, visit https://www.abff.com/miami/submissions/.

Filmmakers compete for Jury Awards in the narrative features category — including Best Narrative Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay and the coveted John Singleton Award for Best First Feature — and for Best Documentary, Best Web Series and the prestigious HBO Short Film Award.

The ABFF is a premier venue for Black storytellers and celebration of Black culture. The festival presents a wide range of independent films, studio and network screenings, and series of panels and networking events. ABFF continues to spotlight talent both in front of and behind the camera supporting a number of talent discovery programs, providing a platform for emerging artists.

ABFF sponsors and partners to date are City of Miami Beach, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) (Presenting), and UPS (Premier).

For more information about ABFF, visit www.abff.com. Follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.


About ABFF
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to recognizing Black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. Dedicated to the belief that diverse artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts, ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the Black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, education and artistic collaboration. Now in its 27th 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.


Media Contact:

Chelsye J. Burrows
Jeff Friday Media (JFM) and ABFF Ventures LLC
chelsye@abffventures.com