LOS ANGELES, CA, (August 16, 2021)<\/strong> – Jeff Friday Media (JFM) announced today the lineup of official films in competition for its milestone 25th American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Consistent with the festival’s mission to showcase Black talent and to discover new voices, this year’s impressive range of films are produced by emerging and established artists from six countries including Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Namibia, the United Kingdom and the USA.<\/p>\n This year’s festival will be presented with live events and virtual screenings to be held November 3-14 on the ABFF’s custom-built online platform, abffplay.com (https:\/\/abffplay.com\/<\/a>), reaching a global audience. <\/p>\n “It is with a great sense of pride that we mark our 25th year. ABFF started in 1997 with a mission to present the work of Black storytellers and to change the face of Hollywood. We came together as a small and driven group of 90 people. Today, the festival is a global platform with a dedicated audience of movie enthusiasts, artists, and filmmakers from around the world. We look forward to continuing our unwavering commitment to diversify Hollywood and amplify Black culture,” said Jeff Friday, CEO, JFM. <\/p>\n The ABFF competitive categories include narrative features, documentaries and webisodes with a combined total cash prize of $20,000 sponsored by festival partners. The slate of films, include:<\/p>\n NARRATIVE FEATURES (U.S. & International)<\/span><\/strong> A Message from Brianna<\/strong><\/em> B-Boy Blues<\/strong><\/em> *World Premiere Doctor Gama<\/strong><\/em> *U.S. Premiere I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking)<\/strong><\/em> Liam White<\/strong><\/em> *Festival Premiere Margarine<\/strong><\/em> *World Premiere No Running<\/strong><\/em> The Outlaw Johnny Black<\/strong><\/em> *Festival Premiere Trees of Peace<\/strong><\/em> Voodoo Macbeth<\/strong><\/em> DOCUMENTARY FEATURES<\/span><\/strong> 100 Years From Mississippi<\/strong><\/em> *Festival Premiere Anatomy of Wings<\/strong><\/em> Big Chief, Black Hawk<\/strong><\/em> *World Premiere Little Satchmo<\/strong><\/em> *U.S. Premiere The Neutral Ground<\/strong><\/em> Subjects of Desire<\/strong><\/em> *Festival Premiere Unzipped: An Autopsy of American Inequality<\/strong><\/em> *World Premiere Why Is We Americans?<\/strong><\/em> *World Premiere WEB SERIES<\/span><\/strong> Sidetracked: “A Trollop?”<\/em> (Ep. 9)<\/strong> *World Premiere True Story: “I Feel”<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere No Church In The Wild: “Traitor”<\/em><\/strong> Maternally Yours<\/em><\/strong> *Festival Premiere ArtBroken<\/em><\/strong> Walking Forward<\/em><\/strong> The Hero of a Thousand Faces<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Second Hand<\/em> (Ep. 2)<\/strong> *Festival Premiere Ms\/Manage<\/em><\/strong> Last Bodega In Brooklyn<\/em> (Ep. 1)<\/strong> *World Premiere Talia Versus: “Talia Vs Wedding”<\/em> (Ep. 1)<\/strong> Finalists for the 24th HBO Short Film Competition, as well as ABFF’S non-competitive sections including “World Showcase, “Emerging Directors and “ABFF Pride” will be announced later. Film producer and ABFF alumnus Will Packer (Girls Trip, Ride Along<\/em>), as the festival’s 2021Jury President, will oversee the voting process.<\/p>\n ABFF attracts a broad audience – approximately 10,000 celebrity talent, emerging artists, upscale consumers and industry stakeholders, travel to Miami Beach each year for the live event. In 2020, over 54,000 additional people representing over 90 countries attended the festival via ABFFPLAY.<\/p>\n ABFF Sponsors to date include HBO\u00ae<\/sup> (Founding); WarnerMedia, Cadillac, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (Presenting); Comcast NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, American Airlines (Premier); ALLBLK, City of Miami Beach, Netflix, Yahoo!, Variety (Official); Accenture, Motion Picture Association (MPA) (Supporting). Media partners include TheGrio and Rolling Out.<\/p>\n For festival information, visit www.abff.com<\/a> and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook. Join in on the conversation by using #ABFF.<\/p>\n ABOUT ABFF<\/strong> ABOUT JEFF FRIDAY MEDIA<\/strong> MEDIA CONTACT:<\/strong><\/p>\n Chelsye J. Burrows
\nA 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 \u2013 Best Director (presented by Cadillac, $5,000 prize), Best Narrative Feature (presented by Sony, $2,500 cash prize), and Best Screenplay ($2,500 cash prize). In addition, if a person of African descent has directed a film in this section and it is his\/her 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 2021 official selections in the Narrative Features category:<\/p>\n
\nWhen an African American couple move into their new home, their 2-year-old daughter becomes a terrifying messenger from the other side.
\nUSA | 80 min
\nDirector: DeShon Hardy
\nWriter: DeShon Hardy
\nProducers: DeShon Hardy, Vernon Davis
\nCast: Vernon Davis, Asia’h Epperson, Kevin Benton, Liana Kristina Mayer-Reinach, Adaisha Strong, Stan J. Adams, Brittany Beckett, Amanda Felix, Leigh Bodden, Mohamed Sanu, Brittany Geertgens, Rita Bacot, Ethan Henderson, Robert Epstein, Tracy Oliver<\/p>\n
\nClass and culture clash when a college-educated journalist from Brooklyn and a homeboy bike messenger from Harlem fall in love.
\nUSA | 106 min
\nDirector: Jussie Smollett
\nWriters: James Earl Hardy, Jussie Smollett
\nProducers: Jussie Smollett, Madia Hill Scott
\nCast: Timothy Richardson, Thomas Mackie, Landon G. Woodson, Brandee Evans, Michael Jackson Jr., Jabari Redd, Heather B., Brian Lucas, Jahleel Kamara, Broderick Hunter, Derrick Downey, Marquise Vilson, Otis Winston, Bry’Nt, Eric R. Williams, Tieisha Thomas, Shawn Sutton, Andre Virgo, Anthony Virgo, Mariama Diallo, Ilara Phoenix Williams, Sampson McCormick, Ledisi<\/p>\n
\nThe history of Luiz Gama, the most important abolitionist leader in Brazil.
\nBRAZIL | 92 min
\nDirector: Jeferson De
\nWriter: Luiz Antonio
\nProducers: Egisto Betti, Heitor Dhalia, Manoel Rangel, Pedro Betti, Cris Arenas, Cac\u00e1 Digues
\nCast: C\u00e9sar Mello, Zez\u00e9 Motta, Mariana Nunes, Angelo Fernandes<\/p>\n
\nWhen a recently widowed mother becomes houseless, she convinces her 8-year-old daughter that they are only camping for fun while working to get them off the streets.
\nUSA | 90 min
\nDirectors: Kelley Kali, Angelique Molina
\nWriters: Kelley Kali, Angelique Molina, Roma Kong
\nProducers: Roma Kong, Angelique Molina, Kelley Kali, Capella Fahoome, Deon Cole
\nCast: Kelley Kali, Wesley Moss, Deon Cole <\/p>\n
\nA novelist who is told he has a few months to live is forced to come to grips with his life thus far and reflect on the people who shaped him, for better and worse.
\nUSA | 87 min
\nDirector: Harold Jackson III
\nWriter: Harold Jackson III
\nProducers: Wendy Anderson, Tawanna Terrell, Harold Jackson, Kiyoka Rhodes
\nCast: Shaun Woodland, Jasmine Guy, Terrence “TC” Carson, Brave Williams<\/p>\n
\nA short-tempered, trigger-happy gun fiend terrorizes his community until he meets a charming girl named Margarine who drives him to question his ways.
\nSOUTH AFRICA | 115 min
\nDirector: Thabo Khambule
\nWriter: Thabo Khambule
\nProducers: Carmel Khambule, Bheki Ncube, Thabo Khambule
\nCast: Finito Bullet, Mammy Manique, Linda Sobezo, Motsoaledi Setumo, Themba Mkhoma, Sibonakaliso Nqabadi, Thapelo Mooki, Precious Nxumalo, Banele Sibisi, Thembeni Joni, Kamvaletho Tshabala, Kabelo Molefe, Sibusiso Makqate<\/p>\n
\nA Black high school student finds himself under suspicion following his classmate’s mysterious disappearance.
\nUSA | 85 min
\nDirector: Delmar Washington
\nWriter: Tucker Morgan
\nProducers: Eric B. Fleischman, Maurice Fadida
\nCast: Skylan Brooks, Rutina Wesley, Taryn Manning, Diamond White, Shane West, Bill Engvall<\/p>\n
\nFrom the brothers who brought you Black Dynamite<\/em>, comes a western adventure that’s sho’ outta sight!
\nUSA | 130 min
\nDirector: Michael Jai White
\nWriters: Michael Jai White, Byron Minns
\nProducer: Donovan de Boer
\nCast: Michael Ja White, Anika Noni Rose, Byron Minns, Erika Ash, Chris Browning, Kevin Chapman, Tommy Davidson, Kym Whitley, Randy Couture, Barry Bostwick, Glynn Turman<\/p>\n
\nWhen four women from different backgrounds and beliefs are trapped and hiding during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, their 81-day fight for survival forges an unbreakable sisterhood (inspired by true events).
\nUSA | 137 minutes
\nDirector: Alanna Brown
\nWriter: Alanna Brown
\nProducers: Ron Ray, Barry Levine, Mike Bundlie, Brian Baniqued, Jeff Spiegel, Vicky Petela, Alanna Brown
\nCast: Eliane Umuhire, Charmaine Bingwa, Bola Koleosho, Ella Cannon, Tongayi Chirisa<\/p>\n
\nIn 1936 Harlem, the first all-Black cast production of Macbeth<\/em> struggles to make it to opening night amid the downward spiral of their young and untested director \u2014 Orson Welles.
\nUSA | 108 min
\nDirectors: Dagmawi Abebe, Victor Alonso-Berbel, Roy Arwas, Hannah Bang, Christopher Beaton, Agazi Desta, Tiffany Kontoyiannis Guillen, Zo\u00eb Salnave, Ernesto Sandoval, Sabina Vajraca
\nWriters: Agazi Desta, Jennifer Frazin, Morgan Milender, Molly Miller, Amri Rigby, Joel David Satner, Erica Sutherlin, Chris Tarricone
\nProducers: Jason Phillips, Miles Alva, Xiaoyuan Xiao
\nCast: Inger Tudor, Jewell Wilson Bridges, Jeremy Tardy, June Schreiner, Wrekless Watson, Gary McDonald, Ashli Haynes, Daniel Kuhlman, Hunter Bodine<\/p>\n
\nA 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. The cash prize for this award is $2,500. The following films represent the 2021 official selections in the Documentary Features category:<\/p>\n
\n100 Years From Mississippi<\/em> is a documentary on the life of Mamie Lang Kirkland, a 111-year-old African American woman who experienced and survived racial terrorism, segregation, bigotry and bias, and yet continued to have hope, joy and love of life, full of the certainty that we can do better.
\nUSA | 60 min
\nDirector: Tarabu Betserai Kirkland
\nWriter: Tarabu Betserai Kirkland
\nProducers: Tarabu Betserai Kirkland, Gina Rugolo Judd<\/p>\n
\nBlack and white, young and old, a group of women risk their personal identities to build a second family while creating a documentary film across the inequities of their Baltimore city neighborhoods.
\nUSA | 85 min
\nDirectors: Nikiea Redmond, Kirsten D’Andrea Hollander
\nProducers: Kirsten D’Andrea Hollander, Nikiea Redmond
\nCast: Brittany Backmon, Teshavionna ‘Tazz’ Mitchell, Sheila Butler, Marquise Weems, Brienna Brown, Danisha Harris, Cami McCrief, Tywana Reid, Quandra Jones, Quanisha Carmichael, Cinnamon Triano, Kata Frederick<\/p>\n
\nA short and intimate look into the life of the youngest Mardi Gras Indian Big Chief in New Orleans and his “tribe” as they navigate the social and environmental issues facing “the culture.”
\nUSA | 74 min
\nDirector: Jonathan Isaac Jackson
\nWriter: Jonathan Isaac Jackson
\nProducer: Paul V. Fishback
\nCast: Terrance Williams Jr., Tyrell “Ty” Williams, Simeon “Fatman” Israel Jr., Dow Edwards, Joseph Boudreaux Jr.<\/p>\n
\nLouis Armstrong is iconic \u2014 a symbol of musical genius and unparalleled success. Yet he was more than a caricature; in private, he held dearly to what he loved. Perhaps dearest was a child whom he hid from the world: a daughter sworn to a life of secrecy until now.
\nUSA | 61 min
\nDirector: John Alexander
\nWriter: John Alexander
\nProducers: Lea Umberger, JC Guest
\nCast: Sharon Preston – Folta<\/p>\n
\nThe Neutral Ground<\/em> documents New Orleans’ fight over monuments and America’s troubled romance with the Lost Cause.
\nUSA | 82 min
\nDirector: CJ Hunt
\nWriters: CJ Hunt, Jane Geisler, James Hamilton
\nProducer: Darcy McKinnon<\/p>\n
\nSubjects of Desire<\/em> is a thought-provoking feature documentary that examines the cultural shift in beauty standards towards embracing Black aesthetics and features.
\nCANADA | 103 min
\nDirector: Jennifer Holness
\nWriter: Jennifer Holness
\nProducers: Jennifer Holness, Sudz Sutherland
\nCast: Ryann Richardson, Alexandra Germain, Seraiah Nicole, Brittany Lewis, Jully Black, Rachel Dolezal, Dr. Cheryl Thompson, Dr. Carolyn West, Dr. Heather Widdows, India Arie<\/p>\n
\nAn intimate and heartbreaking film about the affordable housing crisis in America told through the prism of one ZIP Code’s struggle with the growing income divide.
\nUSA | 108 min
\nDirector: Colin K. Gray
\nWriter: Colin K. Gray
\nProducers: Megan Raney Aarons, Jamila C. Fairley, Carol Gronner, Colin K. Gray
\nCast: Nikol Williams, DeShawn Huff, William Attaway, Rayanne Schmidt, Monica Perez, Eric Garcetti, Mike Bonin, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Naomi Nightingale, Va Lecia Adams Kellum, Elizabeth Benson Forer, Becky Dennison, Miguel Bravo, Rick Massie, Mark Ryavec, Ananya Roy, Coley King, Kristina Von Hoffman, M.B. Boissonnault<\/p>\n
\nA portrait of the iconoclastic poet Amiri Baraka, his family, and their legacy of social activism, poetry, music, art and politics.
\nUSA | 101 min
\nDirectors: Udi Aloni, Ayana Stafford-Morris
\nWriter: Udi Aloni
\nProducers: Udi Aloni, Ayana Stafford-Morris, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Oren Moverman
\nCast: Amiri Baraka, Ras Baraka, Amina Baraka, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Amandla Baraka, Cory Booker, Amiri Baraka Jr., Roxanne Shant\u00e9, Maya Angelou<\/p>\n
\nA 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 2021 official selections in the Web Series category:<\/p>\n
\nOur thirties are supposed to be the time to get our act together, find our true purpose and meet our soul mate, but some of us got a little SIDETRACKED.
\nUSA | 15 min
\nDirector: Miles Crawford
\nWriter: E.D. Brown
\nProducers: E.D. Brown, Marc Chenil, Miles Crawford
\nCast: Tracie Thoms, Jason Kelley, Wes Ramsey, Jim Holdridge, Jee Young Han, E.D. Brown<\/p>\n
\nA Black therapist attempts to persuade his patient, who has a history of violence, into saying how he feels.
\nUSA | 13 min
\nDirector: Matthew Law
\nWriter: Matthew Law
\nProducers: Grasie Mercedes, Rob Smith, Matthew Law, Shaun Clay
\nCast: Shaun Clay, Matthew Law<\/p>\n
\nA failed escape attempt turns Leslie Wagner-Wilson into an outcast inside of a spiraling cult.
\nCANADA | 6 min
\nDirector: Richmond Obeng
\nWriters: Richmond Obeng, Lindsey Addawoo
\nProducers: Richmond Obeng, Aramide Tinubu, Lindsey Addawoo
\nCast: Leslie Wagner-Wilson<\/p>\n
\nA young woman’s identity is compromised when her parents’ past collides with the present and family secrets are revealed.
\nUSA | 10 min
\nDirector: Nicole Collins
\nWriters: Tomaseena Auzenne, Angel Saunders
\nProducers: Khadijah Louis, April Riles, The Dark Brothers
\nCast: Brionne Collins, Lance Nichols, Ariadne Josephs, Cynyon Rodriguez, Ju’Marcus Mason, Nicoye Banks, Hira-Maja Dupas, Jessica Johnson<\/p>\n
\nA mockumentary following Los Angeles-based visual artist Sabina on her journey of self-destruction during the global pandemic.
\nUSA | 5 min
\nDirector: Erin Wesley
\nWriter: Bianca Cristovao
\nProducer: Bianca Cristovao
\nCast: Bianca Cristovao, Niles Abston, Jessica Mulder, Heremela Kebede<\/p>\n
\nAn artist gains lessons in resilience while exploring the impact of COVID-19 on Namibia’s creative sector.
\nNAMIBIA | 6 min
\nDirectors: Tim Huebschle, Ndinomholo Ndilula
\nWriter: Ndinomholo Ndilula
\nProducers: Tim Huebschle, David Benade
\nCast: Ndinomholo Ndilula, Kulan Ganes, Slick Upindi<\/p>\n
\nCapt. Barrington Irving, Guiness Book of World Records holder for the youngest man to fly around the world and the first Black man to fly around the world, speaks about his upbringing and the adversity that made him successful.
\nUSA | 10 min
\nDirectors: Fabien Cardenas, Gabriel Andrews
\nWriters: Fabien Cardenas, Michael Anderson, Gabriel Andrews
\nProducers: Michael Anderson, Gabriel Andrews
\nCast: Captain Barrington Irving (as himself)<\/p>\n
\nTwo sisters bump heads while moving out of their childhood home.
\nUSA | 5 min
\nDirector: R. Cadell Cook
\nWriter: R. Cadell Cook
\nProducers: Melan Perez, R. Cadell Cook
\nCast: Melan Perez, Alexis J. Smith, Tennyson Harris<\/p>\n
\nA queer, Black professional attempts to navigate the challenges of breaking the glass ceiling in corporate America while fielding pressure from her partner to start a family.
\nUSA | 13 min
\nDirector: Caralene Robinson
\nWriters: Caralene Robinson, Nina Simone Moore, Angele Cooper
\nProducers: Angela Burris, Nina Simone Moore
\nCast: Skye Johnson, Adwoa Duncan-Williams, Lark Eiko, Zen Dot, Petra Wakowski, Siobh\u00e1n Carroll, Keisha Beaumont, Kelsey Senteio, Stuart Riggs, Jeff Marshall, Ladonna Gooden, Yvette Ganie<\/p>\n
\nA Brooklyn family must band together to save their bodega and neighborhood from a new organics store owner.
\nUSA | 6 min
\nDirectors: Mosiah Moonsammy, Jared Glenn
\nWriter: Mosiah Moonsammy
\nProducer: Mosiah Moonsammy
\nCast: Mosiah Moonsammy, Toni Lachelle Pollit, Jeffrey C. Wolf, Tay Harris, Peter Bowden<\/p>\n
\nA mockumentary series that follows the awkward encounters of the audacious Talia as she versus love and life in London.
\nUK | 7 min
\nDirector: Saraphina Mattis, Israel Peters
\nWriter: Saraphina Mattis
\nProducers: Kashif Boothe, Sacha Lewis
\nCast: Princess Donnough, Kamilah Shorey, Adesuwa Oni, Leonie Haynes-Moses, Jamal Renaldo, Elliot Elimasi<\/p>\n
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\nThe 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 \u2013 many of whom have become today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians.<\/p>\n
\nJeff Friday Media (JFM) is a Los Angeles-based entertainment company producing events, film and television focused on Black and Brown culture. Its mission is to create live experiences and content that convey aspects of humanity and achievement, often dismissed or overlooked, in the portrayal of people of color in popular entertainment. As part of its formation, JFM acquired ABFF Ventures LLC,?an organization recognized in the Hollywood community for creating platforms that showcase and promote distinctive Black and Brown talent. Its?tent-pole properties are the American Black Film Festival and ABFF Honors, both founded by JFM CEO Jeff Friday. In 2020, JFM secured a motion picture development deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment and launched ABFF PLAY, a live and on-demand streaming service featuring free and pay-per-view content. JFM recently announced a scripted television partnership with Endeavor Content and POV.<\/p>\n
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\nAmerican Black Film Festival
\nchelsye@abffventures.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"