LOS ANGELES, CA (May 1, 2026)<\/strong> – The 2026 American Black Film Festival (ABFF)<\/strong> announced today the Non-Competitive Showcase Film Sections lineup including Voices Of Culture, African Stories, and AI x XR Storytelling Showcase. The 30th anniversary of ABFF will take place in Miami Beach May 27-31 under the theme “Homecoming.”<\/p>\n Voices Of Culture is a showcase of short films directed by persons of African descent. Curated by invitation only, this section highlights outstanding works that reflect the breadth of the global Black experience. The showcase features forty films from a variety of countries, including Rwanda, Belgium, Nevis, and Colombia, and features over fifteen World Premieres. Short films feature a variety of notable talent including Ren\u00e9e Elise Goldsberry, Tabitha Brown, Jabari Banks, and Russell Hornsby.<\/p>\n African Stories, a special non-competitive showcase spotlighting short films from Africa’s most dynamic emerging voices, celebrates the continent’s rich cultural perspectives and storytelling traditions, offering audiences a powerful window into the creativity shaping Africa’s diverse and rapidly evolving film communities. All five of the films included in the African Stories showcase are World or US premieres, with films represented across Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya. <\/p>\n AI x XR Storytelling Showcase is a series of innovative works created through artificial intelligence and immersive technologies, curated in partnership with GRX Immersive Labs, which explore the future of storytelling by featuring bold new voices at the intersection of creativity and technology. The five films included in the AI x XR Storytelling Showcase are World or US Premieres and feature a variety of genres including Sci-Fi\/Afrofuturism to Horror\/Supernatural. <\/p>\n “As we celebrate 30 years of ABFF, this year’s showcase programming reflects both the breadth of storytelling today and where it’s headed,” said NICE CROWD President Nicole Friday. “African Stories introduces distinct voices from across the continent, all premiering their work on our stage, while the AI x XR Storytelling Showcase explores how emerging technologies are reshaping the creative process. Voices of Culture brings together a wide range of perspectives from around the world. Together, these sections underscore ABFF’s continued commitment to championing new voices, expanding access to global audiences, and serving as a platform for discovery and what’s next in storytelling.” <\/p>\n A non-competitive showcase of short films directed by persons of African descent. Curated by invitation only, this section highlights outstanding works that reflect the breadth of the global Black experience.<\/p>\n The Day You Find Your Name<\/em><\/strong> Penny in the Sky<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere If only you knew<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Crossroads<\/em><\/strong> Bid<\/em><\/strong> Fairytales<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Peace by Piece <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Touching<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere I Got My Brother<\/em><\/strong> 500 Seconds To Tell You<\/em><\/strong> Iku Aka (Knocking on the Door) <\/em><\/strong> Woman Land<\/em><\/strong> Buttercup Pudding Pie<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Please Return Your Cart <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Mini Me<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Cutoff<\/em><\/strong> Keep My Brother<\/em><\/strong> Age Of Quorum<\/em><\/strong> Vengeance Is All I Have <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Echoes Beneath The Hill<\/em><\/strong> Oh Happy Day!<\/em><\/strong> Ella<\/em><\/strong> The Checklist <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Couples Skate <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere AFUFU<\/em><\/strong> This Is Private<\/em><\/strong> JOHN<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Intergalactic Ingenue<\/em><\/strong> The Last Wish<\/em><\/strong> HOMEbirth<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere TIGUERONAS<\/em><\/strong> EL TIGUERE<\/em><\/strong> Killer Of Men <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere H. P. V.<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Beach Day<\/em><\/strong> Pan Gyul<\/em><\/strong> Yellow Pages <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere BERTHA<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere When They’re Gone<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Fragments of Joy <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere A non-competitive showcase of short films from Africa’s most dynamic new voices. Curated to highlight the continent’s rich cultural perspectives and storytelling traditions, the program offers a unique window into the creativity driving Africa’s diverse and growing film communities.<\/p>\n MR. ROGERS<\/em><\/strong> *US Premiere Bam Bam<\/em><\/strong> *US Premiere The Break-In <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Our Brother<\/em><\/strong> *US Premiere Amon<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere A non-competitive showcase of innovative works created through artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. Curated in partnership with GRX Immersive Labs, the program explores the future of storytelling by featuring bold new voices at the intersection of creativity and technology. <\/p>\n The Haunting of RiverFalls<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere FAME FARM <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere Cowbone<\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere The B Side: The Future is Past <\/em><\/strong> *US Premiere Eat The Rich <\/em><\/strong> *World Premiere ABFF sponsors and partners to date are Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO®<\/sup> (Founding), Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) (Host), Ally Financial, Amazon MGM Studios, Comcast NBCUniversal, Walmart (Presenting), City of Miami Beach, American Airlines (Major), Netflix, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (Official), CBS, with the support of the Miami Beach Visitor And Convention Authority, Hartbeat, AARP, L’Or\u00e9al Groupe, STARZ, ESPN (Supporting), Motion Picture Association, Uber (Contributing), Nielsen, Fulton Films GA, The Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC) powered by AHF, William Morris Endeavor (Associate), Variety, LA Times, Getty Images (Media).<\/p>\n Additional details and programming announcements will be released in the coming weeks. For updates, visit www.nicecrowd.com<\/a><\/strong> and follow @ABFF<\/strong> on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival<\/strong> on Instagram and Facebook.<\/p>\n To receive ABFF notifications by email, sign up HERE<\/a>!<\/p>\n About the American Black Film Festival (ABFF)<\/strong> About NICE CROWD<\/strong> More information about the American Black Film Festival (ABFF): https:\/\/www.abff.com\/miami\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Access and Download All Assets HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Media Contacts:<\/strong> EURWEB<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVOICES OF CULTURE<\/h4>\n
\nAt the height of the Black Panther movement, a pregnant Afeni Shakur must defend herself against 189 felony charges in a trial that threatens her freedom and her unborn child’s future.
\nUSA | 15m
\nDirector: Dominique R. Draper
\nWriter: Dominique R. Draper
\nCast: Journey Carter, Mitchell Edwards
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1165898884\/6e9e4b5d89?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen a man contemplating his life decides to put his fate into a coin toss, he’s interrupted by the sudden appearance of a woman there to end her life as well.
\nUSA | 20m
\nDirector: Drew Allyn & Alexis Wilson
\nWriter: Drew Allyn
\nProducers: Cee Wright
\nCast: Benjamin Earl Turner, Ryn Stafford<\/p>\n
\nA woman confronting her father about his absence.
\nUSA | 20m
\nDirector: Safiyah Chiniere
\nWriter: Safiyah Chiniere
\nProducers: Safiyah Chiniere, Rox Campbell
\nCast: Ashley Hernandez, Adrian Luke Sinclair, Steve Attie<\/p>\n
\nA wrongfully fired financier and a guarded lawyer connect unexpectedly on a blind date, turning a night of bad news into something more.
\nUSA | 19m
\nDirector: Horane Henry
\nWriter: Shari Brown
\nProducers: Victorious De Costa, Rasheen “Raye” Donaldson
\nCast: Okema T. Moore, Rory Clarke, Saint Thompson, Horace Henry, Donnadeen Rowe-Henry
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1104489333\/98d2c2a220?fl=tl&fe=ec<\/a><\/p>\n
\nDuring a Thanksgiving dinner an eager grad student attempted to reconnect with family through a game of Spades, the only obstacle is her mother.
\nUSA | 10m
\nDirector: Matthew Price
\nWriter: Matthew Price
\nProducers: Chelsea Stardust, Alex Coulter, Matthew Price
\nCast: Phylicia Wissa, Nikko Austen Smith, Tim Russ, Teri Gamble, Sheroid Evans, Jeffrey Reddick
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1126095802?fl=ip&fe=ec<\/a><\/p>\n
\nOn their wedding day, a young bride’s monstrous powers are exposed during a violent police encounter, forcing her and her husband to flee through a city that now sees her as a threat— finding brief refuge at her loving father’s secluded home, until the outside world catches up and turns sanctuary into battleground.
\nUSA | 12m
\nDirector: Tiffani Holland
\nWriter: Tiffani Holland
\nProducers: Christopher Gleaton, Tiffani Holland
\nCast: Paulina Singer, Brian Reese, Steven Strickland
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/manage\/videos\/1183961483<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen a so-called actor from the future travels back in time to study the ordinary man he will play in a movie, we all want to know… why him?
\nUSA | 11m
\nDirector: Jordan K. Paul
\nWriter: Jordan K. Paul
\nProducers: Bria O’Brien, Sam Van Dyke, and Jordan K. Paul
\nCast: Jordan Paul, Dante Rossi
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/jordankpaul\/pxptrailer?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA young girl must protect her baby sister when a sleepover with their cousin becomes a nightmare.
\nUSA | 11m
\nDirector: Lauryn Charliah Allums
\nWriter: Lauryn Charliah Allums
\nProducers: Jasmin Prophete, Jasiah Denise Washington, Aiyannah Tasker-Lewis
\nCast: Rose De La Cruz, Alexandria Grice, Antoinette Allison, Nakia Borgella, David Perry<\/p>\n
\nTwo brothers reflect on their candid and often humorous memories of surviving the foster care system and prison, realizing along the way that their path to healing has always been each other.
\nUSA | 17m
\nDirector: Victor Gabriel
\nProducers: Rachel Earnest
\nCast: Jarrett Harper, Baylon Harper<\/p>\n
\nBefore a catastrophe ends life on Earth, a young man struggles to put his feelings for his best friend into words.
\nUSA | 11m
\nDirector: Gerard Clarke
\nWriter: Gerard & Rashielle Clarke
\nProducers: Gerard Clarke, Rashielle Clarke, Saham Hosseini, Asha Alaji-Sharif
\nCast: Jared Jackson, Asha Alaji-Sharif<\/p>\n
\nOn the eve of her Iku Aka, Chinelo’s joyful Igbo marriage celebration is upended by a long-hidden family secret, forcing her to choose whether tradition will guide her or her jailer.
\nUSA | 12m
\nDirector: Tiffany Lotanna Onyejekwe
\nWriter: Tiffany Lotanna Onyejekwe
\nExecutive Producers: Epiphany Ciers, Onyii Ogomaka, Tiffany Onyejekwe | Producer: Asari Aibangebee
\nCast: Jessica Otse, Dorothy Chinenyenwa, Francis C. Edemobi, Prince Ezerumaka, Ella Nwokedi<\/p>\n
\nTwo young Somali sisters in Minneapolis have to balance rebellion with their reputations when their secret matchmaking business attracts a client a little too close to home.
\nUSA | 10m
\nDirector: Yasmin Yassin
\nWriter: Yasmin Yassin, M.A. Lepage
\nProducers: Yasmin Yassin, Filsan Said, Nolan Morice
\nCast: Hodan Hassan, Nadira Hussein, Beera Luula, Abdurahman Muhumed<\/p>\n
\nLooky here: A daddy runs outta gas on the way to his baby girl’s birthday, then everything goes sideways.
\nUSA | 15m
\nDirector: Keith Powell
\nWriter: Keith Powell
\nProducers: Keith Powell, Venkatesh Potula
\nCast: Burl Moseley, John Earl Jelks, Milton TJ Taylor, Talya Klein
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1114719451?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA former soldier turned shopping cart attendant, resigned to a life on the sidelines, is challenged by a vibrant consultant to embrace his greatest fear – a second chance at love.
\nUSA | 14m
\nDirector: Kendra Jo
\nWriter: Kendra Jo
\nProducers: Andrew St Juste, Color Creative
\nCast: Russell Hornsby, Kimrie Lewis, Jabari Banks, Ratoya Banks, Tabitha Brown
\nTrailer: https:\/\/youtu.be\/uJ1NEAvBKn8<\/a><\/p>\n
\nIn the pursuit of an open cast call at the height of hurricane season, a Jamaican-American family learns to voice their pent-up grief.
\nUSA | 18m
\nDirector: a. b. oddman
\nWriter: a. b. oddman
\nProducers: Redd Coltrane, Kaylee Hayes, Thyais Walsh
\nCast: Symone Holmes, Kyrie McAlpin, Thyais Walsh, Taylor Crawford
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1179777669?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci<\/a><\/p>\n
\nChester connects with his nephew Quincy on the day of his baptism. Their relationship ruffles feathers, and Chester reconsiders his next steps in the boy’s life.
\nUSA | 9m
\nDirector: Jalen Rayno
\nWriter: Jalen Rayno
\nProducers: Ethan Elkins
\nCast: C.P Walker, Eli Romelus, Kamajhia Williams<\/p>\n
\n“Keep My Brother” tells the poignant story of Ava, who struggles to balance her family, career, and health while caring for her younger brother, Darryl, during his severe manic episode.
\nUSA | 11m
\nDirector: Sharona D’Ornellas
\nWriter: Sharona D’Ornellas
\nProducers: Ren\u00e9e Elise Goldsberry, Sharona D’Ornellas, Cat Del Re, Jessy Greer
\nCast: Ren\u00e9e Elise Goldsberry, Darryl Dunning II, Daniel J Watts
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1107191130?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA young man’s New Year’s Eve takes a dramatic turn as the night transforms into an adversary he must conquer to survive.
\nUK | 14m
\nDirector: Yomi Ayeni
\nWriter: Yomi Ayeni
\nProducers: Laurelle Jones
\nCast: Ade Femzo, Rhys Quilley, Justice Ezi, Mack Muggleton
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1120647727?fl=pl&fe=sh<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAn enraged young man infiltrates a picturesque suburban home with revenge on his mind, but his determination begins to falter when he discovers a connection with his younger half-brother.
\nUSA | 17m
\nDirector: Christian Osagiede
\nWriter: Christian Osagiede
\nProducers: Kaylin Stanford
\nCast: Patrick Walker, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Trent Allen Davis, Elizabeth Dantus<\/p>\n
\nOn the verge of the genocide against the minority Tutsi. Jeanne, 10, a daredevil girl, is searching for her pet goat.
\nRwanda;Belgium | 17m
\nDirector: Aime Octave
\nWriter: Aime Octave & Manon Poelman
\nProducers: Nora Essalama, Lead Producer | Aime Octave Ishimwe, Ass. Producer
\nCast: Uwihirwe Francine, Cyiza Bolce, Gakwaya Celestin, Uwimana Clementine<\/p>\n
\nOver the course of Easter week, a young boy struggles to impress his crush.
\nUSA | 12m
\nDirector: Ivan Rome
\nWriter: Ivan Rome
\nProducers: Leah Simone Scott, Brianna Jones Appiah
\nCast: Kaden Taylor, Blossom Cole, Chantal Maurice, Ann Nesby, Alfred Lamar, Syer Blu Wilson
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1179935848?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci<\/a><\/p>\n
\nElla sings her love songs–scatting through her darkest notes.
\nUSA | 18m
\nDirector: Nikki Taylor-Roberts
\nWriter: Nikki Taylor-Roberts, Anthea Piscarik
\nProducers: Meleisha J. Edwards, JT Thames, Sophia Watson
\nCast: Jill Scott, Destinee Rae<\/p>\n
\nWhen a mother rediscovers a forgotten checklist from her past, she’s inspired to reclaim her adventurous spirit—pulling her skeptical daughter into a journey of self-discovery, nostalgia, and unexpected reconnection.
\nUSA | 13m
\nDirector: Jasmine T.Q. McLaurin
\nWriter: Kay Rich
\nProducers: Emma Jackson, Kay Rich, Tarra Denise Jackson, Linda Richardson-Gardner, Angie Blackwell
\nCast: Karole Foreman, Tarra Denise Jackson, Shaun Bedgood, Emma J
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1116492717?fl=pl&fe=sh<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA night at the roller rink reveals the cracks in a relationship.
\nUSA | 11m
\nDirector: Kaliya Warren
\nWriter: Kaliya Warren
\nProducers: Magen Ashley Young, Roan Bibby, Hughes William Thompson, Kaliya Warren
\nCast: Jordan Coleman, Myko Olivier
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1032497650\/1e8961e0cb<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen a live-in housekeeper accidentally breaks a valuable item, her decision to hide her transgression from her employers has devastating consequences.
\nUSA | 18m
\nDirector: Ellie Foumbi
\nWriter: Ellie Foumbi
\nProducers: Leo Blumberg-Woll; Jesy Odio
\nCast: Babetida Sadjo; Saffron Burrows; Tate Donovan; Vivian Olyphant <\/p>\n
\nA stripper cunningly decides to use her private dances as therapy sessions in order to prevail in her collegiate psychology class.
\nUSA | 14m
\nDirector: LeAndre Thomas
\nWriter: LeAndre Thomas
\nProducers: Caitlyn Durkin
\nCast: Birgundi Baker, Joseph Rye, Wendy Feign, Matthew Baetz, Skip Howland, S.B. Grey, William Romano-Pugh<\/p>\n
\nFacing discrimination, a black female lawyer disguises herself as a white man to navigate with more privilege.
\nUSA | 17m
\nDirector: Amirah Adem
\nWriter: Amirah Adem
\nProducers: Yennefer Fang, Nellie Luna, Tosin Omolola
\nCast: Samantha Marie Ware, David Shatraw, Spencer Neville, Lisagaye Tomlinson
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1101400085\/83946ba905?fl=pl&fe=vl<\/a><\/p>\n
\nOn the night he’s supposed to integrate with his Hive-mind alien girlfriend, James, a man with deep commitment issues, discovers his ex is also dating the same Hivemind.
\nUSA | 20m
\nDirector: Nathan Deshawn Bouie
\nWriter: Nathan Deshawn Bouie
\nProducers: Ami Coulibaly, Quinn Murphy, Jayla Hodge
\nCast: Jai’Reeh Demond, Akira Jackson, Mckayla Fontanez
\nTrailer: https:\/\/youtu.be\/aedq36s0IlY<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen an unsettling visitor disrupts her fragile new life, a 70-year-old widow is compelled to face her greatest fear, water, forcing her into a battle with both her past and her own mortality.
\nCanada | 15m
\nDirector: Kimberley Ann Surin
\nWriter: Kimberley Ann Surin
\nProducers: Kimberley Ann Surin, V\u00e9ronique Charbonneau
\nCast: Marie-Aim\u00e9e Cadet, Na\u00efla Louidort, Nayla Mongeon-Levesque
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1110767661<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAs her due date nears, a first-time mother meticulously plans the perfect home birth, only to confront a haunting truth many Black women know too well- that doing everything right still may not be enough to survive.
\nUSA | 17m
\nDirectors: Carra Patterson, Korey Jackson
\nWriter: Carra Patterson
\nProducers: Carra Patterson, Korey Jackson
\nCast: Carra Patterson, Ruffin Prentiss III, Ngozi Anyanwu<\/p>\n
\nAfter ending an abusive relationship with her narcissistic boyfriend, Aaliyah and her friends hatch a bold plan for revenge on a girls’ night out, igniting a journey of self-empowerment and sisterhood.
\nUSA | 14m
\nDirector: Imani Celeste
\nWriter: Imani Celeste
\nProducers: Imani Celeste, Flor de Oro Tejada
\nCast: Daniella Denisse Macre Rodr\u00edguez, Imani Brammer, Mariyea, Victoria Lino, Malik Tyree Sneed<\/p>\n
\nIn the Bronx, an Afro-Dominican father nurtures an underground mobile food garden while searches for a way to rebuild his relationship with his estranged son.
\nUSA | 20m
\nDirector: Andrew J. Rodriguez
\nWriter: Andrew J. Rodriguez
\nProducers: Yuki Maekawa-Ledbetter
\nCast: Elvis Nolasco as Joaquin & Ansi Rodrigues as Junior
\nTrailer:youtube.com\/watch?v=hWQ4ZEYIBuI&pp=ygUSZWwgdGlndWVyZSB0cmFpbGVy0gcJCdMKAYcqIYzv<\/a><\/p>\n
\nSet in the antebellum American South, an enslaved prize fighter faces a choice between life and freedom after attending the burial of the man he was forced to kill.
\nUSA | 13m
\nDirector: Jordan Betine
\nWriter: Jordan Betine; Kiera Bratton-Lewis
\nProducers: Jordan Betine; Ruoxiao Li
\nCast: Erik Orjiako, Sandra McDaniels
\nTrailer: https:\/\/youtu.be\/v5iWPSAVtjA<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPlagued by the physical and emotional tolls of endometriosis and HPV, Kaleigh’s relentless quest for empathy drives her to desperate measures.
\nUSA | 17m
\nDirector: Kiah Clingman
\nWriter: Kiah Clingman, CJ Sykes
\nProducers: Kiah Clingman, Alex Woodruff, Abijeet Achar, Pink Maxwell, Breanna O’Conner, Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Taylor Polidore Williams, Marcella Arthur, Rennard West, CJ Sykes, Annie Jacob, Amer-Marie Woods
\nCast: Taylor Polidore Williams, Vince Swann, Stephen Ruffin, Allen Burns, Jessica Fontaine<\/p>\n
\nIn a world where one woman’s death means the end of everything, a man sets out on a surreal journey to ask her permission to die before she does.
\nUSA | 11m
\nDirector: Brandon XIV
\nWriter: Brandon XIV
\nProducers: Brandon XIV, Shane Snow, Sylvia Brindis, Jess Black
\nCast: Richard David, Aja Monet, Sekou Andrews, and LaChanze
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1118985169<\/a><\/p>\n
\nOn the island of Nevis, a determined young girl challenges tradition and her mother’s opposition to learn the steel pan, hoping to connect with her celebrated musician father and claim her own voice.
\nNevis, West Indies | 15m
\nDirector: Juliette Jeffers
\nWriter: Juliette Jeffers
\nProducers: Juliette Jeffers, Damaris DiVito, Dawn Bridgewater, Carole Copeland and Thomas Austin Sinclair Bridgewater
\nCast: Juliette Jeffers, Winston Crooke and Hadassah Daniels
\nTrailer: https:\/\/youtu.be\/HQLVSiOFwiY?si=MJmRLhr0OSnoy_KI<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen a little girl, dreaming of becoming a comedian, begins using the Yellow Pages to test out her jokes, she unknowingly brightens the life of someone who needs it most.
\nUSA | 15m
\nDirector: Simone Thomas-Rowe
\nWriter: Simone Thomas-Rowe
\nProducers: Devin Saddler, Simone Thomas-Rowe, Elodie Ghonda
\nCast: Cadence Reese, Damien Leake, Danielle Banks, Mingjie Zhai, Sandra Walters<\/p>\n
\nA woman must be more stubborn than a goat to find her freedom.
\nColombia | 13m
\nDirector: Laura Asprilla Carrillo
\nWriter: Laura Asprilla Carrillo
\nProducers: Laura Asprilla Carrillo
\nCast: Barbara Perea
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1151390510<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAfter an abrupt encounter at a graveyard, two elderly men form an unexpected bond over the grief and love of their late wives.
\nUSA | 14m
\nDirectors: Ragan Henderson, Lauryn Darden
\nWriter: Lauryn Darden
\nProducers: Gabriy\u00e8l Barlatier, Elizabeth Kurtz; Executive Producers: Glynn Turman, Marni Rosenzweig, Brian Kurtz, Janice Barlatier-Tawfiq, Leon Henderson Jr., Ana Verde, Taylor Wildenhaus, Brenda Robinson, Jenifer Westphal, Loy A. Webb, and Delta Dirt Distillery
\nCast: Glynn Turman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
\nTrailer: https:\/\/youtu.be\/lBRea1iWmjU<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTaking his Alzheimer addled mother on a weekend jaunt to NYC in hopes of jogging her memory, an alcoholic son has to walk a fine line between frustration and responsibility.
\nUSA | 15m
\nDirector: Andre Royo
\nWriter: Andre Royo
\nProducers: Darren Dean, Ante Novakovic, Sabine Oca\u00f1a, Isabella Cooper
\nCast: Andre Royo, Maria Broom<\/p>\nAFRICAN STORIES<\/h4>\n
\nFrom the tale of “Old Roger is dead and gone to his grave” stems a young family who goes to spend a holiday weekend with relatives, and ignorantly awakens an unforgiven but insidious entity that rains terror, bringing their bloodline to the brink of hell.
\nNigeria | 19m
\nDirector: Daniel Ehimen
\nWriter: Daniel Ehimen & Aaliyah Salia
\nProducers: Daniel Ehimen, Oladayo Oladejo, Omoyeni Sholabomi Disu
\nCast: Yusrah Ayinde, Joseph Imoikor, Demi Banwo, Princess Obuseh, Ayo Binta Mogaji, Kunle Coker, Francis Oyinlola Bakare
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1102923797<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen a gifted but withdrawn teenager falls for a classmate, his AI best friend pushes him toward love, forcing him to confront the self-doubt that has shaped his life.
\nNigeria | 17m
\nDirector: Tolulope Itegboje
\nWriter: Tolulope Itegboje
\nProducers: Oge Obasi, Tolulope Itegboje
\nCast: Kelechi Udegbe, Ambrose Nwoga
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1113905841?fl=ip&fe=ec<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA routine break-in spirals when tensions inside a crew of small-time thieves force one member to question the future he’s been chasing.
\nSouth Africa | 14m
\nDirector: Sizwe Kubeka
\nWriter: Sizwe Kubeka
\nProducers: Masibulele Mtonjeni
\nCast: Malusi Ngxubungela, Patrick Sithole, Akhile Mjanyelwa<\/p>\n
\nA grieving family faces loss and imminent departures while tensions rise as the matriarch cares for her eldest autistic son. The intricate threads binding them are tested.
\nKenya | 15m
\nDirector: Shandra Apondi
\nWriter: Shandra Apondi, Kofi Ntiforo, Norris Kabembe
\nProducers: Celine Onditi, Shandra Apondi
\nCast: Beatrice Kamuyu, Brian Furaha, Ivy Collette Nafula, Agwingi Adingo
\nTrailer: https:\/\/youtu.be\/sYJuUOTvNnA?si=xNL0HbNP1n-xMWb5<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAs a boy responds to letters for his illiterate grandmother, he is confronted with one of news of her failing health — he must make the decision to disclose the truth or keep the letter’s contents to himself.
\nUnited States | 6m
\nDirector: Chlo\u00e9-Elo\u00efse Mallet
\nWriter: Chlo\u00e9-Elo\u00efse Mallet
\nProducers: Jiayang Liu, Chlo\u00e9-Elo\u00efse Mallet
\nCast: Lamine Goita, Maimounay Lemailloux<\/p>\nAI x XR STORYTELLING SHOWCASE <\/h4>\n
\nWhen a matriarch witch of a powerful Black lineage teaches her daughter to cross into the spirit world, a forbidden ritual goes wrong—and a demonic entity follows the girl back, threatening to destroy their bloodline forever.
\nUnited States | 7m
\nDirector: Aaron Avont Johnson
\nWriter: Aaron Avont Johnson
\nProducers: Aaron Johnson, Takela Johnson, Dasha Johnson
\nCast: Aaron Johnson<\/p>\n
\nThe future ain’t what it used to be.
\nUnited States | 9m
\nDirector: Whoingodsname
\nWriter: Whoingodsname
\nProducers: Kharmony Fortune
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1103270500<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen a Jamaican excavator operator is left in the Jamaican jungle alone, he knocks down the wrong tree and discovers that some roots are better left buried.
\nUnited States | 2m
\nDirector: Alexander Newman Hall
\nWriter: Alexander Newman Hall
\nProducers: Alexander Newman Hall <\/p>\n
\nWhen visitors from the sky descend on a terror-haunted Jim Crow community, one young Black girl understands what the adults cannot – salvation has arrived, and it chose her.
\nUnited States | 6m
\nDirector: Kimberly Offord
\nWriter: Kimberly Offord
\nProducers: Kimberly Offord
\nTrailer: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/1184935594\/4b8154999e?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAfter the middle class is quietly “optimized” out of existence, a starving Dracula pivots to a new menu—wealthy professionals who are about to learn that money doesn’t buy immunity, just a later appointment.
\nUnited States | 6m
\nDirector: Tiffani Lee Joseph
\nWriter: Tiffani Lee Joseph
\nProducers: Tiffani Lee Joseph
\nTrailer: https:\/\/youtu.be\/IPq4BjCxNRU?si=_pYRuGr_heb8Mt2t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
\nFounded in 1997 by Jeff Friday, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a premier destination for film and television storytelling. Widely regarded as a key pipeline for emerging talent, ABFF has played a pivotal role in launching the careers of many of today’s most acclaimed filmmakers, actors, and creative voices. Each year, the festival brings together artists, industry leaders, and audiences from around the world for a five-day program of screenings, panels, masterclasses, and networking opportunities. The festival’s 30th anniversary edition will take place May 27\u201331, 2026, in Miami Beach.<\/p>\n
\n
\nNICE CROWD is a pioneering live events company operating at the intersection of culture, entertainment, and tourism. Founded by Nicole and Jeff Friday, the company produces high-impact festivals, awards shows, and destination experiences in major U.S. cities and global markets. Guided by its philosophy, The Power of Gathering<\/em>, NICE CROWD believes that when people come together, creativity flourishes, new voices are amplified, and meaningful connections are made. The company harnesses that energy to deliver culturally relevant experiences while generating measurable economic impact for its partners. Through expertise in event production, audience engagement, and strategic partnerships, NICE CROWD creates platforms that celebrate groundbreaking artists and innovators while connecting brands, media, and audiences in meaningful ways. www.nicecrowd.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\n
\nabff@ledecompany.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"