Urban News Staff Reports
The 24th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will take place online August 21-30, 2020 at abff.com. The ABFF Online Edition will continue the tradition of the live festival, featuring the best of independent black cinema, studio premieres, conversations and panels, business of entertainment seminars, along with virtual networking events.
The ABFF will also use its platform for social change in response to the scourge of racial injustice in our country, as well as educate and support its community in an effort to help in its recovery from the coronavirus. This year’s festival theme is “Community First!”
“While we will surely miss being with our ABFF community in Miami Beach this year and connecting in person, what truly binds us together is our shared commitment to ensure inclusion in Hollywood and sustaining a place of inspiration for diverse storytellers. We will persevere through this year and end up a stronger community on the other side of this crisis.” said ABFF Ventures CEO, Jeff Friday.
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) was conceived in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the Black entertainment community and provide a platform for emerging artists. It has become one of the leading film festivals in the world and a place of inspiration and community for many. The destination festival, which has typically attracted 7,000 to 10,000 attendees to Miami Beach, will open its virtual doors to a global audience, offering most of its programming free of charge.
Previously announced, Iconic Grammy Award® winning and Academy Award® nominated singer, songwriter, actress, producer and philanthropist Mary J. Blige serves as this years’ ambassador.
Sponsors to date include Warner Media, HBO® (Founding), Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (Presenting Sponsors); Comcast NBCUniversal, Amazon Studios (Premier Sponsors); Motion Picture Association (MPA), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Jeff Friday Media, UMC – Urban Movie Channel, Verizon Media (Official Sponsors); Accenture (Supporting Sponsor); Blackfilm.com (Media Partner).
For more information on ABFF and up-to-date news, go to www.abff.com and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook. Join in on the conversation by using #ABFF20 and #WeAreABFF.