MIA Magazine 2018 American Black Film Festival | Page 4

4BB
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018
ABFF Designed to Connect, Celebrate Black Excellence in Film and Television
By Zach Rinkins
For many well-informed
Competition, and “Best of the ABFF”
outlets.
won the HBO Short Film Award for his
entertainment insiders and aspiring
Awards Presentation. Guests can also
“We just introduced this new series
film “FIG” in 2011. In 2018, Coogler’s
creatives, summer begins in Miami Beach
unwind at the opening night party on
called the ‘Business of Entertainment’. It
highly acclaimed third theatrical release
with the American Black Film Festival.
June 13, the White Party on June 14, and
is a nine-part career development series
“Black Panther” joined the exclusive
From June 13-17, thousands of
the “It’s So Miami” closing night party on
for people who want to transition into
listing of films exceeding $1 billion in box
attendees and celebrities will convene at
June 16.
office receipts.
film.”
the Loews Hotel, located at 1601 Collins
The festival also includes
Beyond the lights, cameras, and
Friday identified access at ABFF as a
Avenue, to network, consume exclusive
numerous networking events and panel
action, ABFF is a dynamic
critical component of personal and
content, and gain insights from industry
discussions with Cadillac shuttles
multi-purpose platform with an equal
professional success.
veterans. ABFF creator Jeff Friday works
transporting attendees from various
“Access is important,” he
emphasis placed on entertainment,
as a conductor of sorts to ensure all
programming locations.
continued. “We developed this festival
education, and business.
components of this
like a conference.
multi-faceted
When you buy a
extravaganza work in
festival badge, you
harmony.
have access to all
“I started this
festival events until
festival 22 years ago
the venue meets
with a vision of
capacity. You can
getting
look at the schedule
African-American
and select your
people together to
adventure.”
celebrate film,
After an
television, and
11-month marathon
content about us,”
vetting of more than
Friday revealed. “I
4,000 video
always knew that we
submissions,
were a community of
identifying program
people that did not
partnerships,
have enough
planning festival
showcases like this or
panels, and soliciting
enough organizations
sponsors, Friday said,
that supported
“ABFF is
diversity in
100-percent about
Hollywood.”
the people. You
Festival goers can
don’t have to be
catch celebrities such
Black to come to
as “Power’s” Omari
ABFF. Everyone can
Hardwick, “Queen
celebrate Black
Sugar’s” Kofi Siriboe,
culture. You don’t
and Hip-Hop legend ABFF Ventures CEO Jeff Friday (far right) joins Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis (ABFF's 2018 Celebrity Ambassador) and Issa Rae for
have to be Black to
Rev. Run passing
watch the NBA. The
the Spotlight Screening of the Season 2 premiere of "Insecure," July 2017, South Beach.
through halls while
NBA is essentially
heading to their
Black people
“We are celebrating ourselves,” Friday
“We’ve found that there are a lot of
events.
entertaining the world. Black culture is
added. “Every year ABFF gives us the
people of color who don’t have
This year, the festival will
world culture,” added Friday, who said it
opportunity
to
pause
and
celebrate
Black
connections in Hollywood,” Friday
showcase screenings of “Superfly” from
is his goal for the ABFF to continue to
people and Black culture as a whole. Over
shared. “There is really no academic path
Sony Pictures, “Whitney,” produced by
entertain, inspire, and empower revelers
the past 22 years, many people have come
to becoming an executive in Hollywood.
Roadside Attractions, and clips from
for generations to come.
through our festivals. They’ve gone to
We are really trying to close the loop
BET’s upcoming television movie “The
become successful in this business. I am
between talented Black people and studios
Bobby Brown Story.”
really
proud
of
what
we’ve
been
able
to
and networks,” added Friday, while
ABFF’s interactive programming
do.”
touting support from content partners
includes the 21st Annual HBO Short
Find out more at
For
some,
ABFF
can
seem
including NBC, Sony, HBO, BET,
Film Competition, Celebrity Scene
www.ABFF.com.
magical. It’s where a young Ryan Coogler
OWN, and Disney, among other
Stealers, ABFF “Comedy Wings”