The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) today announced the winners of the competitive film selections and talent pipeline programs during the Best of the ABFF Awards ceremony. Hosted by comedian, actress and author Amanda Seales (Insecure), the ceremony was presented virtually for the second year on ABFF’s custom-designed streaming platform ABFF PLAY. ABFF winners receive a combined total cash prize of over $55,000 along with two actors cast in an upcoming original series. Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry served as this year’s ABFF ambassador.


Known for showcasing Black talent and discovering new voices, the month-long festival featured an unprecedented number of independent films -- 102 -- representing the best in Black cinema. The festival’s international film entries hailed from 32 countries, including Angola, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Ghana, Germany, Haiti, Namibia, Portugal, Saint Croix, South Africa and the United Kingdom. This year’s jury president was producer and ABFF alum Will Packer (Girl’s Trip, Ride Along).


Complementing ABFF’s wide range of films, the festival’s lineup of events included spotlight screenings, networking events and talks featuring Debra Martin Chase, Morris Chestnut, Colman Domingo, Meagan Good, Regina King, MC Lyte, Niecy Nash, Michael Rainey Jr., Larenz Tate, Flex Alexander and Shanice Wilson. A festival highlight was a one-on-one conversation with Halle Berry where she discussed her career and directorial debut Bruised. All events were presented free of charge reaching a global audience from 95 countries around the world during the festival which ran November 3-28.


Along with ABFF Ventures Founder and CEO Jeff Friday, featured presenters at the award ceremony were film and television industry executives representing ABFF’s impressive roster of partners and sponsors including: Karen Horne SVP, Equity + Inclusion, WarnerMedia; Sirius XM “Bevelations” host Bevy Smith on behalf of HBO; Juanita Slappy, Head of Multicultural Marketing, Cadillac; Dupe Bosu, Vice President, Strategic Communications (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), NBCUniversal; Keith Le Goy, Chairman, Distribution & Networks, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Yahoo National Reporter and Fellow, Garin Flowers.


The 2021 Jury Award winners are:


HBO Short Film Award, presented by HBO
Prize: $10,000 for winner, $5,000 each for four finalists

When the Sun Sets, written and directed by Phumi Morare


Jury Award - Best Director, presented by Cadillac
Prize: $5,000
Trees of Peace, directed by Alanna Brown


John Singleton Award - Best First Feature, presented by Netflix
Prize: $5,000
Trees of Peace, directed by Alanna Brown



Jury Award - Best Narrative Feature, presented by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Prize: 2,500
Trees of Peace, produced by Ron Ray, Barry Levine, Mike Bundlie, Brian Baniqued, Jeff Spiegel, Vicky Petela and Alanna Brown


Jury Award - Best Documentary Feature, presented by Yahoo
Prize: 2,500
The Neutral Ground, directed by CJ Hunt, produced by Darcy McKinnon



Jury Award - Best Web Series, presented by Comcast NBCUniversal
Prize: $2,500
True Story: I Feel, directed and written by Matthew Law


The 2021 Talent Pipeline Program winners are:


WarnerMedia Access Writers Competition – Drama
Prize: $5,000
Soul City Texas, Tony Clomax


WarnerMedia Access Writers Competition – Comedy
Prize: $5,000
Crazy in Love, Marcus Stricklin


ALLBLK’s Shoot Your Shot Casting Call
Prize: Role in upcoming original series, West Philly, Baby
Virginia Watson and Harrison White


The 2021 Fan Favorites as determined by the ABFF’s virtual audience are:

Fan Favorite Narrative Feature, B-Boy Blues
Fan Favorite Documentary, 100 Years From Mississippi
Fan Favorite Web Series, Last Bodega in Brooklyn
Fan Favorite ABFF Pride, Everyday Black Matter
Fan Favorite World Showcase, Coffee
Fan Favorite New Voices, Pickney


“We wrapped our 25th year on an incredibly exhilarating high as we honored some of the most talented and promising filmmakers who are sharing authentic stories about experiences from a Black and Brown perspective,” said Jeff Friday, Founder and CEO, ABFF Ventures LLC. “Showcasing this content and uplifting Black creatives is what ABFF is all about. As we close out this landmark year, fraught with uncertainty, with a highly successful virtual celebration we are honored and encouraged. We extend profound thanks to our corporate partners and supporters, our worldwide audience and celebrity participants and look forward to continuing the ABFF legacy in Miami in 2022.”


ABFF sponsors to date include WarnerMedia and HBO® (Founding); Cadillac, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Amazon Studios (Presenting); Comcast NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, American Airlines, AT&T, Meta and IMDb (Premier); ALLBLK, HBOMax, City of Miami Beach, Netflix, Prudential Financial, TBS, Yahoo, Starz, Warner Bros. Pictures, Disney Television Studios, National Geographic, and Variety (Official); Accenture, AspireTV, Motion Picture Association (MPA), Morgan Stanley, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), and Sephora (Supporting). Media partners include BIN: Black Information Network, TheGrio and Rolling Out.



For festival information, visit and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook. Join in on the conversation by using #ABFF.

ABFF Ventures LLC announced today that the 2021 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will open its milestone 25th year with Warner Bros. Pictures’ eagerly anticipated film King Richard. The expanded 2021 festival will be available as a worldwide digital experience November 3-28 via its online platform ABFF PLAY. King Richard will be available by special invitation to a limited audience.


King Richard stars two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith, who also is the film’s producer, as Richard Williams, the determined father of Venus and Serena Williams.  The story follows the journey of their family, whose unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately creates two of the world’s greatest sports legends. Also starring are Aunjanue Ellis as the girls’ mom, Oracene Wlliams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams and Demi Singleton as Serena Williams, with Tony Goldwyn and Jon Bernthal as coaches Paul Cohen and Rick Macci. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men) from a script written by Zach Baylin, King Richard will be released in U.S. theaters and stream exclusively on HBO Max, November 19. 

“It is with pride and excitement that we mark our 25th year opening with Warner Bros.’ King Richard, a film that is a touchstone of ABFF’s legacy of showcasing extraordinary Black talent and inspiring storytelling reflecting the brilliance of diversity in Hollywood,” said Nicole Friday, president and general manager, ABFF Ventures LLC. “We’re especially gratified to have the film’s director, Reinaldo Marcus Green, a previous finalist in HBO’s prestigious Short Film Competition, return to ABFF as feature film director — demonstrating the importance of the HBO pipeline in advancing the careers of Black artists. This event is simply a grand slam on every level."

“Having King Richard at ABFF this year is truly a full circle moment,” stated Reinaldo Marcus Green. “Back in 2013, my short film Stone Cars, that I made while studying at NYU screened in competition and was distributed on HBO -- so opening up the festival for ABFF’s 25th anniversary means a lot to me. It's an absolute honor to return this year with our film. Thank you to Warner Bros. and the whole filmmaking team, the family we built on set, the Williams family for allowing us to tell their groundbreaking story and, of course, our wonderful crew and cast led by none other than Mr. Will Smith.”

ABFF 2021 worldwide virtual experience will include over 100 independent films from 35 countries, spotlight screenings, talks and networking events featuring creators, artists and industry executives. Access to the festival is free. To register, visit https://abff.com.

ABFF sponsors to date include WarnerMedia and HBO® (Founding); Cadillac, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and Amazon Studios (Presenting); Comcast NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, American Airlines, AT&T, Facebook, and IMDb (Premier); ALLBLK, HBOMax, City of Miami Beach, Netflix, Prudential Financial, TBS, Warner Bros., Variety and Yahoo! (Official); Accenture, AspireTV, Motion Picture Association (MPA) and Morgan Stanley (Supporting). Media partners include BIN: Black Information Network, TheGrio and Rolling Out. 
 
For festival information visit and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook. Join in on the conversation by using #ABFF. 


ABOUT KING RICHARD
Armed with a clear vision and a brazen 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on the abandoned tennis courts of Compton, California, rain or shine, the girls are shaped by their father’s unyielding commitment and their mother’s balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying the seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations laid before them.
The film is produced by Tim White and Trevor White’s Star Thrower Entertainment and Will Smith’s own banner, Westbrook. Isha Price, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith, Adam Merims, Lynn Harris, Allan Mandelbaum, Jon Mone and Peter Dodd are the executive producers.
​
King Richard is a Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, A Star Thrower Entertainment Production, A Westbrook Production and A Keepin’ It Reel Production and will be released in U.S. theaters and on HBO Max via the Ad-Free plan on November 19, 2021; it will be available on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release.​

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 25th 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, a division of Jeff Friday Media (JFM).
 

Journalist Jemele Hill (The Atlantic, Unbothered) interviews Mary J. Blige, the 2020 ABFF Ambassador, about her career in music and successful transition to film and television.

Panelists discuss the history of race and representation in media across the last 100 years and their role in the industry as well as offer advice for the next generation.

Romany Falco, Night School
Carlos Watson, Host of “The Carlos Watson Show”
Lamorne Morris, Actor, Woke, New Girl
Moderator: Ramcess Jean-Louis, Global Head, Diversity & Inclusion, Verizon Media

A discussion with actor and producer/director, Salli Richardson-Whitfield about her long-standing career and approach towards financial planning.

Moderator: Delvin Joyce, Managing Director of the South Florida Financial Group, Prudential Financial

Join the cast and creators to discuss the newest chapter in the POWER universe.

Panelists:

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson – Executive Producer
Michael Rainey Jr. – Actor/ portrays Tariq St. Patrick
Naturi Naughton – Actor/ portrays Tasha St. Patrick
Mary J. Blige – Actor/ portrays Monet Stewart Tejada
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Actor/ portrays Davis MacLean
Moderator: Yohana Desta, Editor, Vanity Fair

Bravo Media presents an intimate conversation in which our panelists discuss their personal experiences and perspectives around diversity both in front of and behind the camera. To further the dialogue regarding unscripted television, they will exchange thoughts on the importance of Black producers ensuring that our stories aren’t overlooked and we are represented equally in today’s diverse culture landscape.

Panelists:

Garcelle Beauvais from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
Gizelle Bryant from “The Real Housewives of Potomac”
Kandi Burruss from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”
Dr. Simone Whitmore from “Married to Medicine Atlanta”
Salena Rochester, Director, Current Production, Bravo
Moderator: Alicia Quarles, Senior News correspondent for DailyMailTV

The culminating event of the festival where the competitive film award winners are announced.

Presenters:

Best Director – Telva Mcgruder, Cadillac; Lee Daniels, Director (The United States vs. Billie Holliday)
Best U.S. Narrative – Salene Hitchcock-Gear, Prudential Financial and La La Anthony, Actor (The Chi)
Best Screenplay – Sinqua Walls, Actor (BET’s American Soul)
John Singleton Award for Best First Feature – Spike Lee, Director (Da 5 Bloods) and Jeff & Nicole Friday (ABFF)
Best International Narrative – Keith La Goy, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Boris Kodjoe & Nicole Ari Parker
HBO Short Film Award – Bevy Smith, Television Personality (Bevelations sirusXM)
Best Web Series – Keesha Boyd, Comcast and Logan Browning, Actor (Dear White People)
Best Documentary – Latasha Gillespie Amazon Studios and Laz Alonso, Actor (The Boys)