#TrendingWithMsTre American Black Film Festival - Online Edition Schedule

​American Black Film Festival EVENTS, SCREENINGS, AND PANELS

Friday, August 21

​UMC and Partners in Rhyme (MC Lyte & Bentley Kyle Evans) have teamed up for a national casting call for a leading role in the new UMC series.
Panelists:

• Brett Dismuke, Chief Content Officer
• Nikki Love, VP, Production & Development
• MC Lyte, Co-creator of Partners in Rhyme
• Bentley Kyle Evans, Co-creator of Partners in Rhyme
• Jeff Friday, Founder & CEO, ABFF Ventures

Moderator: Leah Daniels-Butler, Casting Director
6:00 pm EST: Immediately followed by IG Live Takeover with MC Lyte.

This year the festival will host its Legendary All-White Party on opening night. Join us in your White Attire. Celebrity drop-ins include MC Lyte to announce the winner of the Partners in Rhyme National Casting Call.
Music by: DJ Kiss & M.O.S.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://abff.zoom.us/j/81480038171
Meeting ID: 814 8003 8171

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Saturday, August 22

Enjoy a spirited conversation with young actors making their mark in Hollywood.
Panelists:

• Lexi Underwood, Little Fires Everywhere
• Miles Brown, Black-ish
• Niles Fitch, This Is Us
• Shahadi Wright Joseph, Us

Moderator: Gia Peppers, Host, BET’s Black Coffee

A conversation with Kenya Barris on his career as writer/producer and creator of the hit television series black-ish, which generated two spin-offs, grown-ish and mixed-ish, and the Netflix original series #blackAF, his life behind and now in front of the camera, as well as his new projects.
Moderator: Angela Rye, Host, On 1 podcast

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Sunday, August 23

Join NBC and Universal Television’s senior executives for an illuminating conversation as they walk aspiring show creators through the progression of a TV series from both the network and studio perspectives. Get an inside look at how these separate entities work together from development to series pick-up and what decision-makers are looking for when considering a project. This crash course on the pitch-to-production cycle will also touch on how to transform a story for episodic life after the festival circuit.
Panelists:

• Bruce Evans, EVP, Current Programming, NBC
• Brittany Little, VP, Drama Development, Universal Television
• Michael Swanson, SVP, Production, Universal Television

Moderator: Jacqueline Coley, Editor, Rotten Tomatoes

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Actor, author and entrepreneur, Gabrielle Union talks about her career, while balancing motherhood and growing her various multi-faceted business enterprises.
Moderator: Raymone Jackson, Executive Director, National Diversity Officer for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Comedian/Actor Yvonne Orji (Insecure) hosts a funny and insightful discussion with Lil Rel Howery (LIVE in Crenshaw, HBO Comedy Special) and four of the former winners of the Comedy Wings Competition.
Panelists:

• Zainab Johnson, 2013 Comedy Wings Winner
• Amberia Allen, 2014 Comedy Wings Winner
• Blaq Ron, 2018 Comedy Wings Winner
• Ty Davis, 2019 Comedy Wings Winner

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Monday, August 24

AspireTV presents the short film Endangered with a talk-back discussion featuring the writer, director, producer and lead actors of this relevant, powerful and provocative film.

Panelists:

Nakia Stephens, Writer
Shanay Campbell, Producer
Kiana Woodson, Director
Abdul Quddus, Lead Actor
Bianca Bethune, Lead Actor

Senior Black executives from across the WarnerMedia brands discuss their careers and trajectories in entertainment. While people of color experience significant adversity in this industry, many have and continue to climb the corporate entertainment ladder to break glass ceilings for future executives and creators.

Panelists:

Courtney Armstrong, EVP, Worldwide Business Affairs, Warner Bros. Pictures
Kalia Booker, VP, Drama Programming, HBO
Kevin Fortson, EVP, Production, Warner Horizon Television
Natasha Foster-Owens, VP, Production, HBO
Niija Kuykendall, EVP, Film Production Warner Bros. Pictures
Michael Quigley, EVP, Content Acquisitions for TNT, TBS, truTV, HBO and HBO Max
Moderator: Abby Phillip, Political Correspondent, CNN

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.

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Tuesday August 25th

A candid conversation with content creators who have current and upcoming projects at Amazon. Each will highlight their Prime Video titles as well as their respective experiences across the entertainment industry and the importance of diverse and inclusive representation.

Panelists:

Little Marvin (THEM) Creator, Writer and Executive Producer
Lena Waithe (THEM) Executive Producer
Tracy Oliver (Untitled Tracy Oliver Project) Creator, Writer and Executive Producer
Barry Jenkins (The Underground Railroad) Writer, Director, Executive Producer
Tayarisha Poe (Selah and the Spades) Writer, Director
Eugene Ashe (Sylvie’s Love) Writer, Director
Moderator: Latasha Gillespie, Head of Amazon Studios Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A conversation with director/writer Nia DaCosta, talking all things CANDYMAN as well as clips of select scenes from the upcoming October release.

Moderator: Jacqueline Coley, Editor, Rotten Tomatoes

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Wednesday, August 26

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

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Thursday, August 27

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

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Friday, August 28

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

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Saturday, August 29

A candid, thought provoking and hilarious conversation with the writer, producer, lead actor and directorial debut from Radha Blank, the highly anticipated THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION – produced by Lena Waithe.

Moderator: Tre’vell Anderson, Writer

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Sunday, August 30

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)

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EVENTS PRIOR TO #ABFF EVENTS, PANELS, AND SCREENINGS

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FULL #ABFF2020 SCHEDULE