AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

Over the last decade or so film festivals of all sizes have become quite popular. Cannes has long been the Super Bowl event for film festivals that the general public can name, though Edinburgh International Film Festival is the longest running continuous festival. But others like the Sundance, Tribeca, and Raindance Film Festival are far more recent and followed by the media. Still there is a film festival that goes unmentioned even though 70% of its films go on to receive theatrical or DVD distribution, which I doubt most other festivals can boast.

AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL (ABFF) has been around for 12 years, and the major news media seems incapable, or unwilling, to acknowledge it. This years festival will open Aug. 7th with a special screening of the Harry Belafonte / Dorothy Dandridge movie Carmen Jones introduced by the first Black actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress – Halle Berry.

Ms. Berry is hardly the only notable and talented actress or actor to be at the festival. Other entertainers present at the festival will include:

Evan Ross, Lauren London, Tatiana Ali, Columbus Short, Anthony Mackie, Holly Robinson Peete , Nate Parker, Angela Bassett, Lela Rochon and Loretta Devine. Mos Def, Rockmond Dunbar, Idris Elba, Michael Ealy, John Singleton and Sanaa Lathan. Malik Yoba, Tina Andrews and Salli Richardson. Richard T. Jones, Paula Patton, Niecy Nash, and Dennis Haysbert.

That is quite the list of accomplish celebrities, each deserving of recognition and with fan bases that can fill any sized theater if not small and/or large cities.

But the purpose of the ABFF is not to go star gazing, nor to seek out the next up and coming stars. Its mission is

“To strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development.”

And there are more than just a few corporations that recognize the importance and need for Black films. The companies that support the ABFF include:

Allstate, HBO, Lincoln, Target, Blockbuster, Heineken, Nielsen Media Research, One Village Entertainment, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Codeblack Entertainment, Nickelodeon, Fox Entertainment Group, Grey Goose® Vodka, SAG Indie, Writers Guild of America West, Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Illinois Film Office, FoxxKing Entertainment, Black Enterprise, Uptown, Upscale, Black Noir, Heart&Soul, Precious Times, Automotive Rhythms, Toy Box, Monarch, Hope Today Magazine, NV, Save the Date, KJLH-FM and EUR Web.

Obviously founder and CEO of Film Life, Inc. Jeff Friday has made an impression and is helping to promote the fact that quality filmmaking is something that African Americans can do as well as anyone. The fact that ABFF has been able to connect filmmakers and distribution channels at such high rates further shows that the market for quality Black films has hardly been scratched.

ABFF may not be as old as Sundance, nor have an international movie star as its creator like Tribeca, but that has not lessened its importance or the drive of those involved.

“We have worked very hard to appeal to a cross section of film aficionados and make our festival accessible to everyone. We are looking forward to members of the greater Los Angeles community coming out and experiencing the best new work by and about people of African descent,” said Melanie Sharee, ABFF Director.

If you are in the L.A. area I suggest taking some time this weekend to learn about the quality Black films that are out there and the directors and actors that have made them. The major news media may believe that the world has the diversity of the sitcom Friends, but the reality as presented by the AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL is proof that not only is America more diverse but that such diversity provides a richness that transcends color.

For tickets to ABFF or for more information go to www.abff.com or www.ticketweb.com