The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) recently released a line-up of over 25 narrative features, web originals, short films, and documentaries that will be showcased at the Olympia Theater, Colony Theatre, and Regal Cinemas in Miami Beach, June 15-19, for the 20th anniversary of the festival.
The 2016 ABFF selection of films showcases diverse content creators and explores a broad range of topics, including love, sex, race, self-identity, politics, relationships, crime, and fame.
“This year’s films not only reflect diverse storytelling and diversity within the black experience, but also the technological advances of the times—from the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, to a narrative feature film shot entirely on the iPhone 6s,” said Jeff Friday, ABFF CEO and founder. “We have people coming from all around the nation to support the work of these talented filmmakers, and we hope that the local community will take part in ABFF as well.”
The complete list of films selected for the narrative features, web originals, and documentary sections, as well as the HBO® Short Film Competition is as follows:
Opening Night Film
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Writers: Rawson Marshall Thurber, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen
Producers: Scott Stuber, Peter Principato, Paul Young, Michael Fottrell
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Aaron Paul, Danielle Nicolet
Narrative “Features” In Competition
DESTINED
Writer/Director: Qasim Basir
Producers: Tommy Oliver, Rick Rosenthal, Matt Ratner
Cast: Cory Hardrict, Jesse Metcalfe, Margot Bingham, Robert Christopher Riley, Zulay Henao, Jason Dohring, Mo McRae, La La Anthony, Hill Harper, James McCaffrey, Curtiss Cook
EVERYTHING BUT A MAN
Writer/Director: Nnegest Likké
Producers: Nnegest Likké, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Steven J. Wolfe
Cast: Monica Calhoun, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Camille Winbush
THE FIX
Director: Paris Bauldwin
Writer: Paris Bauldwin
Producers: Paris Bauldwin, Kenny Lofton, Brenton Earley
Cast: Meta Golding, Eric Roberts, Asia Queen, Nicole Steinwedell, Blaine Gray, Jeremy Suarez, Sean O’Bryan, Timon Kyle Durrett, Jeremy Luke
HOW TO TELL YOU’RE A DOUCHEBAG
Director: Tahir Jetter
Writer: Tahir Jetter
Producers: Julius Pryor, Marttise Hill, Tahir Jetter
Cast: Charles Brice, DeWanda Wise, Jenna Williams, William Jackson Harper, Tonye Patano, Alexander Mulzac
SERVICE TO MAN (*World Premiere)
Directors: Aaron Greer, Seth Panitch
Writer: Seth Panitch
Producers: Aaron Greer, Seth Panitch
Cast: Morgan Auld, Christopher Livingston, Lamman Rucker, Keith David
Narrative Features “World Showcase”
HALFWAY
Director: Ben Caird
Writer: Ben Caird
Producer: Jonny Paterson
Cast: Quinton Aaron, Jeffrey DeMunn, Gillian Zinser, Amy Pietz, TJ Power, Marcus Henderson
9 RIDES
Director: Matthew A. Cherry
Writer: Matthew A. Cherry
Producers: Jerome Caldwell, Matthew Keene Smith, Datari Turner, Monica Young, Natasha Ward, Jaia Thomas, R. Vaughn Gill
Cast: Dorian Missick, Omar J. Dorsey, Robinne Lee, Xosha Roquemore, Amin Joseph, Thomas Q. Jones, Skye P. Marshall, Aasha Davis, Sujata Day, Tracie Thoms
FINDING HER (*U.S. Premiere)
Director: Vlad Feier
Writers: Vlad Feier, Peter Gutter
Producers: Vlad Feier, Ana Paula Rivera, Regina Bang
Cast: Johnny Whitworth, Maurice McRae, Afton Williamson, Jeremy Holm, Larry Pine, Danny Johnson
KILLING LAZARUS
Director: Desmond Faison
Writer: Desmond Faison
Producer: Jahmela Biggs
Cast: Deji LaRay, Tracey Dukes, Wade Maurice Johnson, Jr., Robert Davis, Jahmela Biggs, Rome Green, Jr., Amanuel Richards, Shayla Hale, Billy Mayo
SECRETS
Director: Juwan Lee
Writers: Juwan Lee, Jamal Hill
Producers: Jamal Hill, Kia Hicks Freeman, Gregory Freeman
Cast: Harold Moore, Denyce Lawton, Denise Boutte, Dennis White, Tobias Truvillion
ILLICIT (*World Premiere)
Director: Corey Grant
Writers: Corey Grant, Lanett Tachel
Producers: Kevin Fleming, Lanett Tachel Corey Grant, McKinley Freeman, David Ramsey
Cast: David Ramsey, Shireen Crutchfield, McKinley Freeman, Michele Weaver, Lanett Tachel, Dean Cain, Vivica A. Fox, Dionne Gipson, Michael Monks, Essence Atkins, Vincent A. Ward, Sade Kimora Young, Durrell “Tank” Babbs, Charlie Farrell, Adam Senn.
HBO® Short Film Competition
THE BIG CHOP (*World Premiere)
Director: Derek Dow
Writer: Alisha Cowan
Producer: Cayman Grant
Cast: Simone Missick, Chinedu Unaka, McKenzie Franklin, Kevin Kilumbu
FLOWERS (*World Premiere)
Directors: Nikyatu Jusu, Yvonne M. Shirley
Writers: Nikyatu Jusu, Yvonne M. Shirley
Producers: Nikyatu Jusu, Yvonne M. Shirley
Cast: Amee Apedo, Belle LeGrand, Tambellini
GUBAGUDE KO (Blood Is Upon Them) (*World Premiere)
Director: Philiane Phang
Writer: Philiane Phang
Producers: Annick Jaegy
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Erica Tazel
ON TIME (*World Premiere)
Director: Xavier Burgin
Writers: Xavier Burgin, Tiara Marshall
Producers: Tony Ducret, Kendra Cole, Tim Astor, Angelica Lopez
Cast: Inger Tudor, Araija DaCosta, Kevin Craig West, John Marrot, Louis Baker, Jordana Berliner, Amani Starnes
UGLY (*World Premiere)
Director: LeRon Lee
Writer: LeRon Lee
Producer: Derrick Williams
Cast: Devon Moyd, Andrea-Rachel Parker, Jamal Steven Defreitas, Jo Lee, Kevin Bennett, Jr.
ABFF Web Originals
2 SELF HELP BOOKS AWAY FROM PERFECT
Director: Lopez Williams
Writer/Creator: Kimberly Young
Producers: Lopez Williams, Kimberly Young, Morris Young, Richard Monroe, Lori Stewart Tannis, Sam Baumel
Cast: Kimberly Young, DJ Cipha Sounds, Nate Gill, Carmen Lynch, Sharron Paul, Jourdan Guyton, Jared Prudoff-Smith, Lauren Besser, Gibran Saleem, Godfrey Taylor, Jr., Sue Berch
BLACK ACTRESS
Director: William Alexander Runnels
Writers: Andrea Lewis, Austin Hall
Producers: Andrea Lewis, Brian Walker, Essence Atkins, Tatyana Ali
Cast: Andrea Lewis, Allison Edwards Crewe, Rob Vincent, Tristan Wilds
FIRST DATES
Director: Talibah Newman
Writers: Talibah Newman, Uzo Ometu
Producers: Talibah Newman, Uzo Ometu
Cast: Angela Wildflower, Justin Sams, Shana Solomon, Laci Mosley, Andre Columbus
GET YOUR LIFE
Directors: Amanda Seales, James Bland
Writers: Amanda Seales, Steven Chew
Producers: Amanda Seales, Issa Rae, Benoni Tagoe, Quan Lateef-Hill, Marshon Thomas
Cast: Amanda Seales, Lil Rel, Godfrey, Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, BT Kingsley, Tehran
KINGMAKERS OF OAKLAND
Director: Cheo Tyehimba Taylor
Writer: Cheo Tyehimba Taylor
Producers: Christopher Chatmon, Judd Flemming, Shaka Jamal
Cast: Christopher Chatmon, Jerome Gourdine, Baayan Bakari, Jahi, AAMA students
THE MOVEMENT
Directors: Christian Mazza, Jimmy Shelton, Justine Bo
Writers: Antonia Hylton, Darnell Moore, Jimmy Shelton
Producers: Antonia Hylton, Regina Delea, John Lagomarsino
ABFF Documentary Competition
DADDY DON’T GO
Director: Emily Abt, Andrew Osborne
Writer: Emily Abt
Producers: Emily Abt, Keryn Thompson, Suzette Burton, Omar Epps, Malik Yoba
JIM BROWN’S AMER-I-CAN DREAM
Director/Writer: Aurora Ferlin
Producers: Aurora Ferlin, Keith Cardwell, Ronnie Barron
Cast: Jim Brown, Monique Brown, Ray Lewis, John Wooten, Rockhead Johnson, Ronnie Barron, Aqeela Sherrills, Julian Mendoza, Tonie Jackson, Anthony Blanks, Jacques White-Barron
OLYMPIC PRIDE, AMERICAN PREJUDICE
Director: Deborah Riley Draper
Writer: Deborah Riley Draper
Producer: Deborah Riley Draper
Executive Producer: Blair Underwood, Dr. Amy Tiemann, Michael Draper, Deborah Riley Draper
Cast: Isiah Thomas, Carl Lewis, Ambassador Andrew Young, Joanna Hayes, Dr. Tommie Smith, Anita DeFrantz
To purchase passes and tickets for events, panels and screenings at the American Black Film Festival, log on to www.ABFF.com. Follow #ABFF20, #ABFFBackToTheBeach; @ABFF to remain in the loop.