2026 American Black Film Festival Announces Showcase Film Sections Lineup With Projects Featuring Jill Scott, Glynn Turman, and Renée Elise Goldsberry

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THE 2026 AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SHOWCASE FILM SECTIONS LINEUP INCLUDING VOICES OF CULTURE, AFRICAN STORIES, AND AI x XR STORYTELLING SHOWCASE

 

Voices Of Culture to Feature Projects Starring Jill Scott, Glynn Turman, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Tabitha Brown, and Russell Hornsby

 

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 1, 2026) – The 2026 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced today the Non-Competitive Showcase Film Sections lineup including Voices Of Culture, African Stories, and AI x XR Storytelling Showcase. The 30th anniversary of ABFF will take place in Miami Beach May 27-31 under the theme “Homecoming.”

Voices Of Culture is a showcase of short films directed by persons of African descent. Curated by invitation only, this section highlights outstanding works that reflect the breadth of the global Black experience. The showcase features forty films from a variety of countries, including Rwanda, Belgium, Nevis, and Colombia, and features over fifteen World Premieres. Short films feature a variety of notable talent including Renée Elise Goldsberry, Tabitha Brown, Jabari Banks, and Russell Hornsby.

African Stories, a special non-competitive showcase spotlighting short films from Africa’s most dynamic emerging voices, celebrates the continent’s rich cultural perspectives and storytelling traditions, offering audiences a powerful window into the creativity shaping Africa’s diverse and rapidly evolving film communities. All five of the films included in the African Stories showcase are World or US premieres, with films represented across Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya.

 

AI x XR Storytelling Showcase is a series of innovative works created through artificial intelligence and immersive technologies, curated in partnership with GRX Immersive Labs, which explore the future of storytelling by featuring bold new voices at the intersection of creativity and technology. The five films included in the AI x XR Storytelling Showcase are World or US Premieres and feature a variety of genres including Sci-Fi/Afrofuturism to Horror/Supernatural.

“As we celebrate 30 years of ABFF, this year’s showcase programming reflects both the breadth of storytelling today and where it’s headed,” said NICE CROWD President Nicole Friday. “African Stories introduces distinct voices from across the continent, all premiering their work on our stage, while the AI x XR Storytelling Showcase explores how emerging technologies are reshaping the creative process. Voices of Culture brings together a wide range of perspectives from around the world. Together, these sections underscore ABFF’s continued commitment to championing new voices, expanding access to global audiences, and serving as a platform for discovery and what’s next in storytelling.”

VOICES OF CULTURE

A non-competitive showcase of short films directed by persons of African descent. Curated by invitation only, this section highlights outstanding works that reflect the breadth of the global Black experience.

The Day You Find Your Name

At the height of the Black Panther movement, a pregnant Afeni Shakur must defend herself against 189 felony charges in a trial that threatens her freedom and her unborn child’s future.

 

 

USA | 15m
Director: Dominique R. Draper
Writer: Dominique R. Draper
Producers:
Cast: Journey Carter, Mitchell Edwards
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1165898884/6e9e4b5d89?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Penny in the Sky *World Premiere

When a man contemplating his life decides to put his fate into a coin toss, he's interrupted by the sudden appearance of a woman there to end her life as well.
USA | 20m
Director: Drew Allyn & Alexis Wilson
Writer: Drew Allyn
Producers: Cee Wright
Cast: Benjamin Earl Turner, Ryn Stafford

If only you knew *World Premiere

A woman confronting her father about his absence.
USA | 20m
Director: Safiyah Chiniere
Writer: Safiyah Chiniere
Producers: Safiyah Chiniere, Rox Campbell
Cast: Ashley Hernandez, Adrian Luke Sinclair, Steve Attie

Crossroads

A wrongfully fired financier and a guarded lawyer connect unexpectedly on a blind date, turning a night of bad news into something more.
USA | 19m
Director: Horane Henry
Writer: Shari Brown
Producers: Victorious De Costa, Rasheen "Raye" Donaldson
Cast: Okema T. Moore, Rory Clarke, Saint Thompson, Horace Henry, Donnadeen Rowe-Henry
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1104489333/98d2c2a220?fl=tl&fe=ec

 

Bid

During a Thanksgiving dinner an eager grad student attempted to reconnect with family through a game of Spades, the only obstacle is her mother.
USA | 10m
Director: Matthew Price
Writer: Matthew Price
Producers: Chelsea Stardust, Alex Coulter, Matthew Price
Cast: Phylicia Wissa, Nikko Austen Smith, Tim Russ, Teri Gamble, Sheroid Evans, Jeffrey Reddick
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1126095802?fl=ip&fe=ec

 

Fairytales *World Premiere

On their wedding day, a young bride’s monstrous powers are exposed during a violent police encounter, forcing her and her husband to flee through a city that now sees her as a threat— finding brief refuge at her loving father’s secluded home, until the outside world catches up and turns sanctuary into battleground.
USA | 12m
Director: Tiffani Holland
Writer: Tiffani Holland
Producers: Christopher Gleaton, Tiffani Holland
Cast: Paulina Singer, Brian Reese, Steven Strickland
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1183961483

 

Peace by Piece *World Premiere

When a so-called actor from the future travels back in time to study the ordinary man he will play in a movie, we all want to know... why him?
USA | 11m
Director: Jordan K. Paul
Writer: Jordan K. Paul
Producers: Bria O'Brien, Sam Van Dyke, and Jordan K. Paul
Cast: Jordan Paul, Dante Rossi
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/jordankpaul/pxptrailer?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

 

Touching *World Premiere

A young girl must protect her baby sister when a sleepover with their cousin becomes a nightmare.
USA | 11m
Director: Lauryn Charliah Allums
Writer: Lauryn Charliah Allums
Producers: Jasmin Prophete, Jasiah Denise Washington, Aiyannah Tasker-Lewis
Cast: Rose De La Cruz, Alexandria Grice, Antoinette Allison, Nakia Borgella, David Perry

 

I Got My Brother

Two brothers reflect on their candid and often humorous memories of surviving the foster care system and prison, realizing along the way that their path to healing has always been each other.
USA | 17m
Director: Victor Gabriel
Producers: Rachel Earnest
Cast: Jarrett Harper, Baylon Harper

 

500 Seconds To Tell You

Before a catastrophe ends life on Earth, a young man struggles to put his feelings for his best friend into words.
USA | 11m
Director: Gerard Clarke
Writer: Gerard & Rashielle Clarke
Producers: Gerard Clarke, Rashielle Clarke, Saham Hosseini, Asha Alaji-Sharif
Cast: Jared Jackson, Asha Alaji-Sharif

 

Iku Aka (Knocking on the Door)

On the eve of her Iku Aka, Chinelo’s joyful Igbo marriage celebration is upended by a long-hidden family secret, forcing her to choose whether tradition will guide her or her jailer.
USA | 12m
Director: Tiffany Lotanna Onyejekwe
Writer: Tiffany Lotanna Onyejekwe
Executive Producers: Epiphany Ciers, Onyii Ogomaka, Tiffany Onyejekwe | Producer: Asari Aibangebee
Cast: Jessica Otse, Dorothy Chinenyenwa, Francis C. Edemobi, Prince Ezerumaka, Ella Nwokedi

 

Woman Land

Two young Somali sisters in Minneapolis have to balance rebellion with their reputations when their secret matchmaking business attracts a client a little too close to home.
USA | 10m
Director: Yasmin Yassin
Writer: Yasmin Yassin, M.A. Lepage
Producers: Yasmin Yassin, Filsan Said, Nolan Morice
Cast: Hodan Hassan, Nadira Hussein, Beera Luula, Abdurahman Muhumed

 

Buttercup Pudding Pie *World Premiere

Looky here: A daddy runs outta gas on the way to his baby girl’s birthday, then everything goes sideways.
USA | 15m
Director: Keith Powell
Writer: Keith Powell
Producers: Keith Powell, Venkatesh Potula
Cast: Burl Moseley, John Earl Jelks, Milton TJ Taylor, Talya Klein
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1114719451?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

 

Please Return Your Cart *World Premiere

A former soldier turned shopping cart attendant, resigned to a life on the sidelines, is challenged by a vibrant consultant to embrace his greatest fear - a second chance at love.
USA | 14m
Director: Kendra Jo
Writer: Kendra Jo
Producers: Andrew St Juste, Color Creative
Cast: Russell Hornsby, Kimrie Lewis, Jabari Banks, Ratoya Banks, Tabitha Brown
Trailer: https://youtu.be/uJ1NEAvBKn8

 

Mini Me *World Premiere

In the pursuit of an open cast call at the height of hurricane season, a Jamaican-American family learns to voice their pent-up grief.
USA | 18m
Director: a. b. oddman
Writer: a. b. oddman
Producers: Redd Coltrane, Kaylee Hayes, Thyais Walsh
Cast: Symone Holmes, Kyrie McAlpin, Thyais Walsh, Taylor Crawford
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1179777669?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

 

Cutoff

Chester connects with his nephew Quincy on the day of his baptism. Their relationship ruffles feathers, and Chester reconsiders his next steps in the boy’s life.
USA | 9m
Director: Jalen Rayno
Writer: Jalen Rayno
Producers: Ethan Elkins
Cast: C.P Walker, Eli Romelus, Kamajhia Williams

 

Keep My Brother

"Keep My Brother" tells the poignant story of Ava, who struggles to balance her family, career, and health while caring for her younger brother, Darryl, during his severe manic episode.
USA | 11m
Director: Sharona D'Ornellas
Writer: Sharona D'Ornellas
Producers: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sharona D'Ornellas, Cat Del Re, Jessy Greer
Cast: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Darryl Dunning II, Daniel J Watts
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1107191130?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

 

Age Of Quorum

A young man's New Year's Eve takes a dramatic turn as the night transforms into an adversary he must conquer to survive.
UK | 14m
Director: Yomi Ayeni
Writer: Yomi Ayeni
Producers: Laurelle Jones
Cast: Ade Femzo, Rhys Quilley, Justice Ezi, Mack Muggleton
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1120647727?fl=pl&fe=sh

 

Vengeance Is All I Have *World Premiere

An enraged young man infiltrates a picturesque suburban home with revenge on his mind, but his determination begins to falter when he discovers a connection with his younger half-brother.
USA | 17m
Director: Christian Osagiede
Writer: Christian Osagiede
Producers: Kaylin Stanford
Cast: Patrick Walker, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Trent Allen Davis, Elizabeth Dantus

 

Echoes Beneath The Hill

On the verge of the genocide against the minority Tutsi. Jeanne, 10, a daredevil girl, is searching for her pet goat.

Rwanda;Belgium | 17m
Director: Aime Octave
Writer: Aime Octave & Manon Poelman
Producers: Nora Essalama, Lead Producer | Aime Octave Ishimwe, Ass. Producer
Cast: Uwihirwe Francine, Cyiza Bolce, Gakwaya Celestin, Uwimana Clementine

 

Oh Happy Day!

Over the course of Easter week, a young boy struggles to impress his crush.
USA | 12m
Director: Ivan Rome
Writer: Ivan Rome
Producers: Leah Simone Scott, Brianna Jones Appiah
Cast: Kaden Taylor, Blossom Cole, Chantal Maurice, Ann Nesby, Alfred Lamar, Syer Blu Wilson
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1179935848?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

 

Ella

Ella sings her love songs--scatting through her darkest notes.
USA | 18m
Director: Nikki Taylor-Roberts
Writer: Nikki Taylor-Roberts, Anthea Piscarik
Producers: Meleisha J. Edwards, JT Thames, Sophia Watson
Cast: Jill Scott, Destinee Rae

 

The Checklist *World Premiere

When a mother rediscovers a forgotten checklist from her past, she’s inspired to reclaim her adventurous spirit—pulling her skeptical daughter into a journey of self-discovery, nostalgia, and unexpected reconnection.
USA | 13m
Director: Jasmine T.Q. McLaurin
Writer: Kay Rich
Producers: Emma Jackson, Kay Rich, Tarra Denise Jackson, Linda Richardson-Gardner, Angie Blackwell
Cast: Karole Foreman, Tarra Denise Jackson, Shaun Bedgood, Emma J
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1116492717?fl=pl&fe=sh

 

Couples Skate *World Premiere

A night at the roller rink reveals the cracks in a relationship.
USA | 11m
Director: Kaliya Warren
Writer: Kaliya Warren
Producers: Magen Ashley Young, Roan Bibby, Hughes William Thompson, Kaliya Warren
Cast: Jordan Coleman, Myko Olivier
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1032497650/1e8961e0cb

 

AFUFU

When a live-in housekeeper accidentally breaks a valuable item, her decision to hide her transgression from her employers has devastating consequences.
USA | 18m
Director: Ellie Foumbi
Writer: Ellie Foumbi
Producers: Leo Blumberg-Woll; Jesy Odio
Cast: Babetida Sadjo; Saffron Burrows; Tate Donovan; Vivian Olyphant

 

This Is Private

A stripper cunningly decides to use her private dances as therapy sessions in order to prevail in her collegiate psychology class.
USA | 14m
Director: LeAndre Thomas
Writer: LeAndre Thomas
Producers: Caitlyn Durkin
Cast: Birgundi Baker, Joseph Rye, Wendy Feign, Matthew Baetz, Skip Howland, S.B. Grey, William Romano-Pugh

 

JOHN *World Premiere

Facing discrimination, a black female lawyer disguises herself as a white man to navigate with more privilege.
USA | 17m
Director: Amirah Adem
Writer: Amirah Adem
Producers: Yennefer Fang, Nellie Luna, Tosin Omolola
Cast: Samantha Marie Ware, David Shatraw, Spencer Neville, Lisagaye Tomlinson
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1101400085/83946ba905?fl=pl&fe=vl

 

Intergalactic Ingenue

On the night he’s supposed to integrate with his Hive-mind alien girlfriend, James, a man with deep commitment issues, discovers his ex is also dating the same Hivemind.
USA | 20m
Director: Nathan Deshawn Bouie
Writer: Nathan Deshawn Bouie
Producers: Ami Coulibaly, Quinn Murphy, Jayla Hodge
Cast: Jai’Reeh Demond, Akira Jackson, Mckayla Fontanez

Trailer: https://youtu.be/aedq36s0IlY

 

The Last Wish

When an unsettling visitor disrupts her fragile new life, a 70-year-old widow is compelled to face her greatest fear, water, forcing her into a battle with both her past and her own mortality.
Canada | 15m
Director: Kimberley Ann Surin
Writer: Kimberley Ann Surin
Producers: Kimberley Ann Surin, Véronique Charbonneau
Cast: Marie-Aimée Cadet, Naïla Louidort, Nayla Mongeon-Levesque
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1110767661

 

HOMEbirth *World Premiere

As her due date nears, a first-time mother meticulously plans the perfect home birth, only to confront a haunting truth many Black women know too well- that doing everything right still may not be enough to survive.
USA | 17m
Directors: Carra Patterson, Korey Jackson
Writer: Carra Patterson
Producers: Carra Patterson, Korey Jackson
Cast: Carra Patterson, Ruffin Prentiss III, Ngozi Anyanwu

 

TIGUERONAS

After ending an abusive relationship with her narcissistic boyfriend, Aaliyah and her friends hatch a bold plan for revenge on a girls’ night out, igniting a journey of self-empowerment and sisterhood.
USA | 14m
Director: Imani Celeste
Writer: Imani Celeste
Producers: Imani Celeste, Flor de Oro Tejada
Cast: Daniella Denisse Macre Rodríguez, Imani Brammer, Mariyea, Victoria Lino, Malik Tyree Sneed

 

EL TIGUERE

In the Bronx, an Afro-Dominican father nurtures an underground mobile food garden while searches for a way to rebuild his relationship with his estranged son.
USA | 20m
Director: Andrew J. Rodriguez
Writer: Andrew J. Rodriguez
Producers: Yuki Maekawa-Ledbetter
Cast: Elvis Nolasco as Joaquin & Ansi Rodrigues as Junior
Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=hWQ4ZEYIBuI&pp=ygUSZWwgdGlndWVyZSB0cmFpbGVy0gcJCdMKAYcqIYzv

 

Killer Of Men *World Premiere

Set in the antebellum American South, an enslaved prize fighter faces a choice between life and freedom after attending the burial of the man he was forced to kill.
USA | 13m
Director: Jordan Betine
Writer: Jordan Betine; Kiera Bratton-Lewis
Producers: Jordan Betine; Ruoxiao Li
Cast: Erik Orjiako, Sandra McDaniels
Trailer: https://youtu.be/v5iWPSAVtjA

 

  1. P. V. *World Premiere

Plagued by the physical and emotional tolls of endometriosis and HPV, Kaleigh’s relentless quest for empathy drives her to desperate measures.
USA | 17m
Director: Kiah Clingman
Writer: Kiah Clingman, CJ Sykes
Producers: Kiah Clingman, Alex Woodruff, Abijeet Achar, Pink Maxwell, Breanna O'Conner, Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Taylor Polidore Williams, Marcella Arthur, Rennard West, CJ Sykes, Annie Jacob, Amer-Marie Woods
Cast: Taylor Polidore Williams, Vince Swann, Stephen Ruffin, Allen Burns, Jessica Fontaine

 

Beach Day

In a world where one woman’s death means the end of everything, a man sets out on a surreal journey to ask her permission to die before she does.
USA | 11m
Director: Brandon XIV
Writer: Brandon XIV
Producers: Brandon XIV, Shane Snow, Sylvia Brindis, Jess Black
Cast: Richard David, Aja Monet, Sekou Andrews, and LaChanze
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1118985169

 

Pan Gyul

On the island of Nevis, a determined young girl challenges tradition and her mother’s opposition to learn the steel pan, hoping to connect with her celebrated musician father and claim her own voice.
Nevis, West Indies | 15m
Director: Juliette Jeffers
Writer: Juliette Jeffers
Producers: Juliette Jeffers, Damaris DiVito, Dawn Bridgewater, Carole Copeland and Thomas Austin Sinclair Bridgewater
Cast: Juliette Jeffers, Winston Crooke and Hadassah Daniels
Trailer: https://youtu.be/HQLVSiOFwiY?si=MJmRLhr0OSnoy_KI

 

Yellow Pages *World Premiere

When a little girl, dreaming of becoming a comedian, begins using the Yellow Pages to test out her jokes, she unknowingly brightens the life of someone who needs it most.
USA | 15m
Director: Simone Thomas-Rowe
Writer: Simone Thomas-Rowe
Producers: Devin Saddler, Simone Thomas-Rowe, Elodie Ghonda
Cast: Cadence Reese, Damien Leake, Danielle Banks, Mingjie Zhai, Sandra Walters

 

BERTHA *World Premiere

A woman must be more stubborn than a goat to find her freedom.
Colombia | 13m
Director: Laura Asprilla Carrillo
Writer: Laura Asprilla Carrillo
Producers: Laura Asprilla Carrillo
Cast: Barbara Perea
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1151390510

 

When They’re Gone *World Premiere

After an abrupt encounter at a graveyard, two elderly men form an unexpected bond over the grief and love of their late wives.
USA | 14m
Directors: Ragan Henderson, Lauryn Darden
Writer: Lauryn Darden
Producers: Gabriyèl Barlatier, Elizabeth Kurtz; Executive Producers: Glynn Turman, Marni Rosenzweig, Brian Kurtz, Janice Barlatier-Tawfiq, Leon Henderson Jr., Ana Verde, Taylor Wildenhaus, Brenda Robinson, Jenifer Westphal, Loy A. Webb, and Delta Dirt Distillery
Cast: Glynn Turman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Trailer: https://youtu.be/lBRea1iWmjU

 

Fragments of Joy *World Premiere

Taking his Alzheimer addled mother on a weekend jaunt to NYC in hopes of jogging her memory, an alcoholic son has to walk a fine line between frustration and responsibility.
USA | 15m
Director: Andre Royo
Writer: Andre Royo
Producers: Darren Dean, Ante Novakovic, Sabine Ocaña, Isabella Cooper
Cast: Andre Royo, Maria Broom

 

AFRICAN STORIES

A non-competitive showcase of short films from Africa’s most dynamic new voices. Curated to highlight the continent’s rich cultural perspectives and storytelling traditions, the program offers a unique window into the creativity driving Africa’s diverse and growing film communities.

 

  1. ROGERS *US Premiere

From the tale of "Old Roger is dead and gone to his grave" stems a young family who goes to spend a holiday weekend with relatives, and ignorantly awakens an unforgiven but insidious entity that rains terror, bringing their bloodline to the brink of hell.
Nigeria | 19m
Director: Daniel Ehimen
Writer: Daniel Ehimen & Aaliyah Salia
Producers: Daniel Ehimen, Oladayo Oladejo, Omoyeni Sholabomi Disu
Cast: Yusrah Ayinde, Joseph Imoikor, Demi Banwo, Princess Obuseh, Ayo Binta Mogaji, Kunle Coker, Francis Oyinlola Bakare
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1102923797

 

Bam Bam *US Premiere

When a gifted but withdrawn teenager falls for a classmate, his AI best friend pushes him toward love, forcing him to confront the self-doubt that has shaped his life.
Nigeria | 17m
Director: Tolulope Itegboje
Writer: Tolulope Itegboje
Producers: Oge Obasi, Tolulope Itegboje
Cast: Kelechi Udegbe, Ambrose Nwoga
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1113905841?fl=ip&fe=ec

 

The Break-In *World Premiere

A routine break-in spirals when tensions inside a crew of small-time thieves force one member to question the future he's been chasing.
South Africa | 14m
Director: Sizwe Kubeka
Writer: Sizwe Kubeka
Producers: Masibulele Mtonjeni
Cast: Malusi Ngxubungela, Patrick Sithole, Akhile Mjanyelwa

 

Our Brother *US Premiere

A grieving family faces loss and imminent departures while tensions rise as the matriarch cares for her eldest autistic son. The intricate threads binding them are tested.
Kenya | 15m
Director: Shandra Apondi
Writer: Shandra Apondi, Kofi Ntiforo, Norris Kabembe
Producers: Celine Onditi, Shandra Apondi
Cast: Beatrice Kamuyu, Brian Furaha, Ivy Collette Nafula, Agwingi Adingo
Trailer: https://youtu.be/sYJuUOTvNnA?si=xNL0HbNP1n-xMWb5

 

Amon *World Premiere

As a boy responds to letters for his illiterate grandmother, he is confronted with one of news of her failing health -- he must make the decision to disclose the truth or keep the letter's contents to himself.
United States | 6m
Director: Chloé-Eloïse Mallet
Writer: Chloé-Eloïse Mallet
Producers: Jiayang Liu, Chloé-Eloïse Mallet
Cast: Lamine Goita, Maimounay Lemailloux

 

AI x XR STORYTELLING SHOWCASE

A non-competitive showcase of innovative works created through artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. Curated in partnership with GRX Immersive Labs, the program explores the future of storytelling by featuring bold new voices at the intersection of creativity and technology.

 

The Haunting of RiverFalls *World Premiere

When a matriarch witch of a powerful Black lineage teaches her daughter to cross into the spirit world, a forbidden ritual goes wrong—and a demonic entity follows the girl back, threatening to destroy their bloodline forever.
United States | 7m
Director: Aaron Avont Johnson
Writer: Aaron Avont Johnson
Producers: Aaron Johnson, Takela Johnson, Dasha Johnson
Cast: Aaron Johnson

 

FAME FARM *World Premiere

The future ain’t what it used to be.
United States | 9m
Director: Whoingodsname
Writer: Whoingodsname
Producers: Kharmony Fortune
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1103270500

 

Cowbone *World Premiere

When a Jamaican excavator operator is left in the Jamaican jungle alone, he knocks down the wrong tree and discovers that some roots are better left buried.
United States | 2m
Director: Alexander Newman Hall
Writer: Alexander Newman Hall
Producers: Alexander Newman Hall

 

The B Side: The Future is Past *US Premiere

When visitors from the sky descend on a terror-haunted Jim Crow community, one young Black girl understands what the adults cannot - salvation has arrived, and it chose her.
United States | 6m
Director: Kimberly Offord
Writer: Kimberly Offord
Producers: Kimberly Offord
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1184935594/4b8154999e?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

 

Eat The Rich *World Premiere

After the middle class is quietly “optimized” out of existence, a starving Dracula pivots to a new menu—wealthy professionals who are about to learn that money doesn’t buy immunity, just a later appointment.
United States | 6m
Director: Tiffani Lee Joseph
Writer: Tiffani Lee Joseph
Producers: Tiffani Lee Joseph
Trailer: https://youtu.be/IPq4BjCxNRU?si=_pYRuGr_heb8Mt2t

 

 

ABFF sponsors and partners to date are Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO® (Founding), Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) (Host), Ally Financial, Amazon MGM Studios, Comcast NBCUniversal, Walmart (Presenting), City of Miami Beach, American Airlines (Major), Netflix, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (Official), CBS, with the support of the Miami Beach Visitor And Convention Authority, Hartbeat, AARP, L'Oréal Groupe, STARZ, ESPN (Supporting), Motion Picture Association, Uber (Contributing), Nielsen, Fulton Films GA, The Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC) powered by AHF, William Morris Endeavor (Associate), Variety, LA Times, Getty Images (Media).

Additional details and programming announcements will be released in the coming weeks. For updates, visit www.nicecrowd.com and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.

To receive ABFF notifications by email, sign up HERE!

About the American Black Film Festival (ABFF)

Founded in 1997 by Jeff Friday, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a premier destination for film and television storytelling. Widely regarded as a key pipeline for emerging talent, ABFF has played a pivotal role in launching the careers of many of today’s most acclaimed filmmakers, actors, and creative voices. Each year, the festival brings together artists, industry leaders, and audiences from around the world for a five-day program of screenings, panels, masterclasses, and networking opportunities. The festival’s 30th anniversary edition will take place May 27–31, 2026, in Miami Beach.

 

About NICE CROWD

NICE CROWD is a pioneering live events company operating at the intersection of culture, entertainment, and tourism. Founded by Nicole and Jeff Friday, the company produces high-impact festivals, awards shows, and destination experiences in major U.S. cities and global markets. Guided by its philosophy, The Power of Gathering, NICE CROWD believes that when people come together, creativity flourishes, new voices are amplified, and meaningful connections are made. The company harnesses that energy to deliver culturally relevant experiences while generating measurable economic impact for its partners. Through expertise in event production, audience engagement, and strategic partnerships, NICE CROWD creates platforms that celebrate groundbreaking artists and innovators while connecting brands, media, and audiences in meaningful ways. www.nicecrowd.com

More information about the American Black Film Festival (ABFF): https://www.abff.com/miami/

Netflix ‘aka CHARLIE SHEEN’

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On Wednesday, April 22, Netflix hosted an exclusive FYSEE event with Charlie Sheen and director Andrew Renzi to discuss their docu-series aka Charlie Sheen. The event took place at The London in Los Angeles, CA.

Charlie Sheen / Film Participant
Andrew Renzi / Director
Scott Mantz / Moderator, KTLA News

Please see below for photos from the event!

Netflix’s SKYSCRAPER LIVE

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On Sunday, April 19, Netflix hosted an exclusive event with free solo climber Alex Honnold to discuss his live-streamed ascent of one of the world's tallest skyscrapers in Taipei, Taiwan on SKYSCRAPER LIVE. The event, which included a climbing demo by Honnold, took place at Sender One climbing gym in Los Angeles, CA.

ABOUT SKYSCRAPER LIVE

No ropes. No fear. Free solo legend Alex Honnold risks it all in a high-stakes, live ascent of one of the world's tallest skyscrapers in Taipei, Taiwan.

MEMORIES OF LOVE RETURNED: A Documentary Film by Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine

Director and Writer: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine
Starring: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Kibaate Aloysius Ssalongo, Yoweri Museveni
Run time: Runtime: 1 hour 16 minutes
Country: Uganda
Language: Luganda, English
Composers: Andrew Ahuurra, Orchestra Super Mazembe, MoRoots, Riddlore, Stephen Rwangyezi, Ssewa Ssewa, Les Wanyika
Editor: Joe Fenstermaker

In 2002, Ntare Mwine's car broke down in Mbirizi, Uganda, leading him to discover photographer Kibaate Ssalongo's studio. This sparked a 22-year journey documenting Kibaate's work and its impact on the community.

Exit 8 is coming for Tribeca Members

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Tonight, Tribeca Members will close out the month at Casa Cipriani with a fireside chat between Rosanna Arquette and Tribeca's Nancy Lefkowitz.

On Apil 8, members can attend an advance screening of the highly anticipated new horror film Exit 8 from director Genki Kawamura—followed by a Q&A with Mr. Kawamura live onstage. And later in the month, they'll catch an advance screening of Original Sound, the film adaptation of the hit Off-Broadway play.

With Tribeca Festival around the corner, there's no better time to become a member. Membership gets you early ticket access to screenings, 10% off tickets, passes + merch, plus an invite to our exclusive Programmer Preview ahead of the Festival.

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Exit 8
Advance Screening
April 8 @ 6:00 PM | Japan Society

Exit 8 is based on the global hit eponymous video game created by Kotake Create. A man trapped in an endless sterile subway passageway sets out to find Exit 8. The rules of his quest are simple: do not overlook anything out of the ordinary. If you discover an anomaly, turn back immediately. If you don’t, carry on. Then leave from Exit 8. But even a single oversight will send him back to the beginning. Will he ever reach his goal and escape this infinite corridor?

After the Screening: A Q&A with director Genki Kawamura.

Original Sound
Advance Screening
April 20 @ 7:00 PM | Regal Union Square

Given by the pulse and rhythm of Brooklyn and QueeGig break when his track is pilfered by pop star Ryan Reed. To keep Danny quiet, Ryan's manager brokers a deal in which Ryan and Danny will collaborate on a few songs. Their work together introduces Danny to Manhattan's music scene and leads Ryan to pivot her career. Despite disappointment and betrayal Danny perseveres, finding solace and strength within his original sound.

After the Screening: A Q&A with star Laura Marano—plus more to be announced.

THE BLUE TRAIL – In Theaters APRIL 3rd

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Director: Gabriel Mascaro
Screenwriters: Gabriel Mascaro, Tibério Azul
Starring: Denise Weinberg, Rodrigo Santoro, Miriam Socarrás, Adanilo
Run time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Language: Portuguese
Country: Brazil
Run time: 1 hour 25 minutes

IN THEATERS APRIL 3
Los Angeles | Nuart
New York | Angelika
National Expansion to follow!

About the Director:

Gabriel Mascaro (1983) is a Brazilian director and screenwriter based in Recife, Brazil, best known for his films Neon Bull (Venice, 2015), Divine Love (Sundance, Berlinale Panorama 2019) and August Winds (Locarno, 2014). His films have garnered over 50 international awards and Neon Bull was highlighted in the New York Times Top 10 Best Films of 2016. In the same year Mascaro had a retrospective at the Lincoln Center in New York. The Blue Trail is his latest film, which premiered in the Golden Bear Competition at the Berlinale 202\

View New Trailer: ‘BIRITA’ World Premiere March 15th at NORDIC:DOX

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Director: Búi Dam
Producers: Jón Hammer, Mark Steele and Durita Sumberg
Featuring: Birita Mohr, Egi Dam, Búi Dam
Genre: Feature Documentary Film
Run time: 1 hour 29 minutes


A feature documentary by Búi Dam,  that includes his family of theatrical stage performers from  The Faroe Islands, casts his mother,  the theater actress Birita Mohr, who is living with  Alzheimer, in  Shakespeare’s King Lear.

CPH:DOX 2026 OFFICIAL SCREENING
Sunday, March 15 at 16:15pm
Location: Dagmar 2 (Jernbanegade 2, 1612 København V)

Tuesday, March 17 at 14:15pm
Location: Dagmar 5 (Jernbanegade 2, 1612 København V)

Wednesday, March 18 at 19:30pm
Location: Emmauskirken (Peter Bangs Vej 3C, 2000 Frederiksberg)

BÚI DAM is a director, actor, and musician born who grew up in The Faroe Islands in a family of artists. He studied theater directing at the Danish National School of Performing Arts, acting at the London School of Dramatic Art, and music at FÍH in Iceland. He was mentored by Indian poet and playwright H. S. Shivaprakash and American jazz saxophonist John Purcell. He began his career as a jazz guitarist and composer, performing with renowned singer Eivør as well as other local musicians. A hand injury forced him to give up the guitar and step onto the stage as a singer and performer.  Under the name BUDAM, he released two studio albums and toured extensively throughout Europe. He also composed music for several theater productions. He later transitioned fully into theater and film, acting, writing and directing.

Dam’s work has earned him several awards, including Best Short Film at The Geytin Film Awards (2020), Best Actor at the Winter Film Awards in New York (2021), and the prestigious M. A. Jacobsen Award for his play Castle of Joy (2022). BIRITA is his first feature film.

BIRITA MOHR (born 1950) is a retired Faroese actress.  She was a leading figure in Faroese theater for more than three decades, performing memorable roles in productions such as Antigone,The CrucibleThe Prostitutes Will Precede You into the Kingdom of HeavenThe Lost MusiciansThe Vagina MonologuesThe Cherry Orchard, and many others. Her film credits include ATLANTIC RHAPSODY and BYE BYE BLUEBIRD, both directed by Katrin Ottarsdóttir.

In 2023, Birita was awarded the prestigious Cultural Honorary Award by the Faroese government for her lifelong contribution to Faroese theater.

MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I – LAST AIR IN MOSCOW Premieres on Mubi April 3rd

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Director: Julia Loktev
Featuring: Ksenia Mironova and Anna Nemzer
Run time:  5 hours 35 minutes

What begins as an intimate portrait of Russian independent journalists facing persecution by Putin’s regime takes a drastic turn when Russia starts a full-scale war in Ukraine and they are all forced into exile. The film offers a front row seat to how authoritarianism works and the lives of those who resist, which becomes all the more globally relevant every day.

PBS American Masters ‘W.E.B. Du Bois’ Documentary Premieres May 19th

New York, NY - February 11, 2026 — American Masters today announced the new documentary W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause from Peabody Award-winning director Rita Coburn will premiere May 19, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings). The two-hour film examines Du Bois’s remarkable life from his birth, just five years after the Emancipation Proclamation; to his death, on the eve of the March on Washington in 1963, and how his legacy as an activist continues to resonate today.

Born on February 23, 1868, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois lived through the collapse of Reconstruction through two World Wars to the rise of the Civil Rights Movement. The film follows his life chronologically, enriched by commentary from leading scholars, historians, artists, and biographers including Raymond ArsenaultKarida BrownEric FonerHenry Louis Gates Jr.Eddie Glaude Jr.Nikole Hannah-JonesDavid Levering LewisImani Perry, and more.

For Du Bois, the power of the pen was his greatest weapon. He authored more than 20 books and fused scholarship with activism, deploying literature, data, and groundbreaking infographics to expose the roots of systemic racism. Drawing from his books, articles, speeches, and archival audio, Rebel With A Cause illuminates the poetry and force of his language through dramatic readings by CommonCourtney B. Vance, and Jeffrey Wright, with narration by Viola Davis.

Rebel With A Cause charts this visionary’s singular journey by exploring both his monumental achievements and his deeply personal struggles. From the loss of his infant son to his lifelong battles with systemic racism, Du Bois’s humanity shaped his activism, enabling him to transcend the social constraints of the early 20th century and elevate the lives of Black people worldwide — inspiring leaders from the Harlem Renaissance to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A rebel against the status quo, Du Bois relentlessly spearheaded the fight for racial justice. By showing the world “The Souls of Black Folk,” through his 1903 book by that same name, he prophetically declared: “The problem of the 20th century is the color line.” He co-founded the NAACP, helped launch the Niagara Movement, challenged contemporaries such as Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey, and contributed to the founding of the United Nations.

“My hope is that this documentary invites reflection and sparks dialogue, not only about who Du Bois was, but about the world we continue to shape in his wake,” said director Rita Coburn. “His life reminds us that scholarship and art, grounded in truth, can be weapons against oppression. To tell his story is to affirm that the pursuit of justice is as urgent today as it was in his time.”

Coburn previously directed and produced American Masters documentaries about trailblazers Maya Angelou and Marian Anderson. Her film Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise (co-directed with Bob Hercules), which premiered on American Masters in 2017, was an official selection at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and won the AFI Docs Audience Award. Marian Anderson: The Whole World In Her Hands, which aired on American Masters in 2022, received the highest documentary production grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and was recognized with a Christopher Award.

“Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois lived from 1868 to 1963, and he devoted his life to helping us all understand what he called ‘the problem of the color line,’” said Michael Kantor, Executive Producer of American Masters.  “Though even the brilliant Dr. Du Bois couldn’t solve this problem, his teachings and his influence couldn’t resonate more strongly today.”

Now in its 40th season on PBS, American Masters illuminates the lives and creative journeys of our nation’s most enduring artistic giants — those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape — through compelling, unvarnished stories. Setting the standard for documentary film profiles, the series has earned widespread critical acclaim: 28 Emmy Awards — including 10 for Outstanding Nonfiction Series and five for Outstanding Nonfiction Special— two News & Documentary Emmys, 14 Peabodys, three Grammys, two Producers Guild Awards, an Oscar, and many other honors. To further explore the lives and works of more than 290 masters past and present, the American Masters website offers full episodes, film outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the podcast “American Masters: Creative Spark,” educational resources, digital original series and more. The series is a production of The WNET Group.

American Masters is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries and specials via PBS Passport. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause is produced, written and directed by Rita Coburn. The Executive Producers are Andrew T. Carr, Sandra Evers-Manly, Leslie Fields-Cruz, B.K. Fulton, Denise A. Greene and Michael Kantor. The Archival Producer is Prudence Arndt and the Associate Producer is Eleanor Levine. The Director of Photography is Henry Adenbonojo, the Editor is K.A. Miille, and the musical score is by Kathryn Bostic.

Funding for W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause was provided by National Endowment for the Humanities, University of Pennsylvania, Larry Chatman, Una Jackman, John W. Rogers and Ariel Investments, The New School, Artemis Rising Foundation, John McArthur Forbes, Omega Educational Foundation, Inside Outside Communications Foundation, The Leslie and Roslyn Goldstein Foundation, The Better Angels Society and its members: Bobby and Polly Stein, Maureen Jane and Mark Perry, The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund, Diane and Hal Brierle, Gilchrist and Amy Berg.

American Masters Original Production Funding provided by AARP, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Rosalind P. Walter foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Marc Haas Foundation, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Lillian Goldman Programming Endowment, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Thea Petschek, Iervolino Foundation, Seton J. Melvin, Burton P. and Judith B. Resnick Foundation, Candace King Weir, Anita and Jay Kaufman, Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, The Charina Endowment Fund, and The André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation.

 

Websites:
http://pbs.org/americanmasters
Facebook: http://facebook.com/americanmasters
Instagram: http://instagram.com/pbsamericanmaster
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@pbsamericanmasters?lang=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/americanmasters
#AmericanMastersPBS

ARTFULLY UNITED About the Life of LA Street Artist Mike Norice

ARTFULLY UNITED follows LA street artist Mike Norice as he creates a series of inspirational murals in neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles. Like his artwork that continues to lift up lives and spirits, ARTFULLY UNITED brings together Norice’s talent, advocacy, and heart to make an unforgettable portrait.

Mike Norice rose up from being homeless in the gang-filled streets of Watts, CA, to become a wildly successful visual artist, sneaker-art designer, and painter of inspiring murals in the city’s toughest neighborhoods — part of a 20-mural series Norice has designed, using his art and vision as an unparalleled source of hope.

The Artfully United Tour transforms from a simple idea on a wall to a community of artists and activists coming together to heal and uplift the city they call home. As the murals are unveiled, this gritty documentary explores the forces that shape the streets of L.A. and those that shape Mike as an artist, delving into his past to create a rich tapestry of family and faith, love and loss, music, hope, and life.

**Mike was also selected as one of the 8 muralists for the upcoming LA Olympics, he will be doing an official cultural affairs mural in Watts, CA. Additionally, AND1, the basketball shoe company, with deep roots in streetball culture has bought Mike on to create art on two LA basketball courts for the upcoming NBA All Star Weekend this February. Mike is also currently working with Cedar Sinai in LA, creating art to uplift.**