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/

Wicked: For Good Now in Theaters

Wicked_For_Good_poster

Release dates: November 4, 2025, in São Paulo and November 17, 2025, in New York City

Director: Jon M. Chu
Screenplay: Winnie Holzman, Dana
Fox
Based on Wicked by Stephen Schwartz,  Winnie Holzman
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Stars: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
Run time: 2 hours 17 minutes
Genre: Musical, Fantasy
Rating: PG
Country: United States
Language: English

Director Jon Chu bring the second act alive once again in WICKED: FOR GOOD. As he tells the story of how it all came to be. Before Galinda "Glinda" Upland (Ariana Grande), was given the name Glinda Good Witch and Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), a woman born with green skin was given the name the Wicked Witch of the West.

Young Glinda (Scarlett Spears), , Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey), a Winkie prince who is becomes Captain of the Gale Force and the Scarecrow, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), Nessarose Thropp (Marissa Bode), Elphaba's paraplegic younger half-sister who becomes the Governor of Munchkinland,  Boq Woodsman (Ethan Slater), a Munchkin who begins work as Nessarose's servant and is turned into the Tin Man, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the former Dean of Sorcery, who becomes the Press Secretary for the Wizard, Pfannee (Bowen Yang), a friend of Glinda's from college friends who is now her one assistant, ShenShen (Bronwyn James), another  college friend of Glinda who also becomes her assistant,  the voice of Brrr the Cowardly Lion (Colman Domingo), a talking lion raised by Elphaba and Fiyero, the voice of Dulcibear (Sharon D. Clarke), a talking Brown Bear and former childhood nanny of Elphaba and Nessarose, who decides to leave for the Land of Oz, the voice of Chistery (Dee Bradley Baker), the leader of the winged monkeys, Miss Coddle (Keala Settler), Glinda's parents (Adam James and Alice Fearn).

Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Company: Marc Platt Productions
Producers: Marc Platt, David Ston
Cinematographer: Alice Brooks
Editor: Myron Kerstein
Music: John Powell, Stephen Schwartz

“The Life of Chuck”

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Director: Mike Flanagan
Writer: Mike Flanagan
Based on "The Life of Chuck" by Stephen King
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Eiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Benjamin Pajak and Jacob Tremblay
Run Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Rating: R
Country: United States
Language: English

As the world is turned upside down, so goes Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz’s (Tom Hiddleston) life as it unfolds in reverse chronological order.

17-year-old Chuck (Jacob Tremblay), 11-year-old Chuck (Benjamin Pajak), 7-year-old Chuck (Cody Flanagan), Marty Anderson, (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a middle school teacher and Felicia's ex-husband.  Felicia Gordon, (Karen Gillan) a nurse and Marty's ex-wife, Albie Krantz, (Mark Hamil) Chuck's grandfather, Sarah Krantz, (Mia Sara) Chuck's grandmother.  Narrator: (Nick Offerman), Sam Yarborough (Carl Lumbly) a mortician.

Distributor: Neon
Production Companies: Intrepid Pictures, Red Room Pictures, QWGmire. FilmNation Entertainment
Producers: Trevor Macy. Mike Flanagan
Cinematographer: Eben Bolter
Editor: Mike Flaagan
Music: The Newton Brothers

A Big Bold Beauty Journey Starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrill

Release dates: September 17, 2025 Philippines
September 19, 2025 United States

Director: Kogonada
Writer: Seth Reiss
Starring: Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell, Kevin Kline, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Run time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: United States
Language: English

Two strangers, David (Colin Farrell) and Sarah (Margot Robbie) meet and find themselves on an adventure that binds them together as they revisit time gone by.

A young David (Yuvi Hecht), The Mechanic (Kevin Kline), Female Cashier (Phoebe Waller-Bridge ),  Sarah’s mother (Lily Rabe), the voice of GPS (Jodie Turner-Smit), The Man (Billy Magnussen ), The Woman (Sarah Gadon),  Mike (Brandon Perea ), Cheryl (Chloe East), David’s father (Hamish Linklater), Amanda  (Lucy Thomas), Sarah’s Groomsman (Calahan Skogman), Stacy Dunn (Jacqueline Novak),  David’s mother (Jennifer Grant), Stage Manager (Shelby Simmons)

Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Production companies: Columbia Pictures, Imperative Entertainment, 30West, Original Films, Chapel Place Productions
Cinematographer: Benjamin Loeb
Editors: Susan E. Kim. Jonathan Alberts
Music: Joe Hisaishi

‘Freakier Friday’ Official Trailer Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lyndsay Lohan: in Theaters August 8th

Freakier Friday Poster Art

Release date: August 8, 2025
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Screenplay: Jordan Weiss
Story by: Elyse Hollander, Jordan Weiss
Based on Freaky Friday: by Mary Rodgers
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Mark Harmon
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, fantasy
Run time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English

Director Nisha Ganatra’s Freaky Friday is a sequel to the 2003 film and brings back Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis and Lynsey Lohan in their hilarious roles as Tess Coleman  and Anna Coleman.

More great cast of characters are Harper Coleman (Julia Butters), Anna's daughter and Tess' granddaughter;  Lily Davies ( Sophia Hammons) Anna's future stepdaughter, and Harper's future stepsister; Eric Davies, (Manny Jacinto) Anna's new fiancé, Lily's father, and Harper's future stepfather; Ryan, (Mark Harmon) Tess' husband, Anna and Harry's stepfather, and Harper's step-grandfather.

Rounding things out are Jake, (Chad Michael Murray ) Anna's ex-boyfriend; Ella, (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan);  Pei-Pei, (Rosalind Chao) a Chinese restaurant owner;  Madame Jen, (Vanessa Bayer) a fortune teller; Maddie, (Christina Vidal Mitchell) one of Anna's best friends; Peg, (Haley Hudson) one of Anna's best friends;  Harry Coleman,( Ryan Malgarini) Tess' son, Anna's younger brother, Ryan's stepson, and Harper's uncle; Pei-Pei's Mom,(Lucille Soong); Mr. Elton Bates, (Stephen Tobolowsky); Jett (Jordan E. Cooper); Blake Kalem (Elaine Hendrix); GiGi (Chloe Fineman )

Distributors: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Gunn Films, Burr! Productions
Producers: Kristin Burr, Andrew Gunn, Jamie Lee Curtis
Cinematographer: Matthew Clark
Editor: Eleanor Infante
Music: Amie Doherty

Marvel Studio’s ‘Thunderbolts’ in Theaters Today!

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Director: Jake Schreier
Screenplay: Eric Parson, Joanna Calo
Story: Eric Pearson
Based on: Marvel Comics
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Fantasy and Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13
Run time: 2 hours 6 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English

Director Jake Schreier’s ‘Thunderbolt’  tells the story of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), a Thunderbolts Black Widow assassin. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), a Thunderbolts leader;  U.S. Agent John Walker (Wyatt Russell), a super soldier; Taskmaster Antonia Dreykov  (Olga Kurylenko), an assassin with photographic reflexes; "Bob" Reynolds aka Sentry  and Void (Lewis Pullman Robert), superpowered with amnesia;  Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan), Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's assistant; Holt (Chris Bauer), a security officer for O.X.E.; Gary (Wendell Pierce), a congressman; Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbour), a Thunderbolts Russian super soldier; Ava  Starr aka Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), a Thunderbolts who can phase through objects; Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the mastermind behind the Thunderbolts and director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); and Olivia Walker (Gabrielle Byndloss), Walker's wife.

Production Company: Marvel Studios
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Producer: Kevin Feige
Cinematographer: Andrew Droz Palermo
Editor: Angela Catanzaro, Harry Yoon
Music: Son Lux

Tribeca Festival is proud to present… TV and NOW

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They’re here! Announcing the Official Selections for television and indie episodic series at this year’s Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX. From June 4-15, we’ll be screening some of the most exciting (and entertaining) programs on network and streaming, and we want you there.

Buy a Hudson pass or ticket package today to secure your seat at the Festival, and take advantage of our special announcement sale pricing while it lasts!

From never-before-seen series premieres to the new seasons of multiple fan-favorite shows, this year’s Festival has it all.

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Settle into dynastic family dramas with the Season 3 premiere of Max’s The Gilded Age (starring Carrie CoonMorgan Spector and Cynthia Nixon) and the series premieres of BritBox miniseries Outrageous and Prime Video’s We Were Liars. Enter the unknown with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, and step into the 60’s with the Season 4 finale of Godfather of Harlem. Scratch your true crime itch with the World Premieres of AMC docuseries The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster and Apple TV+ detective thriller Smoke.

Check out the full TV program here.

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But wait—there’s more! Tribeca prides itself on celebrating independent filmmakers across every medium, including television. Our NOW category boasts some of the most daring indie episodic programs in the marketplace today.

In the NOW Special Screenings category, find the New York Premiere of sibling dramedy Hal & Harper from writer/director/actor Cooper Raiff. Or, catch a docuseries World Premiere: see a unique side of the beauty pageant circuit with Mrs. America and discover the untold battle of the famed ‘90s ‘Got Milk’ campaign in The Price of Milk.

The NOW Showcase might just have your next favorite show. Fans of Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody will delight in the marital dramedy Seasoned, and the family fun keeps coming with mother-son kidney transplant drama Mother, May I Have a Kidney? Comedy legends lift off to new heights in Jeremy Beiler’s Earth to Percy and check in to unexpected places with Joanna Leeds’ Bulldozer.

See the full NOW program here.

Now that we’ve got you excited, it’s time to get those tickets. To secure your seat before everyone else, buy a Festival pass or package, or sign up for Tribeca Membership today. The most anticipated events will sell out before tickets go on sale to the general public on April 29.

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SERIESFEST ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR UPCOMING FESTIVAL

‘The Four Seasons’ Series Star Marco Calvani To Be Presented
With ‘Breakthrough Actor’ Award

Highlights Include International Spotlight to Showcase Global Series, Timely Industry Conversations on Topics Like AI and Inclusion, and a Live Podcast Recording 

Marco Calvani 
Photo Credit: Gerson Lopes
Marco Calvani Photo Credit: Gerson Lopes

April 9, 2025 (Denver, CO) - SeriesFest has added new panels, screenings and special events in the lineup for the festival’s 11th season, taking place in Denver April 29 - May 4. Actor Marco Calvani from the upcoming Netflix comedy series “The Four Seasons” from Universal Television will be honored with the “Breakthrough Actor” award at an advance screening and panel featuring Calvani and series co-showrunner and co-writer, Tracey Wigfield.

The ACLU’s podcast At Liberty will turn the mic on its host, W. Kamau Bell (comedian, TV host and longtime ACLU Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice), for a live podcast taping in conversation with Mo Fry Pasic (comedian, actor, writer and host of the Worse Than You podcast) discussing political comedy and making sense of this moment in America. There will also be a panel with SeriesFest alum, actor and filmmaker Kit Williamson (“Unconventional”) and Revry co-founders Damian Pelliccione and Chris Rodriguez to address breaking barriers in traditional media and fostering an inclusive environment for both established and emerging LGBTQ+ talent.

The future of storytelling will be the main topic as Brian Bird (Executive Producer, Co-Creator, “When Calls the Heart”), Chris King (SVP, Drama Development, Sony Pictures Television), and Lindsay Rovegno (Vice President of Production, ESPN Originals) gather to discuss the latest trends shaping the TV landscape, what distributors are actively seeking, and bold predictions for the next wave of hits. In addition, Julie Ann Crommett (Founder and CEO of Collective Moxie), Lawon Exum (Entertainment and Media Director of Disability Belongs) and Elijah McKinnon (Co-Founder and Executive Director of Emmy-nominated non-profit Open Television) will participate in a discussion on the power of media and identity. For SeriesFest’s Vanguard Workshop series, actor and filmmaker Kit Williamson will share his experience crafting compelling pitches in a workshop and design demonstration featuring Canva, the all-in-one visual communication platform.

SeriesFest will host SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Flawless Co-CEO & Founder Scott Mann and Wonder Dynamics (an Autodesk company) Co-Founder Nikola Todorovic in a conversation exploring how SAG-AFTRA is navigating the rapidly evolving relationship between the entertainment industry and AI technology.

The only U.S. television festival to feature an International Spotlight, SeriesFest will include the U.S. Premiere Screening of series from France, Egypt, Norway, Lithuania and the United Kingdom. Series included are:

A Better Man (Ølhunden Berit) - Norway, Lithuania - Maipo Film in collaboration with ARTBOX for NRK in co-production with ZDFneo

Ça C'est Paris - France - Mon Voisin Productions, Federation Studios France

Enjoy! - France - produced by LE COLLECTIF 64, broadcast by France.tv Slash

The Island (An t-Eilean) - United Kingdom - Black Camel Pictures for the BBC, UK, in association with All3Media International

Lam shamseya (لام شمسية)  - Egypt - Mediahub

"This year’s SeriesFest lineup continues to expand upon what is happening in the industry, not just in the United States, but around the world. The impact of AI, streaming and other technologies bring new challenges and opportunities for the industry,” said SeriesFest Co-Founder & CEO Randi Kleiner. “We aim to highlight the creators and innovators by bringing the people who are leading the industry to SeriesFest to share their perspectives.”

Now in its 11th season, SeriesFest was created to champion and discover innovative projects in the television industry. Please visit seriesfest.com for a full schedule of events. Festival badges granting access to SeriesFest on April 29 - May 4 can be purchased at seriesfest.com. Tickets for the festival’s opening night event with Amy Schumer & Friends can also be purchased separately through AXS.com. Please find programming details at https://seriesfest.com/festival/.

SeriesFest: Season 11 is presented with generous support from the following sponsors: Canva, Liberty Global, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Denver Film, Caz Matthews, Xfinity and United Airlines, along with generous support from the SCFD.

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ABOUT SERIESFEST

SeriesFest, a non-profit organization, champions and empowers artists at the forefront of episodic storytelling by providing year-round opportunities for creators and industry professionals to connect, collaborate, and share stories, which inspire and impact global audiences. Each spring, SeriesFest culminates in a highly-curated and celebrated Denver-based festival and marketplace. Dedicated to showcasing innovative episodic content, the annual festival includes in-competition independent pilot screenings, panels, workshops, live reads, parties and network television premieres. Follow @SeriesFest on Instagram, X, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

Publicity Contact: Ginsberg / Libby, GLSF@ginsberglibby.com

For General Inquiries: info@seriesfest.com

E-Newsletter Sign-up: HERE