Black film fest:
It's a party with a purpose

By Ronda Racha Penrice
Travel Writer

Mainstream media outlets may be consumed with the Sundance and Cannes film festivals, but for most African American filmmakers and film lovers, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is their cinematic pilgrimage of choice.

This year's event is a very special one, organizers say, as celebrants observes the festival's 15th anniversary on July 6 through July 9 in South Beach, Miami.

ABFF founder Jeff Friday said the idea for a black film festival came to him after he noticed a void of black movies at the Sundance festival – an iconic film event he acknowledges "kind of started the whole independent film thing."

"I had just come back from Sundance and I didn't see any black movies there and I was just like, 'There's got to be a reason that there are no black films'," said Friday, who launched his festival in 1997 as the Acapulco Black Film Festival.

Friday said he thought a similar festival geared towards African Americans might work, but acknowledges he wasn't sure.

"I had no expectations at all of getting past the first one, so it's truly a blessing and a miracle that we're celebrating our 15th anniversary this year," he said.

Since relocating the festival to Miami in 2002, the annual jamboree has exploded in popularity, Friday said.

"Maybe 60 percent of our audience is in the film business but the other 40 percent are upscale, black vacationers," he said. "So the whole strategy was to pick a place where people would perceive as a vacation as well as be able to really relax."

"We want to get people away from their home and that's what the travel piece does," he added. "It takes you away from the kids and the bills and just kind of allows you to indulge yourself in the festival experience for those four days (in) Miami."

Equally important, Friday says, ABFF is a fun time. In addition to film screenings from independent black filmmakers, ample opportunities exist to network at socials sponsored by Grey Goose, and to party at renowned South Beach hotspots like Play and Liv, where Melanie Fiona will rock the ABFF 15th Anniversary Party.

This year's festival, held at the Ritz-Carlton, features a couple of Atlanta-based events.

One special screening will feature the movie "Trinity Goodheart" – the first original film from East Point-based GMC – starring singer Eric Benet and written by Atlanta-area scribe Rhonda Baraka.

GMC also will announce the winner of its first-ever screenwriting competition, which issued a call for faith-friendly and uplifting stories.

There also are master classes such as Robert Townsend's "The Ultimate Pitch" and Bill Duke's Actors Boot Camp, a signature workshop.

As a festival where African American talent is valued and celebrated, the 15th annual ABFF Awards also will feature a special tribute to Keenan Ivory Wayans. Producer John Singleton also will be on hand to share a behind-the-scenes documentary about making his classic film, Boyz 'n the Hood, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

Beside showcasing black films, the festival also gives black producers, actors, directors and other artists a chance to ply their craft – and make a living at it, Friday said.

"I think we've given a lot of individuals a chance to work, to have careers and to realize their dreams, and that's really what we're most proud of," Friday says. "The black film festivals have a slightly different responsibility than (the) mainstream film festivals. Our responsibility is to the people more so than to the process."