New York, New York (October 27, 2017)<\/em> – The 22nd American Black Film Festival (ABFF) returns to Miami, June 13-17, 2018 with an exciting lineup of film screenings, events and innovative programming. This year, the week\u2019s schedule will include several new experiences, classes and networking opportunities for festival attendees.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The festival, in its 22nd year, is dedicated to introducing emerging content creators of African descent to the industry at large and is recognized as one of the leading film festivals in the world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Actor Jay Ellis<\/strong> will serve as the 2018 ABFF Celebrity Ambassador. Ellis currently stars as \u2018Lawrence\u2019 on HBO\u2019s critically-acclaimed comedy series, \u201dInsecure,\u201d which follows a young African-American woman as she navigates familiar insecure situations in Los Angeles, while Lawrence, her ex-boyfriend, faces his own expectations for himself and his professional and personal success and happiness. Ellis also starred as \u2018Bryce \u201cBlue\u201d Westbrook\u2019 on the hit BET series, \u201cThe Game.\u201d His additional television credits include roles on \u201cMasters of Sex,\u201d, \u201cGrace and Frankie,\u201d \u201cHow I Met Your Mother,\u201d \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy,\u201d and \u201cNCIS.\u201d On the big screen, Ellis is currently on location in Cape Town, South Africa filming \u201cThe Maze\u201d for Sony Pictures, with producer Neal Mortiz. Ellis recently wrapped production on the indie, \u201cA Boy. A Girl. A Dream: Love on Election Night,\u201d with castmates Omari Hardwick and Meagan Good, directed by Qaism Basir.<\/p>\r\n\r\n \u201cIt’s an honor to serve as ambassador for the 2018 American Black Film Festival. Jeff’s vision for ABFF and his continued passion to create a platform for storytellers and content creators of color has been inspiring to me and many others. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of building on the mission of ABFF,\u201d says Jay Ellis.<\/p>\r\n\r\n “We are delighted to welcome Jay Ellis to the ABFF family. His commitment to new and diverse stories embodies the mission of this festival. Jay\u2019s career trajectory expemplifies the importance of supporting and uplifting our own. We feel very fortunate to have him as our 2018 ambassador and are excited about what his participation will bring to our event,” said Jeff Friday, CEO of ABFF Ventures.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Festival passes are on sale now at www.abff.com<\/a>, and offer three different levels of access to festival screenings, official and premium events. Questions regarding registration may be directed to info@abffventures.com<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n ABFF SOCIAL MEDIA:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n Sponsors for the American Black Film Festival are HBO\u00ae (Founding and Presenting Sponsor); Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (Host and Presenting Sponsor); Turner (Premier Sponsor) and Walter Kaitz Foundation (Industry Partner).<\/p>\r\n\r\n ABOUT ABFF:<\/strong>\r\n\t
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\r\nThe American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. It supports emerging artists to foster a wider range of images, stories and storytellers represented in the entertainment industry. The festival is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry, and strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, the ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new Black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures, a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live events, television and digital content targeted to upscale African American audiences.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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