Voices of Culture

A non-competitive showcase of short films directed by persons of African descent. This section is by invitation only, with films submitted to but not accepted as finalists for the HBO Short Film Award automatically considered for inclusion.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Films must be directed by a person of African descent.
  2. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older.
  3. Films must have a 30-minute maximum runtime inclusive of credits.
  4. Films must be in the English language or contain English-language subtitles.
  5. Films must have completed post-production on or after January 1, 2024.
  6. Films must not have been previously exhibited on, or licensed for broadcast, cable, or online exhibition prior to the scheduled American Black Film Festival (“ABFF”), June 11-15, 2025.
  7. Open to U.S. and international entries.