THE 23RD FESTIVAL RETURNS TO MIAMI JUNE 12-16, 2019
Los Angeles, CA, (January 25, 2019) – Today, ABFF Ventures announced actress, producer, author and entrepreneur La La Anthony will serve as the 2019 American Black Film Festival’s Ambassador, to be held in Miami Beach, June 12-16.
“It is an honor to be named the 2019 ABFF Ambassador. I have admired the work of the American Black Film Festival for many years and am looking forward to being a part of the great work they do in the black film community,” expressed Anthony.
La La currently stars in the #1 hit show, “Power” as Lakeisha Grant on the STARZ Network and recently served as Executive Producer of the hit BET docu-series “Killer Curves.” Her film credits include the critically-acclaimed Spike Lee film, Chi-Raq, ABFF alum and producer Will Packer’s Think Like a Man and Think Like a Man Too, and David E. Talbert’s Baggage Claim. On stage, she starred in the Off Broadway play “Love, Loss and What I Wore” and also produced the 2016 Tony Award nominated play “Eclipsed,” starring Lupita Nyong’o. La La is also a #1 New York Times best-selling author of two books, The Love Playbook and The Power Playbook.
“La La Anthony’s recent work in both film and television is a reflection of the American Black Film Festival’s mission—showcasing the talent of today’s successful diverse artists,” says Jeff Friday, CEO and founder of ABFF Ventures. “We are happy to have La La as our 2019 ABFF Ambassador and hope to see you in Miami this June.”
Previous Ambassadors have included: Tracee Ellis Ross, Regina Hall, Idris Elba, Jay Ellis, Taraji P. Henson, Morris Chestnut, Omari Hardwick and Common.
ABFF remains committed 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. Festival passes are on sale now at www.abff.com, and offer three different levels of access to the Festival. Questions regarding registration, sponsorship and programming, should be directed to info@abffventures.com. The 2019 Festival will continue the annual celebration of highlighting Black filmmakers. Attendees will enjoy celebrity conversations, panels, master classes, spotlight screenings and independent films and more.
ABFF SOCIAL MEDIA:
- Twitter: @ABFF
- Facebook: American Black Film Festival
- Instagram: @AmericanBlackFilmFestival
- YouTube: American Black Film Festival
- Hashtags: #ABFF19, #WeAreABFF
Sponsors of the 2019 American Black Film Festival are HBO® (Founding and Presenting Sponsor); Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Comcast NBCUniversal (Presenting Sponsor); Capitol One, Turner (Premier Sponsor); American Airlines (Official Sponsor); and truTV (Supporting Partner).
ABOUT ABFF:
ABFF Ventures, LLC (ABFFV) is a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live events and branded content. Its mission is to entertain and inspire communities of color while promoting diversify in Hollywood. Headquartered in Los Angeles, ABFFV was formed in 2014 and acquired the American Black Film Festival to widen the global footprint of the brand and stimulate business growth through expansion into other events and services. The company is a joint venture between Film Life, Inc and Black Enterprise, two prominent media and event companies, each with legacies of showcasing the best of African American culture and achievement. ABFFV’s tent-pole properties are the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), cited by MovieMaker Magazine as “One of the Coolest Festivals in the World,” and “ABFF Honors,” a televised annual awards gala saluting the top stars of film and television. In creating ABFF Ventures, CEO Jeff Friday channeled his passion for film and television, as well as his discomfort with the underrepresentation of people of color in Hollywood, into an organization with the ultimate goal of advocating for diversity within the entertainment industry. Through his vision and perseverance, ABFF Ventures has become a highly respected enterprise, generating goodwill throughout the Hollywood and corporate communities. In 2018, the company expanded with the launch of ABFF Studios, a division that produces branded entertainment.
PRESS CONTACT:
Strategic Heights Media
Michelle Huff Elliott
michelle@strategicheights.com
212-634-7176
