NEW YORK, NY, March 8 2013 – Quickly establishing himself as the pulse of comedic entertainment, funny man Kevin Hart, will bring his threshold of jokes and laughter to the 17th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Film Life, Inc. announced that Hart’s upcoming concert film “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain” (Codeblack Films/ Lionsgate) will make its national premiere as the esteemed festival’s closing night film. Undoubtedly hilarious and primed to be a hit, ABFF is thrilled to deliver this comedic treasure to festival-goers on Saturday, June 22. The 17th Annual American Black Film Festival runs June 19th to the 23rd in Miami, Florida.
Hart, who hosted NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live,’ this past weekend (March 2nd), has been climbing his way to the top of entertainment in the same fashion as a young Eddie Murphy by using a three part platform inclusive of successful runs in stand-up, television, and film. Currently, Hart is the star of BET’s (Black Entertainment Television) mock reality series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” a hilarious crack at the never-ending phenomenon we know as reality television. Having already garnered success with his film, “Laugh at My Pain,” (Codeblack Films) Hart’s new film, “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain” is a cinematic echo of his triumphant 2012 comedy tour ‘Let Me Explain,’ which sold 540,000 tickets and generated $32 million in ticket sales. It is unquestionably one of the most successful comedy tours of all time, and has helped to establish Hart as one of the biggest names in entertainment.
Hart was one of the stars of last years hit movie “Think Like a Man,” (Screen Gems), a relationship flick based on the Steve Harvey book of the same title. “Think Like a Man” producers Will Packer & Rob Hardy (Rainforest Films), along with its director Tim Story and cast, were honored last year by Film Life Inc. at the 16th Annual American Black Film Festival for its theatrical success. The films monumental run at the box office gave a bigger wingspan to the plight of preserving and ensuring black voices in cinema. Harts performance in the movie, along with its incredible cast, helped procure the films nearly 100 million dollar box office gross -a welcomed rarity for movies specifically targeted at African American audiences.
“We’re excited to have ‘Let Me Explain’ with us at this years festival for its national premiere. We couldn’t be more pleased about the opportunity. We admire Kevin Hart and have been watching his career flourish throughout the years. He’s been a long time supporter of the festival and an inspiration to comedians and filmmakers everywhere, and we know that this movie is an incredible way to close out what we are certain will be an excellent year of commemorating black film,” said Jeff Friday, ABFF Founder and CEO of Film Life, Inc.
HBO® (Founding and Premier Sponsor). Cadillac (Premier Sponsor); American Airlines, gmc Networks, CNN and Comcast/NBCUniversal (Official Sponsors); American Family Insurance, Nielsen and Stella Artois (Supporting Sponsors); Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA) and Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce (Host Sponsors); Media Sponsors: Black Enterprise, Uptown and Upscale.
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a five-day retreat and international film market dedicated to strengthening the Black filmmaking community. Established in 1997, the core mission of the ABFF is to promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry. Through its film showcases and special contests, it annually introduces the top echelon of emerging artists to the film and television industry.
The ABFF is a property of Film Life, Inc., a multi-faceted entertainment company headquartered in New York City. The company was founded in 2001 by Jeff Friday (link to photo bio), a veteran of the consumer product marketing and advertising industries. While best known for creating the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), Film Life’s operations center on developing/licensing innovative content across all forms of media and providing strategic advisory services to a wide range of companies in the entertainment, media and consumer product industries.
Let Me Explain trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuNoaDeACHE&feature=share&list=UULRmIdRJgLfmdpJufmBhBuA
Festival passes and tickets are available now for purchase at:
https://www.abff.com/miami/festival/buy/passes-and-tickets.php
Deadline for early registration discounts: March 15
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