New York, NY, May 17, 2004 – Film Life, Inc., announces the nominees for the 2004 Film Life Movie Awards (FLMA). The show will take place at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach, Florida, on Saturday, July 17.
Established in 1997, the Film Life Movie Awards is a star-studded awards ceremony celebrating Black cinema. It is held as the culminating event of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). The awards were created to recognize the achievement of persons of African descent in Hollywood, as well as to showcase and reward the work of the independent filmmaker. The show is unique in that the aspiring as well as the accomplished are saluted on the same stage for their excellence in motion-pictures.
“Congratulations to this year’s nominees. We are thrilled to be able to spotlight deserving work and we will continue to promote the success and universal appeal of Black films, filmmakers and actors,” said Jeff Friday, founder and CEO of Film Life, Inc., and FLMA executive producer.
Nominees are selected in five categories: Film of the Year, Best Director, Best Peformance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress, based on films theatrically released between May 1, 2003, and April 30, 2004. Films eligible for Film of the Year must portray an accurate and/or inspiring depiction of the Black experience. Individuals nominated for Best Director must be of African descent. Actors eligible for the Best Performance by an Actor/Actress award must be of African descent and appear in a leading or supporting role. The winners will be determined by a prestigious committee of film critics and entertainment writers including the members of the African American Critics Association.
Other awards to be presented at the Film Life Movie Awards include the HBO Short Film Award and the Blockbuster Audience Award for Best Feature Film. Time Warner chairman and CEO Richard D. Parsons will pay tribute to helmer Spike Lee, the recipient of this year’s Time Warner Innovator Award. Actress Rosario Dawson will receive the show’s Rising Star award. Lady Sings the Blues will be inducted into the Classic Cinema Hall of Fame. The FLMA will be hosted by actor/director Robert Townsend, who also serves as chairman of the ABFF advisory board, and actress Tracee Ellis Ross (Girlfriends, UPN). Other celebrity presenters to be announced.
Now in its eighth year, the American Black Film Festival was created to redefine, discover and honor artistic excellence in Black cinema. ABFF provides a platform for the innovative work of contemporary Black filmmakers. The five-day retreat and international film market attracts more than 2,500 attendees annually.
The Film Life Movie Awards and the American Black Film Festival are produced by Film Life, Inc., a film marketing and distribution company based in New York and established by Jeff Friday, its founder and CEO. The company’s mission is to spearhead the commercial development of independent Black films.
Time Warner, Inc., is the world’s leading media and entertainment company, whose businesses include filmed entertainment, interactive services, television networks, cable systems and publishing.
For information visit www.thefilmlife.com and/or www.abff.com