HBO® Continues as Founding and Premier Sponsor Festival to Spotlight Black Women in Hollywood.
NEW YORK, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ – Film Life, Inc., announces the 14th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) to be held in Miami, Florida, June 23-26, 2010. The ABFF is an industry retreat and competitive marketplace that facilitates distribution opportunities for independent Black films. Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO), returns for the thirteenth year in support of the festival’s mission.
The 2010 ABFF will feature accomplished women in film and television. Female industry leaders will be thoroughly integrated into all aspects of the festival programming including the creation of the first all women Grand Jury.” Our organization is devoted to diversity, and next year’s festival will bring attention to some key women who are influencing this business. I am delighted that HBO is on board; their loyalty to the ABFF underlines their commitment to develop and promote the work of a diverse group of artists,” says ABFF’s founder, Jeff Friday.
“HBO is proud of its long-standing partnership with the ABFF,” said Olivia Smashum, executive vice president, Affiliate Marketing at HBO. “With our HBO Short Film competition housed at the ABFF since its inception, our combined efforts have given much needed exposure to 60 emerging filmmakers to date. We look forward to working with the ABFF again in 2010.”
ABFF submissions are now open in the Narrative Features, Documentary and Short Film categories. Awards presented include: The HBO Short Film Award; Grand Jury Prizes for Best Film, Best Documentary and Best Performance by an Actor; as well as the newly launched (2009) ABFF Audience Award for the best of festival. Prizes range from $5,000 to $20,000.
HBO® is the festival’s Founding and Premier Sponsor. Other sponsors on board for this year include Grey Goose (Premiere); Nielsen, Gold Peak Tea, and Stella Artois (Supporting); Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (Host). Media Sponsors include: Black Enterprise, Uptown, Upscale, Monarch, Heart & Soul, Precious Times, and AOL Black Voices.
Established in 1997, the core mission of the ABFF is to promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry by strengthening the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. 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 New York-based event marketing, production and distribution company founded in 2002 by Jeff Friday (CEO).
For media inquiries, call Lisa Sorensen (LSPR) at (646) 330-5458 or via email at lisa@ls-pr.com. General registration information can be obtained by visiting abff.com, calling 646-375-2144, ext 1, or contacting the festival via email at: abff@thefilmlife.com.