The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) recently (June 19) announced the winners of the competitive film selections and talent pipeline programs during the Best of the ABFF Awards ceremony. Hosted by actor Dondre Whitfield, the ceremony was presented in-person in Miami and shown virtually for the third year on ABFF’s custom-designed streaming platform ABFF PLAY. Insecure’s Issa Rae served as this year’s ABFF ambassador.
Complementing ABFF’s wide range of films, the festival’s lineup of events included spotlight screenings, networking events and talks featuring Ben Crump, Nadia Hallgren, Kenya Barris, Kyla Pratt, Andrea Lewis, Tonya Lewis Lee, Susan Kelechi Watson, Eboni Freeman, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Trevonte Rhodes, Michael Ealy, Codie and Tommy Oliver, Malinda Williams, the cast of Bel-Air, Judge Lynn Toler, Tim Reid, Andre Gaines, LisaRaye McCoy, Christiana Hooks, Trell Woodberry, Kareem Grimes, and many more.
Along with ABFF Ventures Founder and CEO Jeff Friday and wife and ABFF Ventures President General Manager Nicole Friday, featured presenters at the award ceremony were film and television industry executives representing ABFF’s impressive roster of partners and sponsors including: Karen Horne SVP, Equity + Inclusion, Warner Discovery; Sirius XM “Bevelations” host Bevy Smith on behalf of HBO; Juanita Slappy, Head of Multicultural Marketing, Cadillac; Brett King, Vice-President, Creative Programming, Diversity & Inclusion for Sony Pictures, and many more.
ABFF winners receive a one-year IMDbPro membership, empowering them with information and tools designed to help them continue achieving success in their careers. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, IMDbPro is the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals. IMDbPro has an ongoing commitment to supporting and collaborating with organizations that create greater diversity, equity and inclusion in the entertainment industry and is a service of IMDb, the #1 movie website in the world.
The 2022 Jury Award winners are:
HBO Short Film Award
Another Country, written and directed by Sherif Alabede
Synopsis: A Southern Gothic tale that's partially autobiographical and fictional, it tells the story of an interracial couple raising their mixed race child in the racially polarizing times of 1956 Mississippi. Based on "Native Guard," a book of Pulitzer Prize Winning poems by Natasha Trethewey.
“The HBO Short Film Award continues to be the industry-leading platform to recognize and reward the most talented Black storytellers each year,” said Jeff Friday, Founder ABFFVentures LLC and CEO Jeff Friday Media (JFM). “We are honored to have had the opportunity to partner with HBO for 25 years and look forward to expanding our work in support of content creators of color.”
Jury Award – Best Documentary Feature
A Woman on the Outside, directed by Zara Katz, Lisa Riordan Seville, written by Kiara C. Jones
Accepting on behalf of the filmmakers was Amira Smith
Growing up, Kristal watched nearly every man in her life disappear to prison. She channeled that struggle into keeping families connected, both as a social worker and with her van service that drives families to visit loved ones in far-off prisons. But when Kristal's dad and brother return to Philly, her happiness meets the realization that release doesn't always mean freedom. Passionate, funny and resilient, Kristal remains determined to carve out a different future -- for herself and for her young nephew, Nyvae. Part observational documentary, part family album, A Woman on the Outside is a tender portrait of one family striving to love in the face of a system built to break them.
Jury Award – Best Screenplay
Feel Like Ghosts, directed by Kali Baker-Johnson
Producers include Sarah Alammuri, Lola Ridgell, and Brandon Tarver
Keir, the only black male in his California art school, is struggling. He has an offer for his dream job and his friend-with-benefits is finally single, but all he can think about is his ex-girlfriend Jade. On the East Coast, as Jade and her family prepare for a wedding in their tight-knit Indian community, a message from Keir makes her question everything.
As both come to a crossroads in their separate lives, Keir and Jade must decide if their relationship is worth a second chance, and what they’re willing to give up to renew it. FEEL LIKE GHOSTS explores a long-distance interracial romance in three discrete acts: his story, her story, and their past together. The cast includes Nican Robinson, Misha Molani
John Singleton Award – Best First Feature
Our Father, The Devil, directed by Ellie Foumbi
Accepting on behalf of Ms. Foumbi was the film editor, Roy Clovis Jr.
The cast includes Babetida Sadjo, Souleymane Sy Savané, Jennifer Tchiakpe, Franck Saurel, and Martine Amisse
Marie Cissé (Babetida Sadjo) works as the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France. Her easy day-to-day life spent caring for residents, hanging out with her co-worker and best friend Nadia, and teasing a potential new romance is disrupted by the arrival of Father Patrick (Souléymane Sy Savané), an African priest whom she recognizes from a terrifying episode in her homeland. As he further endears himself to the residents and staff, Marie is forced to decide how best to deal with this reminder of her troubled past.
Jury Award - Best Director
Feel Like Ghosts, directed by Kali Baker-Johnson
Producers include Sarah Alammuri, Lola Ridgell, and Brandon Tarver. The cast includes Nican Robinson, Misha Molani.
Keir, the only black male in his California art school, is struggling. He has an offer for his dream job and his friend-with-benefits is finally single, but all he can think about is his ex-girlfriend Jade. On the East Coast, as Jade and her family prepare for a wedding in their tight-knit Indian community, a message from Keir makes her question everything.
As both come to a crossroads in their separate lives, Keir and Jade must decide if their relationship is worth a second chance, and what they’re willing to give up to renew it. FEEL LIKE GHOSTS explores a long-distance interracial romance in three discrete acts: his story, her story, and their past together. The cast includes Nican Robinson, Misha Molani
Jury Award – Best Narrative Feature
Our Father, The Devil, produced by Ellie Foumbi and Joseph Mastantuono
Written and directed by Ellie Foumbi, the cast includes Babetida Sadjo, Souleymane Sy Savané, Jennifer Tchiakpe, Franck Saurel, and Martine Amisse
Accepting on behalf of Ms. Foumbi was the film editor, Roy Clovis Jr.
Marie Cissé (Babetida Sadjo) works as the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France. Her easy day-to-day life spent caring for residents, hanging out with her co-worker and best friend Nadia, and teasing a potential new romance is disrupted by the arrival of Father Patrick (Souléymane Sy Savané), an African priest whom she recognizes from a terrifying episode in her homeland. As he further endears himself to the residents and staff, Marie is forced to decide how best to deal with this reminder of her troubled past.
Jury Award – Best Web Series
Mine, directed by Randall Dottin, Luisa Dantas
Producers include Randall Dottin, Angela Tucker, Paige Wood, Luisa Dantas, Rise-Home Stories Project, Anna Lee, Russell Hornsby
MINE is an animated web-series that poignantly explores the timely theme of community versus individual survival, through the eyes of a teenager. Set in the near-future, this powerful five-part series transports us to BEAU VODA, a hard-fought utopian world where every aspect of life is powered by a miraculous healing water source. In the pilot episode, teenager BLAZE reluctantly steps into the esteemed role of Water Bearer with the help of their precocious sister MIA. But when the magical water is tampered with, they discover that their idealistic community may not be as magnanimous as they think.
The 2021 Talent Pipeline Program winners are:
Warner Bros. Discovery Writers Initiative, Half-Hour Drama
Diara Newman - wrote Townhall
Diara is a winner of the 2022 American Black Film Festival x Warner Bros. Discovery Writers Initiative. An avid reader and creative, she was born in Sacramento, California, and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She attended The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Communication. Diara spent three years at CBS News working as a field producer and researcher for both CBS Mornings and Face the Nation. She contributed to urgent and breaking stories throughout her tenure at CBS including the Derek Chauvin trial, Black Lives Matter protests, and 2020 election coverage.
Warner Bros. Discovery Writers Initiative, One-Hour Drama
Deion Higginbotham - wrote The Saints
Deion is an actor, screenwriter and director whose credits include Gamer Boy, and Stuck in Neutral (which he also wrote and director)