Film Life's 15th Annual American Black Film Festival took place July 6-9, 2011 in steamy Miami Beach Florida. Attendees got a chance to mingle with all of the celebrities who came out to this year's event, as well as develop their filmmaking skills at the exclusive sessions.
Jeff Friday, founder of the American Black Film Festival, smiles for the camera with his wife, Nicole. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Opening Night: Screening of Robert Townsend's In The Hive (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Director Robert Townsend at the premiere at his new film In the Hive (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
A clip from The Tested, which won ABFF's award for Best Film
A scene from the movie, FIG, winner of HBO Short Film Competition
The poster of Dysfunctional Friends, one of the film faves at the festival. Actress Persia White won the ABFF award for Best Actor.
A clip from the film, Black Gold, winner of ABFF award for Best Screenplay
One of the exciting panels at this year's event was The Business of Reality TV. Black Enterprise Editor-in-Chief Derek T. Dingle (center) moderated the discussion. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Host of Thursday afternoon's Bill Duke's Actors Boot Camp, veteran actor and producer Bill Duke led a three-day workshop that offered sage advice for actors on how to hone their craft and build their career. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Bill Duke's Actors Boot Camp workshop was filled with aspiring and working talent. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Actor Laz Alonzo signs a head shot for an adoring fan in the Cadillac Lounge. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Team Sizzle, the independent film company owned by Terrell Suggs, star linebacker for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, sponsored Thursday night's 15th Anniversary Party at LIV. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Film favorite Paula Patton sat down for a one-on-one discussion with TV host Kevin Frazier. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
ABFF co-founder and UniWorld Group CEO Byron Lewis and radio personality Michael Baisden share a moment at the film festival. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
Chef G. Garvin demonstrates his culinary prowess. (Photo by Terrence Jennings)
When is the “American White Film Festival” take place? Oh, nevermind, that would be deemed racist, but as long as it says “Black”, it’s not racist!
Terrence Jennings
Steve Lewis:
why do you think it is called the American Black Film Festival? Could it be because of Hollywood has an exclusionary law is still in use today when it comes to African Americas in the Film Industry? Do your history. Find out your American History.
Steve Lewis
@ Larry: There are so many film festivals that cater to white audiences that there are no need to label them.
Surprise
Larry, there is nothing stopping you from starting your very own “American White Film Festival.” Yeah, you might get some criticism for thinking that white people in America need their own film festival (after all, out of the 50 top-earning movies in theaters this weekend, at least forty of them are starring white people; only two star or are about black people). But, hey, maybe you have a unique vision for white filmmaking, or maybe you don’t feel that white people are well-represented in film. Go for it!
As long as your event doesn’t feature or present Nazi war propaganda or KKK home movies in a positive light, I think there’s room for yet one more film festival on the circuit.
