The 27th American Black Film Festival heated up Miami Beach this past week with several events, film releases and panels. Boss XL Magazine was on hand to give you the blow by blow of each days events.
The first day events kicked off with 2023 festival ambassador, Lena Waithe, and Nice Crowd (formerly ABFF ventures) President & COO, Nicole Friday, welcome speeches to ring in this year’s festival. The kickoff comes on the heels of the exciting announcement of the group’s expansion into new event offerings under the Nice Crowd banner.
Wednesday night, Netflix premiered the satirical conspiracy caper film They Cloned Tyrone with attendees Juel Taylor, Teyonah Parris, John Boyega, Charles King, Terrence J, Tabitha Brown, Chance Brown, Kym Whitley, Donkmaster and Mayor Dan Gelber join to celebrate the occasion. The film follows a series of eerie events that thrusts an unlikely trio (Boyega, Parris, and Jamie Foxx) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper. They Cloned Tyrone will have a limited theatrical release prior to launching on Netflix July 21, 2023.
Day 2 of the 27th American Black Film Festival began with a bang as the legendary White Party was in full swing into the early morning hours. The day’s official programming was focused on celebrating Black artists across platforms, bringing together a mix of social media talent, actors, directors, filmmakers, musicians and more. Spotlight screenings were a centerpiece of the day’s activities, with a special highlight on independent and documentary filmmakers.
Highlights of the day include The Lena Waithe Effect Panel where Lena discussed the importance of understanding where you come from and staying true to your path forward. Yvette Nicole Brown, Kym Whitley and Alyson Fouse brought an excited audience a hilarious conversation following the screening of their new show, “Act Your Age.” The cast of Lionsgate’s “The Blackening,” took to the red carpet to celebrate the special advance screening of the film. Directly following the screening was a Q&A with the cast and filmmakers, moderated by Terrence J.
Checkout the Gallery of Day 2 Events, photos courtesy of The American Black Film Festival
Boss XL Magazine also attended the private event for BET+ and Gabrielle Union's My Journey to 50 as they debuted the two-part special that follows Gabrielle, husband Dwyane Wade, their family, and friends on an epic journey as they travel across multiple countries in Africa in celebration of her 50th birthday.
Day 3 consisted of panels ranging from mental healthcare featuring Taraji P. Henson, to the cast of the hit CW TV series “All American” discussing the importance of Black representation on-screen. In another panel, Malcolm D. Lee, Morris Chestnut, and Larenz Tate, spoke on their experiences with Black fatherhood. The day concluded with the ABFF centerpiece red carpet and screening of Netflix’s The Perfect Find. The Red Carpet arrivals included Gabrielle Union-Wade, Gina Torres, Jeff Friday, Nicole Friday, Taraji P. Henson, Issa Rae, Keith Powers, Aisha Hinds, Numa Perrier, Shanola Hampton, Gabrielle Walsh, Rell Battle and more!
About ABFF The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is dedicated to recognizing Black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the Black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, education and artistic collaboration. Now in its 27th year, the festival has become a key proponent of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging Black artists. ABFF, the company's flagship event, is a property of Nice Crowd, formerly ABFF Ventures LLC, a leading entertainment company in the event tourism arena. To learn more about Nice Crowd events, visit www.nicecrowd.com.
Photo Credits: The American Black Film Festival
Additional Photo Credits: Allia Jama
