The American Black Film Festival (originally called the Acalpulco Black Film Festival) is an independent

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upon ...

that focuses primarily on

black film Black film is a classification of film that has a broad definition relating to the film involving participation and/or representation of black people. The definition may involve the film having a black cast, a black crew, a black director, a blac ...

—works by

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

members of the film industry. It is held to recognize achievements of film actors of African descent and to honor films that stand out in their portrayal of Black experience. It has been called "the nation’s most prominent film festival.""Hollywood's Biggest African American Stars Snub the 2010 ABFF"
Rollingout.com The festival is held annually and features full-length narratives, short films, mobile entertainment (defined by the official website as "all short form content including experimental films, music videos and webisodes"), and

documentaries A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...

, all by and/or featuring Black writers, directors, actors, and actresses. The Black Movie Awards are presented at each year's festival.

History

Founding: "Because Hollywouldn't"

The first Acapulco Black Film Festival (ABFF) was held in June 1997. The aim of its founders, Jeff Friday, Byron E. Lewis and

Warrington Hudlin Warrington W. Hudlin, Jr. (born July 16, 1952) is an American film director, producer, and actor. Early life Hudlin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, the son of Helen (née Cason), a teacher, and Warrington W. Hudlin, Sr., an insurance ex ...

, was to create a venue at which members of "Black Hollywood" could meet, network, collaborate, and celebrate Black cinema. In an interview, Friday said that one of the main motivations for the festival was that, "All minorities are shut down from the private party we call Hollywood. We are let in one at a time, and the masses don't get the information, or don't have access to the decision making, or are not in a position to green-light a project. What we have plan edis more of the same, which is more information, more network opportunities, and to further our mission to provide minorities and people of color with a fair shot at breaking into the Hollywood system." Lewis, CEO of UniWorld Group, and Friday, at the time president of UniWorld’s film division, met with Hudlin, then-president of the Black Filmmakers Foundation, to speak about (and were ultimately inspired to create the festival by) the Rev.

Jesse Jackson Jesse Louis Jackson (né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American political activist, Baptist minister, and politician. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as a shadow U.S. senator ...

’s call to

boycott A boycott is an act of nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organization, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for moral, social, political, or environmental reasons. The purpose of a boycott is to inflict som ...

the

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

as a result of the lack of Black nominees that year.Crawford-Tichawonna, Nicole (2006). "Because 'Hollywouldn't': The American Black Film Festival Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary" ''The Crisis'' 113 (4): 40-41. The Oscars had historically had a reputation for leaving out Black members of cinema; until 1980, only two African-Americans had won

academy awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for acting.Fink, Rob. "Actors and Actresses." Encyclopedia of African American History. Vol. 1. 2009. The founders of the ABFF decided, though, that rather than investing time and energy in supporting a boycott, they would hold an event of their own to celebrate Black cinematic achievements, and thus the festival was born.

Acapulco Black Film Festival: 1997-2001

In its first years, the festival was held in

Acapulco, Mexico Acapulco de Juárez (), commonly called Acapulco ( , also , nah, Acapolco), is a city and major seaport in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semicircular bay and has bee ...

. The first annual festival had a turnout of about 600.Duckett, Josie W. (1998). "The Acapulco Black Film Festival" ''PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art'' 20 (1): 44-47. Over five days, nine independent films were screened and seven awards were given, recognizing "artistic achievement" (male and female), "best actor," "best actress," "best director," "film of the year," and "soundtrack of the year." In 1998,

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

established the HBO Short Film Award to be presented at the ABFF to honor works in the genre of short film. HBO thus became a major partner and supporter of the ABFF, along with UniWorld and the Black Filmmakers Foundation. 1999 saw the festival’s first Trailblazer award for significant contributions to Black screen media. This award would remain a consistent part of the festival until 2002. In 2000, the Lincoln Filmmaker’s Trophy was established. This award was one of only two honors, along with the HBO Short Film Award, that would survive the festival’s move to Florida in 2002. Early hosts and presenters included Robert Townsend (1997),

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has been described as an actor who reconfigured "the concept of classic movie stardom". Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Washington ha ...

(1998),

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

(1999 and 2000), and

Mari Morrow Mari Eulanda Morrow (born July 21, 1968) is an American film and television actress, model and realtor. Morrow is best known for her roles as Rachel Gannon on the ABC daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' (1994–96), Oneisha Savoy on the ABC/ ...

and

Kim Whitley Kym Elizabeth Whitley is an American comedian and actress. She is best known for her roles on television sitcoms, such as ''My Brother and Me'', '' Sparks'', ''Animal Practice'', '' The Boondocks'', ''Young & Hungry'', ''The Parkers'', ...

who co-hosted the event in 2001. Aside from awards, the festival in its early incarnations had seminars, actors’ training workshops and meet-and-greets, all with the aim of strengthening the skills and networks of Black filmmakers, actors and actresses, and screenwriters.

Changes from 2002-Present

The year 2002 saw many changes for the film festival. Jeff Friday, who one year previous had purchased UniWorld Film (and rebranded it as Film Life), took over execution of the festival, which he renamed the American Black Film Festival (also abbreviated as ABFF). Since its transformation in 2002, the ABFF has drawn new corporate sponsors (including

Grey Goose The waterfowl genus ''Anser'' includes the grey geese and the white geese. It belongs to the true geese and swan subfamily (Anserinae). The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with at least one species breeding in any open, wet habitats in th ...

Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

, and

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...

) and a dramatically increased attendance. The first Black Movie Awards to be televised were in 2005, with a ceremony hosted by

Cedric the Entertainer Cedric Antonio Kyles (born April 24, 1964), better known by his stage name Cedric the Entertainer, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He hosted BET's ''ComicView'' during the 1993–1994 season and ''Def Comedy Jam'' in 1995. He is bes ...

, which was aired on

Turner Network Television TNT (originally an abbreviation for Turner Network Television) is an American basic cable television channel A television channel is a terrestrial frequency or virtual number over which a television station or television network is dist ...

; the 2006 ceremony was hosted by

Tyler Perry Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of the Madea character, a tough elderly woman. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmak ...

. The first American Black Film Festival was held in

South Beach, Florida South Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) on North Hutchinson Island in Indian River County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,501 at the 2010 census. It is ranked tenth in Florida locations by per capita income as of 2010. So ...

on June 26. The Festival stayed in Florida until 2007 when it was moved to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, in an effort to attract more celebrity attendees and thereby generating more general interest in the festival. While initially successful, the change in venue ultimately resulted in a decline in attendance from members of the actual Black filmmaking community. The festival changed venues once more in 2010, returning to Florida, and it was confirmed that the 2011 festival would be held in South Beach. The 2011 festival ran from July 6 through July 9.

Festival

Events

Over the course of the festival, there are numerous events held at numerous locations. Typically, there will be an opening ceremony, either featuring a big-name movie or an award presentation. The following three (some years four) days will include screenings of other films, actors’ and directors’ workshops (for example, 2010’s "Master Class on

Cinematography Cinematography (from ancient Greek κίνημα, ''kìnema'' "movement" and γράφειν, ''gràphein'' "to write") is the art of motion picture (and more recently, electronic video camera) photography. Cinematographers use a lens to focu ...

led by Cliff Charles"), and symposiums (for example 2010’s "Inside Nickelodeon" symposium). Each year, the festival concludes with the main awards ceremony. Hosts of this ceremony have included: Robert Townsend and

Shaun Robinson Shaun Robinson (born July 12, 1962) is an American television host, author, producer, philanthropist, television personality and actress. She is perhaps best known for hosting ''Access Hollywood'' (1999–2015) and ''90 Day Fiancé'' and its spin ...

(co-hosts),

Anthony Anderson Anthony Anderson (born August 15, 1970) is an American actor, comedian and game show host. He is best known for his leading roles in drama series such as Marlin Boulet on '' K-Ville'', and as NYPD Detective Kevin Bernard on the NBC crime drama ' ...

, and

Niecy Nash Carol Denise Betts (née Ensley; born February 23, 1970), known professionally as Niecy Nash-Betts (), is an American actress, comedian and television host, best known for her performances on television. Nash hosted the Style Network show '' C ...

Advisory board

Below is a list of the ABFF’s current

advisory board An advisory board is a body that provides non-binding strategic advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation. The informal nature of an advisory board gives greater flexibility in structure and management compared to th ...

, and the members’ professional affiliations, as found on the official website. * Will Packer: Founder & Producer (

Will Packer Productions Will Packer (born April 11, 1974) is an American film producer who founded Will Packer Productions, and Will Packer Media. Packer has produced or executive produced a wide range of movies that have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide at the ...

) * Rob Hardy: Co-Founder (Rainforest Films) * Jeff Clanagan: President & CEO (

Codeblack Entertainment Codeblack Films is an American entertainment company. Codeblack focuses on films targeting African-American audiences. History Codeblack Enterprises was founded by Jeff Clanagan in 2005, who became CEO of the company. Originally focused on dire ...

) * Zola Mashariki: Senior Vice President of Production (

Fox Searchlight Pictures Searchlight Pictures, Inc. is an American film production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is part of the Walt Disney Company. Founded in 1994 as Fox Searchlight Pictures, Inc. for 20th Century Fox (later 20th Century St ...

) * Debra Langford: Vice President of Inclusion & Business Diversity (

NBC Universal The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

) * Valerie Watts Meraz: Vice President of Content Acquisitions (

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

) * DeVon Franklin: Vice President of Production (

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

) * Robert Townsend: Founding Board Member ( Townsend Entertainment) * Andrea Nelson Meigs: Motion Picture Talent Agent (

International Creative Management ICM Partners is a talent and literary agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York City, Washington D.C. and London. ICM (International Creative Management) Partners represents clients in the fields of motion pictures, television, music, publi ...

)

Programming Initiatives

The festival has five objectives, or "Programming Initiatives" which are: * Education in the form of programs to teach and help develop the skills of African-Americans in film. * Artistic Expression through screening of African-American films. * ‘Collaboration between members of the Black cinema industry thereby strengthening the industry as a whole. * Access to "industry insiders" for up-and-coming filmmakers and producers. * Recognition of outstanding work on the part of Black independent filmmakers.

Black Film Awards

Awards and Recipients 1997-2001

Below is a list of award winners and honorees of the Acapulco Black Film Festival.

1997

* Artistic Achievement:

Halle Berry Halle Maria Berry (; born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and coming in sixth in the Mis ...

and

Bill Duke William Henry Duke Jr. (born February 26, 1943) is an American actor and film director. Known for his physically imposing frame, Duke works primarily in the action and crime drama genres often as a character related to law enforcement. Frequently ...

* Best Actress:

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...

for her role in '' Set It Off'' * Best Actor:

Ossie Davis Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He and his wife were named to the NAACP ...

for his role in ''

Get On The Bus ''Get on the Bus'' is a 1996 American drama film about a group of African-American men who are taking a cross-country bus trip in order to participate in the Million Man March. The film was directed by Spike Lee and premiered on the first anniver ...

'' * Best Director:

F. Gary Gray Felix Gary Gray (born July 17, 1969) is an Americans, American film director, film producer, and music video director. Gray began his career as a director on numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning music videos, including "It Was a Good ...

for ''Set It Off'' * 1996 Film of the Year: '' Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored'' * 1996 Soundtrack of the Year: ''Set It Off'' Columnist. (1997). "Acapulco Film Festival". ''Jet'' 92 (11): 39

1998

* Career Achievement Award: Debbie Allen and

Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, director, and narrator. He is known for his distinctive deep voice and various roles in a wide variety of film genres. Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he has received ...

* Best Film: Tie between ''

Soul Food Soul food is an ethnic cuisine traditionally prepared and eaten by African Americans, originating in the Southern United States.Soul Food originated with the foods that were given to enslaved Black people by their white owners on Souther ...

'' and ''

Eve's Bayou ''Eve's Bayou'' is a 1997 American Southern Gothic drama film written and directed by Kasi Lemmons, who made her directorial debut with this film. Samuel L. Jackson served as a producer, and starred in the film with Lisa Nicole Carson, Jurnee Smo ...

'' * Best Director:

Kasi Lemmons Kasi Lemmons (; born Karen Lemmons, February 24, 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter, and actress. She made her directorial debut with ''Eve's Bayou'' (1997), followed by '' Talk to Me'' (2007), ''Black Nativity'' (2013), '' Harriet ...

for ''Eve's Bayou'' * Best Actor:

Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...

for his role in ''Eve's Bayou'' * Best Actress:

Vivica A. Fox Vivica Anjanetta Fox (born July 30, 1964) is an American actress, producer, and television host. Fox began her career on ''Soul Train'' (19821983). She eventually continued her career with roles on the daytime television soap operas ''Days of O ...

for her role in ''Soul Food'' * Best Soundtrack: ''lovejones'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''Two Seasons'' Columnist. (1998). "Debbie Allen, Morgan Freeman Honored At 2nd Annual Acapulco Black Film Festival". ''Jet'' 94 (11): 63-64

1999

* Trailblazer Award: Byron Lewis * Career Achievement:

Pam Grier Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star (although, there are some who dispute that claim and believe Cheng Pei-pei actually holds that distin ...

and Samuel L. Jackson * Best Film: ''

The Negotiator ''The Negotiator'' is a 1998 American action thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray. It stars Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey as two expert hostage negotiators and Chicago police lieutenants. The film was released in the United States on Jul ...

'' * Best Director: F. Gary Gray for ''

'' * Best Actress:

Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic ''What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...

for her role in ''

How Stella Got Her Groove Back ''How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, adapted from Terry McMillan's best-selling 1996 novel of the same title. The film stars Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs (in his film ...

'' * Best Actor:

Larenz Tate Larenz Tate (born September 8, 1975) is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles as O-Dog in ''Menace II Society'' and as Councilman Rashad Tate in ''Power''. Tate's other films and television series include the fil ...

for his role in '' Why Do Fools Fall In Love'' * Best Screenplay:

Christopher Scott Cherot Christopher Scott Cherot is an American film director best known for ''Hav Plenty'' (1997), a true story that he wrote, edited, produced, acted in and directed. Projects Mr. Cherot also directed '' G'', loosely based on ''The Great Gatsby'', as ...

for ''

Hav Plenty ''Hav Plenty'' is a 1997 American romantic comedy film released by Miramax Films, based on an eventful weekend in the life of Lee Plenty ( Christopher Scott Cherot), written and directed by Cherot. The film is based on the true story of Chris Ch ...

'' * Best Soundtrack: ''The Player’s Club'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''

Twin Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

'' Columnist. (1999). "Advertising Pioneer Byron Lewis Lauded At Acapulco Black Film Festival; Pam Grier And Samuel L. Jackson Named Career Achievers".''Jet'' 96 (8): 24

2000

* Trailblazer Award:

Melvin Van Peebles Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. He worked as an active filmmaker into the 2000s. His feature film debut, ''The Story of a Three-Day Pass'' ( ...

* Best International Film: '' Bellyful'' * Star of the Year:

Nia Long Nia Talita Long (born October 30, 1970) is an American actress. Best known for her work in Black cinema, Long rose to prominence after starring in the film ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), and for her portrayal of Beullah "Lisa" Wilkes on the NBC sit ...

* Best Film Entrepreneur:

Master P Percy Robert Miller Sr. (born April 29, 1967), known by his stage name Master P, is an American rapper, record executive, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the record label No Limit Records, which was relaunched as ...

* Best USA Film: ''One Week'' * Best Work in Progress: ''

Seventeen Again ''Seventeen Again'' is an American fantasy–comedy film. It first aired on Showtime on November 12, 2000, and was released on DVD on April 9, 2002. The film was also included as a bonus feature on the '' Sister, Sister'' (which had ended ...

'' * Lincoln Filmmaker’s Trophy: Carl Seaton * HBO Short Film Award: ''My Father’s Hand'' Columnist. (2000). "Martin Van Peebles Saluted At Acapulco Black Film Festival". ''Jet'' 98 (7): 24

2001

* Best U.S. Film: '' Blue Hill Avenue'' * Audience Award for Best International Film: ''

Love Come Down "Love Come Down" is a song written by American musician Kashif. It was recorded by American singer Evelyn King for her fifth album '' Get Loose'' (1982). "Love Come Down" was released in July 1982 by RCA Records as the lead single from ''Get Lo ...

'' * Audience Award for Best Work in Progress: ''Jacked'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''Kickin’ Chicken'' * Lincoln Filmmaker Trophy:

Raoul Peck Raoul Peck (born 9 September 1953 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti) is a Haitian filmmaker, of both documentary and feature films. He is known for using historical, political, and personal characters to tackle and recount societal issues and historical ...

* Coca-Cola Film Score Award: Malcolm Rector * Career Achievement Award:

John Singleton John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

* Trailblazer Award: Suzanne De Passe * Rising Star Award:

Sanaa Lathan Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is an American actress. She is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan. Her career began after she appeared in the shows ''In the House'', '' Family Matters'', ''NYPD Blue ...

and

Columnist. (2001). "Acapulco Film Festival Announces Award-Winning Films". ''Jet'' 100 (6): 46

Awards and Recipients 2002-2010

Below is a list of American Black Film Festival award winners and honorees.

2002

* Blockbuster Award for Best Feature Film: ''

Civil Brand ''Civil Brand'' is a 2002 feature film written by Preston A. Whitmore II and Joyce Renee Lewis, and directed by Neema Barnette. It features Da Brat, N'Bushe Wright, Mos Def, LisaRaye McCoy, and Monica Calhoun. The film is about a group of femal ...

'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''Quest to Ref'' * Lincoln Filmmaker Trophy: ''

The Riff ''The Riff'' was an Australian music video request television show that aired 6 days on Channel hosted by Billy Russell, Danny Clayton, Carissa Walford and Marty Smiley. The show ran from 2013 to 2015. See also * List of Australian music t ...

'' * Career Achievement Award: Robert Townsend * Best Performance by an Actress:

Monica Calhoun Monica Calhoun (born July 29, 1971) is an American film and television actress. Calhoun is best known for her roles in the films ''Bagdad Cafe'', ''The Players Club'', '' The Salon'', '' The Best Man'', and its sequel ''The Best Man Holiday''. Ca ...

, for ''

Pandora's Box Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology connected with the myth of Pandora in Hesiod's c. 700 B.C. poem ''Works and Days''. Hesiod reported that curiosity led her to open a container left in the care of her husband, thus releasing physi ...

'' * Rising Star Award:

Mekhi Phifer Mekhi Phifer (; born December 29, 1974) is an American actor. He portrayed Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama '' ER'' until 2008 and had a co-starring role opposite actor/rapper Eminem in the 2002 feature film '' 8 Mile''. He was ...

2003

* Blockbuster Award for Best Feature Film: '' All About You'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''

Swallow The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...

'' * Lincoln Filmmaker Trophy: ''Skin Deep'' * AOL Time Warner Innovator Award:

Russell Simmons Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons' ...

* AOL Time Warner Rising Star Award:

Gabrielle Union Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade ( Union; born October 29, 1972) is an American actress. Her career began in the 1990s, when she made dozens of appearances on television sitcoms, prior to landing supporting roles in 1999 teen films ''She's All That' ...

* Best Performance by an Actress: Janice Richardson*, for ''

Anne B. Real ''Anne B. Real'' is a 2003 Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Lisa France (writer), Lisa France and starring Janice Richardson, Carlos Leon, Ernie Hudson, and Sherri Saum. The film follows an asp ...

'' * Best Performance by an Actor: Steve White, for ''Skin Deep''

2004

* Time Warner Innovator Award:

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

* Rising Star Award:

Rosario Dawson Rosario Isabel Dawson (born May 9, 1979) is an American actress. She made her feature-film debut in the 1995 independent drama ''Kids''. Her subsequent film roles include '' He Got Game'' (1998), ''Josie and the Pussycats'' (2001), ''Men in Bl ...

* HBO Short Film Award: ''Time Out'' * Blockbuster Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Tie between ''

Love, Sex and Eating the Bones ''Love, Sex and Eating the Bones'' is a 2003 Canadian romantic comedy film directed and written by Sudz Sutherland featuring a mostly African American and Black Canadian leading cast. It premiered and played twice at the 2003 Toronto Internationa ...

'' and ''

Woman Thou Art Loosed ''Woman Thou Art Loosed'' is a 2004 American drama film directed by Michael Schultz and written by Stan Foster. It was produced by Stan Foster and Reuben Cannon. It is the 44th film or series directed by Schultz and is adapted from the self-h ...

'' * Best Performance by an Actress:

, for '' Out of Time'' * Best Performance by an Actor:

Chiwetel Ejiofor Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor ( ; born 10 July 1977) is a British actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a BAFTA Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, an NAACP Image Award, and nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy A ...

, for '' Dirty Pretty Things'' * Best Director: F. Gary Gray, for ''

The Italian Job ''The Italian Job'' is a 1969 British comedy caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film's plot centres around Cockney criminal Charlie Croker, rece ...

'' * Film of the Year: ''

The Fighting Temptations ''The Fighting Temptations'' is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, written by Elizabeth Hunter and Saladin K. Patterson, and distributed by Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. The main plot revolves around Darrin Hill (C ...

2005

* Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture: ''On the One'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''Shards'' * Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: ''One the One'' * The Filmmaker Trophy for Best Narrative Feature:

Mario Van Peebles Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957) is an American film director and actor best known for directing and starring in ''New Jack City'' in 1991 and '' USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'' in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin Va ...

* Voices of Color Best Documentary Award: ''

Bastards of the Party ''Bastards of the Party'' is a 2005 American documentary film directed by former Bloods gang-member Cle Shaheed Sloan, Cle Sloan and produced by Antoine Fuqua. The film explores the creation of two of Los Angeles's most notorious gangs, the Crips ...

'' * Melvin Van Peebles Trailblazer Award: Warrington Hudlin * Best Performance by an Actor: ''On the One''

2006

* Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture: '' My Brother'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''Pop Foul'' * Audience Award for Best U.S. Feature: '' Dirty Laundry'' * Voices of Color Best Documentary Award: ''If I Die Tonight'' * Founder’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Cinema: Christopher Scott, for ''My Brother'' * Define Luxury Commercial Contest Winner: ''Award Show''

2007

* Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture presented by

Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

: ''

South of Pico ''South of Pico'' is a 2007 drama film written and directed by Ernst Gossner set in Los Angeles. Plot In present-day Los Angeles, a chauffeur, a waitress, a doctor and a young boy each deal with life’s daily challenges. They find themselves a ...

'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary: ''Back to our Roots'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay presented by Allstate: ''Mansfield 12'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor: Henry Simmons * Grand Jury Prize for Best Director: Craig Ross, Jr. * Audience Award for Best U.S. Feature: ''I’m Through With White Girls'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''The Second Coming'' * Allstate Beyond February "Be Reel" Contest Winner: ''Give Along the Way'' * Heineken Red Star Award: ''

2008

* Grand Jury Prize for Best Film: ''The Abduction of Jesse Bookman'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor: Mel Jackson for ''The Abduction of Jesse Bookman'' * HBO Short Film Award: ''Premature'' * The Best Documentary presented by BET J: ''Slaying Goliath'' * Allstate Beyond February "Be Reel" Contest Winner: ''The Lucky Suit'' *

Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...

Filmmaker Award for Inspiration to Dream in Color: ''Pip & Zastrow'' * Heineken* Red Star Award: ''L.A. Proper''

2009

* HBO Short Film Award: ''The Roe Effect'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature: ''

Mississippi Damned ''Mississippi Damned'' is a 2009 American drama film directed by Tina Mabry and starring Tessa Thompson, D. B. Woodside, Malcolm Goodwin, Malcolm David Kelley and Michael Hyatt. The film was written and directed by Tina Mabry, based on her life ...

'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary: Kirk Fraser, for ''

Len Bias Leonard Kevin Bias (November 18, 1963June 19, 1986) was an American college basketball player who attended the University of Maryland. During his four years playing for Maryland, he was named a first-team All-American. Two days after being selec ...

'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor:

Tessa Thompson Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica College. She appeared in productions of '' The Tempest ...

, for '' Mississippi Damned'' * Allstate Beyond February "Be Reel" Film Award: ''The Broken Sole'' * Film Life’s Star Project Winners Best Actress: Khalilah Joi Dubose * Film Life’s Star Project Winners Best Actor: Bechir Sylvain * ABFF Audience Award Winner: ''

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

2010

* HBO Short Film Competition: ''Stag & Doe'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor:

Golden Brooks Golden Brooks is an American actress. She began her career with starring role in the Showtime comedy series, ''Linc's'' (1998–2000), and later has appeared in films ''Timecode'' (2000) and ''Impostor'' (2001). From 2000 to 2008, Brooks st ...

, for her role in ''The Inheritance'' * Grand Jury Prize for Best Film: ''

Legacy In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property. Legacy or legacies may refer ...

'' * 2010 ABFF Star Project Winners: Emayatzy Corinealdi and Stephen Hill * Rising Icon Award:

Chrisette Michele Chrisette Michele Payne (born December 8, 1982) is an American R&B and soul singer. She won a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2009 for her song " Be OK" (featuring will.i.am). She was previously signed to Motown Record ...

* Career Achievement Award:

Lee Daniels Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter. His first producer credit was ''Monster's Ball'' (2001), for which Halle Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress, making Daniels ...

Influence

Numerous Hollywood insiders, including director

Antoine Fuqua Antoine Fuqua (born May 30, 1965) is an American filmmaker, known for his work in the action and thriller genres. He was originally known as a director of music videos, and made his film debut in 1998 with ''The Replacement Killers''. His critica ...

(Director of ‘’

Training Day ''Training Day'' is a 2001 American crime thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Ayer. It stars Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris and Ethan Hawke as Jake Hoyt, two LAPD narcotics officers over a 24-hour period in the gang- ...

’’) and Charlie Jordan Brookins of

MTV Films MTV Entertainment Studios is the film and television production arm of MTV Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Founded in 1991 as MTV Productions, it is a consolidation of the former MTV ...

have endorsed the festival, as well as rapper/actor

Common Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally com ...

who has stated that, " ’s a good vehicle to get out great art that we... want the world to see."

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official WebsiteRules and Eligibility (webarchive 23rd December 2016)
American film awards Film festivals in Florida African-American film festivals African Americans in Florida 1997 establishments in Florida Film festivals established in 1997