The 2015 Urbanworld Film Festival was hosted by film ambassador, Tyrese Gibson. The festival ran Sept. 23-27.
It opened with BET biography “Muhammad Ali: The People’s Champ” and close with “A Ballerina’s Tale,” the documentary that centers on American Ballet Theater principal dancer Misty Copeland. The two films were part of a full slate of more than 80 films, including shorts, that made up the 19th annual New York festival, presented by BET Networks with HBO.
Clarence “Coodie” Simmons and Chike Ozah’s “The People’s Champ” aims to showcase Ali’s boxing skills and his activism to a millenial audience, and will feature interviews with Laila Ali, Ludacris, Sugar Ray Leonard, Billie Jean King and Common, among many others. Meanwhile, Nelson George’s “Ballerina’s Tale,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, chronicles Copeland professional triumphs as well as her recovery from a painful injury.
Spotlight films include Marc Silver’s “3 1/2 minutes, 10 Bullets,” a documentary about a 2012 shooting; Bobbito Garcia’s “Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives,” about the titular hip-hop radio show; and Trey Haley’s mystery “The Man in 3B.”
I'm so looking forward to Film Life’s 17th Annual American Black Film Festival
(ABFF). I will be providing you with updates about the official slate of films, including Opening and
Closing Night screenings, Gala screenings along with selections for the
Narrative Features Competition, HBO® Short Film Competition
and CNN Films Documentary Competition. The Festival will be held in
Miami Beach, FL, June 19-23, 2013. (Click here for a full schedule of events and to buy tickets.)
The ABFF film program is primarily composed of world premieres
of narrative, documentary and short films. As such, it is the leading
film festival in the world for African American and urban content. Since
its inception, the ABFF has showcased more than 600 films, rewarding
and redefining artistic excellence in independent filmmaking.
With diversity and social responsibility at its core, the
festival supports aspiring actors, filmmakers and industry executives in
unprecedented ways, and has generated a tremendous amount of goodwill
in Hollywood. In addition to its cinematic showcases, the ABFF nurtures
its attendees in a variety of disciplines, offering panel discussions,
workshops and symposiums hosted by leading media companies. Upscale
entertainment and exclusive social events complete the festival
experience.
Check out my clip from the 2011 ABFF Opening Night Event with Robert Townsend:
The festival program continues to grow by adding innovative
programs and activities. In 2010, the ABFF introduced the Pro-Hollywood
Initiative, a pilot program designed to give professional athletes a
crash course in the art of moviemaking and introduce them to the various
disciplines and careers in the film business. 2011 ushered in the gmc
Television Network Faith & Family Screenplay Competition, which
offers writers a chance to be discovered and their work optioned. A new
mobile entertainment section was launched at the 16th ABFF, to showcase
quality short form content ideal for distribution via the internet and
mobile devices.
Each year, the ABFF attracts approximately 5,000 artists,
executives and film fans, providing a strategic vehicle for companies to
reach this trendsetting and influential audience. Top-tier corporations
have engaged in partnerships with the festival to promote their
products, services, multicultural initiatives and branded entertainment
content. This support fuels the growth of the festival and furthers the
evolution of the Black independent film community. HBO is the
festival's founding sponsor.
