Melanin magic permeated through the 6th Annual American Black Film Festival Honors: A Celebration of Black Excellence that brought out some our all-time faves for good vibes, flower-exchanges, and fellowship at the swanky SLS Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
Hosted by beloved actor/comedian Tommy Davidson, the extravagant affair honored Taraji P. Henson with the Excellence in the Arts Award (Female), Jeffrey Wright with the Excellence in the Arts Award (Male), Garrett Morris with the Hollywood Legacy Award, Mara Brock Akil with the Industry Visionary Award, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. with the Rising Star Award.
Oscar-nominated film American Fiction (directed by Cord Jefferson) won the ABFF Fan Favorite Movie Of The Year Winner in a stacked field of nominees including A Thousand and One (directed by A.V. Rockwell), Origin (directed by Ava DuVernay), The Color Purple (directed by Blitz Bazawule), They Cloned Tyrone (directed by Juel Taylor), and The Equalizer 3 (directed by Antoine Fuqua).
Move-making mogul Issa Rae, who was named Creative Director for the 2024 American Black Film Festival, headlined an impressive collection of presenters including Lamorne Morris and Leslie Jones (Presented to Garrett Morris), Wendell Pierce (Presented to Jeffrey Wright), Gina Prince-Bythewood (Presented to Mara Brock Akil), Tyrese (Presented to Taraji P. Henson), and David Oyelowo (Presented Movie of the Year).
Other notable attendees included performer Andra Day, Lisa Raye, Lamman Rucker, Yvonne Orji, Kenny and Faith Lattimore, Javicia Leslie, Elise Neal, Amanda Seales, and Chris and Vanessa Spencer.
Powered by Cadillac (and its next-level CELESTIQ step & repeat), Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Fulton Films, the star-studded event was a content-capturing dream with a stunning portrait studio.
Whew, we see you, Issa!
Source: Eric Ellis
Founded by Jeff Friday in 1997, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) continues to thrive as the leading festival showcasing Black storytelling. Since its inception, the ABFF has supported Friday’s conviction that Black artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts.
Source: Aaron Thornton
Having premiered the work and encouraged the careers of many of today’s most successful filmmakers and actors, the ABFF has become the standard-bearer of excellence for Black American creativity.