We’re only a few days away from the 28th Annual American Black Film Festival, which made headlines with its appointment of Issa Rae as Creative Director ahead of this year’s festivities June 12-16 in Miami Beach.
As Creative Director, Rae worked closely with ABFF co-founders/producers, Nicole and Jeff Friday, to put together the star-studded festival lineup headlined by Denzel Washington while embodying the festival’s mission of showcasing Black talent and discovering new voices.
“I’m honored to join Nice Crowd [formerly ABFF Ventures] as Creative Director for the 2024 American Black Film Festival,” said Rae in a statement. “As one of the first major festivals to showcase my work, ABFF continues to elevate Black creatives from the ground up, and I’m excited to join its co-founders and producers, Nicole and Jeff Friday, in that mission.”
Packed with informative panels, world premiere screenings, and exclusive networking opportunities, ABFF continues to attract dynamic dot-connectors, tastemakers, and creatives for premier experiences like this year’s Cadillac Lounge featuring buzzy performances, engaging conversations and more.
Located at the Fillmore Miami Beach, the Cadillac Lounge will be a “dynamic space for ABFF guests to relax, recharge, and enjoy exclusive performances by top-tier musical guests, live recordings of the popular Ratchet & Respectable podcast hosted by Demetria L. Lucas, engaging conversations with cultural leaders, and more,” per the press release.
In celebration of Black Music Month, Cadillac’s film score-inspired Music In Motion experience (curated by Feel the SPACE) will feature intimate performances by Grammy-winning singer Lucky Daye and rising star KIRBY.
Leading up to the performances, popular author, relationship guru and podcaster Demetria L. Lucas will host Cadillac-sponsored cultural conversations with inspiring voices like Jessica Nabongo–the first Black woman to travel to every country in the world, P-Valley star Nicco Annan, and renowned art collectors Sol Apante, Jennia Freirique Aponte and Dawn Limerick.
Festival goers will also have the opportunity to drive Cadillac’s growing fleet of all-electric vehicles including the LYRIQ, Escalade IQ and OPTIQ at ride-and-drive experiences outside the venue.
“We’re thrilled to present cinematically inspired experiences at the festival,” said Juanita Slappy, Head of Multicultural Marketing at Cadillac.
“The Cadillac Lounge at ABFF will cultivate conversations with cultural thought leaders and innovators, feature two incredible live performances celebrating Black Music Month, host live podcast recordings, and showcase our electric vehicle lineup including LYRIQ test drives. These experiences will spotlight Cadillac’s authentic connection to culture and the innovative spirit of our electric vehicles.”
To sign up for the ride-and-drive/RSVP for the Cadillac Lounge, click here.