After being postponed to the fall, America Black Film Festival is now going virtual

ABFF(MIAMI BEACH) — The 24th annual American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach will be going virtual. ABFF Ventures announced on Thursday that it is moving the annual fest online, where it will now run from August 21 to 30 this year.

“While we will surely miss being with our ABFF community in Miami Beach this year and connecting in person, what truly binds us together is our shared commitment to ensure inclusion in Hollywood and sustaining a place of inspiration for diverse storytellers,” said ABFF Ventures CEO Jeff Friday said in a statement. “We will persevere through this year and end up a stronger community on the other side of this crisis.”

The virtual edition, which will be featured on abff.com, will host screenings of indie black cinema, studio premieres, conversations and panels, in addition to business of entertainment seminars and digital networking events.

Using the theme of “Community First!,” ABFF said it will dedicate the 2020 edition as a “platform for social change in response to the scourge of racial injustice in our country, as well as educate and support its community in an effort to help in its recovery from the coronavirus.”

As previously reported, Mary J. Blige is still expected to headline the event as this year’s ABFF Ambassador.

ABFF’s decision to go virtual comes after the fest’s original dates of June 17 to 21 were moved to October 21 to 25 amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19.

For more information for how to view the fest, go to ABFF.com.

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