The American Black Film Festival 2020 (ABFF) has been postponed from June to October due to COVID-19. The 24th annual film festival was intended to take place from June 17-21. However it has been pushed to October 21-25 in Miami.
The news was announced Tuesday.
“ABFF is a destination event that attracts participants from around the world. Which is why we made the difficult but necessary decision to postpone the 24th American Black Film Festival,” said ABFF Ventures CEO Jeff Friday. “While we remain committed to providing a program for storytellers who rely on ABFF to showcase their work, at this time, our main priority is the health of our staff, attendees, and corporate partners.”
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The decision to postpone was made based on guidance from the CDC, National Institutes of Health, and with the support of leading sponsors. On their website, it read:
Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our community, including our attendees and staff.
With the support of our partners, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to postpone the 24th American Black Film Festival to October 21 – 25, 2020. All existing passes, master class tickets, sponsorship arrangements and bookings will roll over and remain valid for the October event.
We remain committed to continuing our 24-year legacy of being a place of inspiration and community for artists and content creators, and look forward to another successful festival in Miami Beach this fall.
We thank you for your patience and for putting your trust in us as we work through these challenging circumstances.
Please check www.abff.com for further updates.
Stay safe and take care,
The ABFF Team
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Their decision was praised by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, whose President and CEO William D. Talbert, III said:
The GMCVB is proud to have a long-standing partnership with ABFF. We applaud the ABFF for being proactive during this global health pandemic. And for their commitment of rescheduling the festival back in Miami at a later date. As a premiere global events town, Greater Miami looks forward to the opportunity to roll out the red carpet and welcome ABFF.
This year will introduce the John Singleton Award for Best First Feature Film. Also the ABFF will introduce the “ABFF Fit”. It is the festival’s new health and wellness initiative programming. Lastly, the ABFF Pride. It is a social impact showcase that is centered on the Black LGBTQIA community. Mary J. Blige will serve as their 2020 ambassador.