UPDATED from our original announcement of ABFF’s lineup
ABFF is not playing when it comes to its 30th anniversary celebration.
The American Black Film Festival just unveiled an additional slate of speakers, screenings, conversations, and immersive experiences for its 2026 “Homecoming” celebration, and the lineup is stacked with some of the biggest names across television, film, sports, and culture.
New additions include Debbie Allen, Courtney Kemp, Mario Van Peebles, Michelle Buteau, Dawn Staley, Ben Watkins, and more, joining what is already shaping up to be one of the festival’s biggest years yet.
From conversations around Black television and cultural preservation to exclusive previews, world premieres, and immersive branded activations, ABFF’s “Homecoming” theme feels intentional. And as someone who’s attended before, this honestly feels like one of those years people are going to talk about long after the festival wraps.
Here’s every newly announced event and addition added to the lineup:
From Story to Impact: Black Queer Stories and Allyship Driving Culture and Change
Presented by GLAAD
A conversation focused on Black queer storytelling, HIV awareness, and the role of media in reshaping narratives around identity, care, and cultural impact.
Built First: How Legacy Is Created — A Conversation with Dawn Staley
Presented by Ally Financial
A fireside chat featuring Dawn Staley centered on leadership, legacy-building, and what it means to go first before systems and industries catch up.
Panelist: Dawn Staley
Moderated by Jack Howard, Head of Money Wellness at Ally Financial.
HIGH TEA, BEYOND THE GATES — An Immersive Panel Experience
Presented by CBS
An intimate, immersive conversation with the cast and creative team of Beyond the Gates, exploring storytelling, collaboration, and the cultural impact of the daytime series.
Panelists include Clifton Davis, Daphnée Duplaix, and executive producer Sheila Ducksworth.
Moderated by Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i, Executive Vice President of Content Engagement, Partnerships & Strategy at Paramount TV Media.
From Stage to Screen: Aleshea Harris on Directing Is God Is
Presented by Amazon MGM Studios
A deep dive with playwright and filmmaker Aleshea Harris on adapting her award-winning play Is God Is into her feature directorial debut.
Netflix’s Celebration of Black Television Panel
Presented by Netflix
A major multi-generational conversation on the future of Black television, featuring creatives and talent across some of Netflix’s most anticipated projects.
Panelists include:
Debbie Allen, Felicia Pride, Courtney Kemp, Mario Van Peebles, Michelle Buteau, Amy Aniobi, Tani Marole, Crystle Stewart, Taylor Polidore Williams, Maleah Joi Moon, and Nina Parker (moderator).
Projects represented include A Different World, Nemesis, Survival of the Thickest, and Beauty in Black.
10 Years of Collecting and Preserving Black Film at NMAAHC
Presented by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
A look at a decade of preserving Black visual history through film, video, and sound, and the ongoing importance of archival work in shaping cultural memory.
Panelists include LaCharles Ward, Ph.D., Supervisory Curator of Photography and Film and Director of the Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Ina Archer, Media Conservation and Digitization Specialist at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and Dr. Terri Francis, Associate Professor of Cinematic Arts at the University of Miami.
Storyteller Unleashed: The Creative Powerhouse Behind Your Favorite Amazon MGM Originals
Presented by Amazon MGM Studios
A conversation with Ben Watkins on building television at scale, including Cross and upcoming projects like The Greatest.
Kanan’s Evolution: An Inside Look at Season Five of Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Presented by STARZ
A preview of the final season of the series, featuring Mekai Curtis, London Brown, and additional cast members TBD as they unpack the show’s concluding chapter.
Thought She Was The One — World Premiere
Directed by T.I.
A world premiere screening of the new ensemble film following a group of friends whose annual getaway unravels after unexpected revelations surface.
Immersive Brand Activations Across the Festival
ABFF is also expanding its experiential programming with brand activations including:
- Ally Cinematic Lounge (Ally Financial)
- Beauty Scene featuring The Doux Block Party (Walmart)
- Welcome Home experience (Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture)
- Lexus Culinary Experience and Snap Studio activations
The festival takes place May 27–31 in Miami Beach, across venues including the New World Center and Miami Beach Convention Center.
With this latest expansion, ABFF’s 30th anniversary is shaping up to be a full-scale cultural takeover, blending film, television, legacy, and experiential storytelling into one of its most ambitious editions yet.