MIAMI – The American Black Film Festival is back in Miami, bringing A-list actors and directors to the Magic City.
Not only are movies and shows premiering this weekend from recognizable names, but newcomers as well.
Local 10 entertainment reporter Alexis Frazier got to speak with a Miami native who is planning on making her mark and the Oscar winner who is changing the conversation about hair.
The 27th annual event empowers black artists, showcasing a wide range of entertainment content.
“This is such a crucial space for black filmmakers. This is where I started, where Ryan Coogler started,” Ava Duvernay said.
The festival brings together black culture enthusiasts, executives and content creators from around the world for five days of screenings, talk events and high-powered networking.
“They always have an A-rate experience,” Oscar winner Matthew Cherry said.
Cherry says this is where his book “Hair Love” first got recognized.
He turned it into a short, which earned him his first Oscar, and now he’s continuing the story with a show called “Young Love,” about a millennial couple who hasn’t achieved their dreams just yet and are raising a daughter.
“It’s a multigenerational story,” Cherry said. “We will introduce some grandparents in there, too. It’s really something the entire family can watch and hopefully see themselves in various characters.”
Also premiering at the festival is “Chidera” — a short film that was written, produced and co-directed by Miami native Spoe Aluko.
It’s a coming-of-age story about a teenage girl who was born with locks in her hair.
“That is real in our culture,” Aluko said. “So children who are born with locked hair are considered spiritual beings, just like Samson from the Bible, and they have gifts -- either gifts of vision or prophecy or healing. It’s something very much involved in our culture but they don’t talk about it.”
That is, until now.
Aluko has had many career changes before this moment and is ready for the world to see it.
ABFF has live screenings from Wednesday, June 14 through Sunday, June 18, then streaming on ABFF Play from Monday, June 19 through Sunday, June 25 so you still have time to make it to some screenings.
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