Published on May 12th, 2024 | by Crystal Willis

The 2024 American Black Film Festival Announces Retrospective: Celebrating the Legacy of Denzel Washington

The 28th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) recently announced the Retrospective: Celebrating the Legacy of Denzel Washington program which will take place on Saturday, June 15. This distinguished program is the first of its kind, celebrating the careers of extraordinary Black artists. This year’s festival, which takes place live in Miami Beach June 12-16, followed by an online segment June 17-24 on ABFF PLAY, spotlights incredible emerging creatives in the filmmaking space.

“We are thrilled and honored to present Denzel Washington with the very first ABFF career retrospective,” said Jeff Friday, Founder & CEO of NICE CROWD. “Denzel has been a longtime supporter of ABFF having attended the festival in the early years, so it is truly a full circle moment for us to spotlight his career in this way.”

The Focus

This year’s “Retrospective” will take attendees on a journey through Academy Award-winning actor and director Denzel Washington’s cinematic legacy, showcasing his extraordinary talent and enduring impact on the film industry. The program will feature themed activations and screenings throughout the festival of some of his most iconic films, including Sony Pictures Entertainment’s/TriStar Pictures’ Devil in A Blue Dress culminating with a special tribute/onstage interview with Mr. Washington himself on closing night. The conversation will not only celebrate his achievements on screen but also his significant cultural impact off-screen as a director, producer, humanitarian, husband, and father.

The Denzel Washington Retrospective will inspire and enlighten the festival’s captive audience, offering a comprehensive look at the career of one of the most respected and talented artists of all time.

Stalwart for Diversity in Hollywood

ABFF has become a cornerstone for diversity in Hollywood showcasing Black creativity and stories through a one-of-a-kind platform for mainstream audiences and beyond. The 2024 festival will encompass diverse narrative and documentary filmmakers from the USA, Nigeria, France and Canada. In addition, the narrative features lineup includes an array of programming across genres – action, psychological thriller, romance, biography, drama, comedy, and coming-of-age stories that also depict culturally relevant themes such as mental health, trafficking, homelessness, gang violence, gentrification and LGBT advocacy.

ABFF sponsors and partners to date are Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO^® (Founding), Cadillac, Comcast NBCUniversal, Walmart, Ally (Presenting), City of Miami Beach, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), Sony Pictures Entertainment, TV One Networks, American Airlines, IMDbPro (Official), Amazon MGM Studios, Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority (MBVCA), Motion Picture Association (MPA), New World Symphony, STARZ (Supporting), A&E Network, Getty Images, NYFA, GLAAD, William Morris Endeavor (WME) (Industry), Variety, LA Times (Media).

About NICE CROWD
NICE CROWD, formerly ABFF Ventures, is a Los Angeles-based live events company that develops and produces properties in the arts, entertainment, lifestyle and wellness industries that showcase BIPOC culture and talent. The Company’s tentpole event is the American Black Film Festival, founded in 1997.

To learn more about NICE CROWD events, visit nicecrowd.com.

Photo credit: Brian Bowen Smith, Variety

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Tags: ABFF, American Black Film Festival, black filmmakers, Celebrities, Denzel Washington, film, HOLLYWOOD

About the Author

Crystal Willis Crystal Willis is an Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Entertainment Publicist and CEO of The Omni Firm. She is also a Transformational Life Coach and Founder of The Crysalis. Her personal story has been seen by millions of people on media outlets like Marie Claire Magazine, PBS, Blaze TV, Daily Signal and more.