This year’s 24th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) which took place virtually online from from August 21-30 closed with The Best Of The ABFF Awards hosted by Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker
Curtis directed by Chris Bailey won the Jury Award – Best US Narrative Feature. The film starring Dwight Henry, Alex Henderson, Thaddeus Street, tells the story of a former basketball star who suffering from schizophrenia, is trigged down a dark path when he discovers his championship ring is missing.
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back directed by John Carluccio won the Jury Award – Best Documentary. The documentary film is an intimate portrait of an outspoken showman who with humor and grace has navigated the highs and lows of a seven-decade career, and a complex relationship with his superstar brother.
Khaled Ridgeway’s Death of A Telemarketer about a smooth-talking telemarketer (Lamorne Morris) who finds himself at the mercy of a father and his son (Oscar Nominees Jacky Earle Haley, Haley Joel Osment) he tried to swindle, was voted fan favorite movie
The first ever John Singleton Director Award for Best First Feature went to Solomon Onita, Jr for Tazmanian Devil, and Hisonni Johnson was named Best Director for Take Out Girl.
Winners of 2020 American Black Film Festival
HBO Short Film Competition
Dolapo Is Fine, directed by Ethosheia Hylton, screenplay by Joan Iyiola, Chibundu Onuzo
Jury Award – Best Director
Hisonni Johnson, Take Out Girl
John Singleton Director Award for Best First Feature
Solomon Onita, Jr, Tazmanian Devil
Jury Award – Best US Narrative Feature
Curtis, directed and written by Chris Bailey, produced by Kimberly Hwang, Chelsea Davenport and Desi Bee Richardson
Jury Award – Best Screenplay
Addison Henderson, G.O.D – Givers of Death
Jury Award – Best International Narrative Feature
The New Normal (Nigeria), directed by Teniola Olatoni, written by Tunde Babalola, produced by Sourmash Stories
Jury Award – Best Documentary
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, directed by John Carluccio, written by Tracy E. Hopkins
Jury Award – Best Web Series
Loving in America, directed by Jason Gudasz, written by Bianca Cristovao
Fan Favorite Movie
Death of A Telemarketer, directed by Khaled Ridgeway, produced by Datari Turner, Meagan Good, James J. Yi