Festival to Close in Historic Overtown Featuring The HBO® Short Film Award Showcase and the Marsai Martin-Led Girl Dad Screening

The 2026 American Black Film Festival (ABFF), celebrating its 30th anniversary under the theme “Homecoming,” will conclude its five-day celebration with its annual Community Day, presented in partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. The event will take place on Sunday, May 31, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM at The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater (819 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33136) in Historic Overtown. Open to the public, Community Day brings together festival attendees and the broader community for a dynamic afternoon of film screenings, a vendor marketplace, and curated cultural experiences. To reserve your spot, please click HERE.

This year’s program will feature the HBO® Short Film Award Showcase, along with an encore presentation of the world premiere film Girl Dad, written and directed by Solvan Slick Naim and starring Marsai Martin and Courtney B. Vance, and produced by Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Phil Thornton, Marsai Martin, and Josh Martin. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with members of the cast and creative team, including Marsai Martin.

“It’s one of the most meaningful aspects of the festival for us,” said Jeff Friday, Cofounder & CEO of NICE CROWD and Founder of ABFF. “We truly value our partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau in bringing this experience to the community. It reflects our ongoing commitment to making the festival more accessible across Greater Miami creating space for audiences to engage with the work, the culture, and the community in a way that’s open, inclusive, and aligned with what ABFF stands for.”

“Community Day at the American Black Film Festival in Historic Overtown is incredibly important because it ensures that the power of storytelling, film, and culture is not only showcased, but also shared directly with the community that embodies so much of Miami’s rich heritage. It creates an accessible space where residents, families, and emerging creatives can engage with the arts and be inspired by the possibilities within the film industry,” stated Connie Kinnard, SVP, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Following is the schedule of live 2025 ABFF Community Day events. For times, locations and more details, visit www.ABFF.com.

Sunday, May 31, 2026:

12:30 PM – HBO® Short Film Award Showcase
Now in its 29th year, the HBO® Short Film Award is one of the most prestigious short-film showcases in the world. Each year, five exceptional filmmakers are selected as finalists, with one Grand Prize winner receiving the HBO® Short Film Award and a $10,000 cash prize. The four remaining finalists are each awarded $5,000. Join us to experience this year’s standout films and discover the next generation of visionary storytellers. Featuring Jared Leaf (Spilled Milk), Modupe Thompson (Facade), Jeremiah Towolawi (The Truth About Space), Linda Lô (We Had Fun), Carlton Daniel Jr. (FLY).

3:00 PM – Girl Dad
A queer teenager (Marsai Martin) travels from Brooklyn to Los Angeles to spend the summer with her estranged father (Courtney B. Vance), a gifted composer she barely knows. As they attempt to bridge years of distance, an unexpected conflict brings underlying tensions to the surface, testing the limits of their connection. Q&A with the filmmakers and cast, including Marsai Martin.

For festival information please visit www.abff.com. Follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.

ABFF sponsors and partners to date are Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO® (Founding), Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) (Host), Ally Financial, Amazon MGM Studios, Comcast NBCUniversal, Walmart (Presenting), City of Miami Beach, American Airlines (Major), Netflix, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (Official), CBS, with the support of the Miami Beach Visitor And Convention Authority, Hartbeat, AARP, L’Oréal Groupe, STARZ, ESPN (Supporting), Motion Picture Association, Uber (Contributing), Nielsen, Fulton Films GA, The Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC) powered by AHF (Associate), Variety, LA Times, Getty Images (Media).

Additional details and programming announcements will be released in the coming weeks. For updates, visit www.nicecrowd.com and follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and Facebook.

To receive ABFF notifications by email, sign up HERE!

About the American Black Film Festival (ABFF)

Founded in 1997 by Jeff Friday, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a premier destination for film and television storytelling. Widely regarded as a key pipeline for emerging talent, ABFF has played a pivotal role in launching the careers of many of today’s most acclaimed filmmakers, actors, and creative voices. Each year, the festival brings together artists, industry leaders, and audiences from around the world for a five-day program of screenings, panels, masterclasses, and networking opportunities. The festival’s 30th anniversary edition will take place May 27–31, 2026, in Miami Beach.

About NICE CROWD
NICE CROWD is a pioneering live events company operating at the intersection of culture, entertainment, and tourism. Founded by Nicole and Jeff Friday, the company produces high-impact festivals, awards shows, and destination experiences in major U.S. cities and global markets. Guided by its philosophy, The Power of Gathering, NICE CROWD believes that when people come together, creativity flourishes, new voices are amplified, and meaningful connections are made. The company harnesses that energy to deliver culturally relevant experiences while generating measurable economic impact for its partners. Through expertise in event production, audience engagement, and strategic partnerships, NICE CROWD creates platforms that celebrate groundbreaking artists and innovators while connecting brands, media, and audiences in meaningful ways. www.nicecrowd.com

More information about the American Black Film Festival (ABFF): https://www.abff.com/miami/

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