ABFF Ventures, the company behind the
American Film Festival (ABFF), is rebranding as Nice Crowd . The company founded by CEO Jeff Friday and president Nicole Friday is kicking off their 27th annual ABFF in Miami Beach this week and is expanding their event offerings to include comedy, health & wellness, food and fine arts. Launching in October in
Washington, D.C., the first event under the Nice Crowd banner will be Because They’re Funny (BTF), a new
comedy festival showcasing comedic talent within BIPOC communities. Related Story Comedian Deon Cole To Host 2023 American Black Film Festival Honors “We are so thrilled to announce our new comedy festival, Because They’re Funny, which launches in Washington, DC, the hometown of many of today’s most beloved comedians of color,” the Fridays said in a statement. “While we proudly reflect on this festival and the company’s many accomplishments over the years, we look forward to an even brighter future, with even more incredible event offerings, as Nice Crowd.” The American Black Film Festival was founded in 1997 and showcases Black filmmakers, actors, writers and stand-up comedians. Opening night selections for this year includes the satirical conspiracy caper film They Cloned Tyrone from
Netflix, which stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx. Later this year in
London and running between September 1-3, the ABFF Global Film Series will host “an international screening series promoting the universal appeal of Black content while encouraging collaboration between artists throughout the African Diaspora.” The sixth annual ABFF Honors are scheduled to be held in March 2024 in L.A. to celebrate “Black artists who have made significant contributions to American entertainment through their work as well as those who champion diversity and inclusion in Hollywood.” Past recipients of the accolade include Denzel Washington, Ava DuVernay, Regina King,
Tiffany Haddish, Ryan Coogler, Don Cheadle, Will Packer,
Queen Latifah, Lena Waithe, Terrence Howard, F. Gary Gray, Billy Dee Williams, Issa Rae, Omari Hardwick, Louis Gossett, Jr., the late Diahann Carroll, Janelle Monáe, Kerry Washington, and the cast of classic films and television shows including Martin , The Wire ,
Hollywood Shuffle , Eve’s Bayou , and Love Jones .