Release

THE 20th ANNIVERSARY AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL MAKES AN ENCORE DURING THE 2016 BET EXPERIENCE @ L.A. LIVE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA® JUNE 24-26

ABFF Encore at BET Experience Will Include Master Classes from Industry Veterans Kenya Barris, Robert Townsend and Tasha Smith

Los Angeles, June 9, 2016 – Today BET Networks and the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced ABFF Encore at BET Experience, a programming partnership to be unveiled at the 2016 BET Experience @ L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® June 24-26. ABFF Encore at BET Experience will feature select films from the 2016 ABFF, along with master classes in a variety of disciplines including acting, directing and producing. The inaugural event will be held at the L.A. LIVE complex during the BET Experience, a four-day weekend showcasing the best in music, comedy, and entertainment culminating with the 16th annual “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at Microsoft Theater.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with BET beyond the ABFF Awards, and present ABFF Encore in conjunction with the BET Experience 2016. This collaboration allows us to further celebrate and showcase the work of ABFF 2016 filmmakers and content creators,” said Jeff Friday, ABFF Founder and CEO.

As one of the leading film festivals in the world, the ABFF is committed to presenting quality films by and about people of African descent. Founded in 1997, this world class event has served as a vehicle to promote diversity and provide a platform for excellence within the film and television industry. This collaboration between ABFF and BET Networks – which also celebrates the wide-ranging talent of people of color – will provide attendees high-level access to the wealth of artistry that exists within this filmmaking community.

"We are thrilled to once again partner with ABFF to showcase the tremendous work and achievements of people of African descent, “said Richard Gay, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Operations at BET Networks. “It is our shared commitment to provide opportunities to people of color both in front of and behind the camera that makes this one of a kind partnership at the BET Experience so significant.”

ABFF Encore at BET Experience will commence on Friday, June 24th with the invite-only ABFF Winners Reception, to be hosted by ABFF’s founder, Jeff Friday, and will honor and recognize ABFF award-winning filmmakers. Other weekend events will include “The Ultimate Pitch” master class instructed by producer Robert Townsend and “Tasha Smith’s Actors Workshop” instructed by actress and producer Tasha Smith, as well as moderated ABFF Encore at BET Experience screenings followed by talk-back sessions with filmmakers.

ABFF ENCORE at BET Experience Schedule of Events

Saturday, June 25

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.            Robert Townsend’s The Ultimate Pitch / Master Class

                                                Instructed by Robert Townsend

                                                Venue: JW Marriott /Georgia Room  

1:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.              How To Tell You’re A Douchebag (Screening)

                                                Tahir Jetter (Director)

                                                Regal LA Live Stadium 14

3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.              The Life of a Showrunner / Master Class

                                                Speaker: Kenya Barris (Creator, “Blackish”)

                                                Venue: JW Marriott /Georgia Room              

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.              Destined (Screening)

                                                Qasim Basir (Director)

                                                Regal LA Live Stadium 14

8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.            Everything But A Man

                                                Nnegest Likke (Director)

                                                Regal LA Live Stadium 14

Sunday, June 26

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.            Tasha Smith’s Actors Workshop

                                                Instructed by Tasha Smith

                                                Venue: JW Marriott /Georgia Room

To purchase tickets to ABFF ENCORE at BET Experience, visit BETExperience.com.

For a limited time, download the BETX ’16 app powered by AT&T and register to receive a FREE day pass for all three ABFF Encore at BET Experience Film Screenings.

Join the conversation on social media by logging on to ABFF’s multiple social media platforms:

• On Twitter by using hashtag: #ABFF20, #ABFFENCORE @ABFF

• On Facebook by liking the fan page, American Black Film Festival

• On Instagram by liking the fan page at Instagram.com/AmericanBlackFilmFestival

• On YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-GzePGxJt8ZzbuLLL8ESVg

General tickets for the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® are now on sale. Single day STAPLES Center show tickets are priced as low as $49.50, while 3-day STAPLES Center concert ticket packages start at $148.50. Tickets will be available at http://www.axs.com/betexperience.

VIP Packages for the BET Experience weekend are now on-sale. In addition to VIP amenities throughout the weekend and incredible seats for the STAPLES Center shows, three levels of BETX VIP Packages offer guests the only opportunity to purchase tickets to the highly anticipated BET Awards, broadcast live from Microsoft Theater. The 1,000+ VIP Packages sold out in 2015, so guests are encouraged to purchase now before the allotment is depleted. Full package amenities and pricing for the Diamond, Platinum and Gold VIP Packages can be found by visiting BETExperience.com or by calling (877) 234-8425. 

For more information on ABFF Encore at BET Experience, download the BETX '16 app powered by AT&T, the #1 source for everything BETX, including real-time event updates, full schedules, daily prizes, live streams and much more.  Follow BET Experience on Twitter @betexperience for the latest and greatest and join the conversation by using #BETX. Feel free to also check us out online at http://www.betexperience.com.

ABOUT ABFF

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. The festival is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday, conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry, and strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, the ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new Black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures, LLC., which is a partnership between Film Life, Inc. and Black Enterprise.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B sted NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA®

BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, and AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and developer/operator of L.A. LIVE, have teamed up once again to create the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 23 - 26, 2016 presented by Coca-Cola®. This four-day festival will be filled with music and comedy concerts taking place at The Novo by Microsoft and STAPLES Center; FREE BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special appearances. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at Microsoft Theater.

About AEG

AEG is the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation, owns, operates or consults with a collection of companies including over 100 of the world’s preeminent facilities such as STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, CA), StubHub Center (Carson, CA), PlayStation Theater (Times Square, New York), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China),  Qudos Bank Arena (Sydney, Australia), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Berlin, Germany), and The O2 arena and entertainment district (London, England).  Developed by AEG, L.A. LIVE is a 4 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports, & entertainment district featuring Microsoft Theater and a 54-story, 1001-room convention "headquarters" destination.  In addition to overseeing privately held management shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, assets of AEG Sports include franchises such as the LA Kings, LA Galaxy and the Amgen Tour of California cycling stage race.  Along with AEG Facilities, other global divisions include AEG Live, the world’s second largest concert promotion and touring companies comprised of touring, festival, exhibition, broadcast, merchandise and special event divisions and AEG Global Partnerships, responsible for worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships, naming rights and other strategic partnerships.  In 2010, AEG launched its AEG 1EARTH environmental program featuring the industry's first sustainability report while in 2011, AEG introduced AXS a comprehensive entertainment platform serving as the company’s primary consumer brand including AXS Ticketing which provides fans the opportunity to purchase tickets directly from their favorite venues via a user-friendly ticketing interface, Examiner.com and the AXS TV network, a linear cable channel focusing on live entertainment and lifestyle programming available in nearly 40 million homes. AEG’s European headquarters are located in London.  Global headquarters are in Los Angeles.  For more information, visit: www.aegworldwide.com


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CONTACTS

ABFF:

Michelle Huff Elliott, Simone Smalls

Strategic Heights Media

Info@strategicheights.com

212-634-7176

BET Networks:

Danielle Davis

Danielle.Spigner@bet.net

212-205-3028

Terrece Walker

Terrece.Walker@bet.net

212-205-3264