SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
BREAK IT DOWN: HOW TO BRING ANY SCRIPT TO LIFE MASTERCLASS
Presented by New York Film Academy (NYFA)
11:00 am
Learn how to creatively and efficiently break down a script or audition sides so you can sharpen your service as a storyteller in this masterclass with NYFA instructor and actor Gerrard James! We will learn how to ask and answer the right questions so the script can activate your imagination, and also learn how to start embodying the text so you can believably live within its world.
CREATIVE STORYTELLING AND THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS AND CONTENT
Presented by Ally
2:15 pm
In today’s world, athletes and entertainers aren’t just performing — they’re producing, investing, and owning their stories. This fireside chat explores the intersection of sports, film and finance: how storytelling can be a tool for empowerment, education and wealth building. From films that reshape public perception to business ventures that secure financial independence, we’ll unpack how today’s athletes and creatives are transforming their platforms into legacies of ownership and impact. Featuring Syd Colson and Theresa Plaisance (TP).
Moderated by: Jack Howard, Head of Money Wellness, Ally Financial
LOVE OFFSIDE
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NARRATIVE FEATURE | JAMAICA | 105 min
4:50 pm
When an undervalued physical therapist secretly takes on a famous rugby player’s recovery using a bold mix of Jamaican herbal remedies and modern therapy, she risks her career—and her heart—in a fight to prove her worth.
Director: Dale S. Lewis | Writer: Daneil Campbell, Jeanette Milio | Producers: Kimala Bennett, Melissa Llewellyn, Lorisa Bates, Tashara Lee Johnson, Judi Johnson, Victoria Rowell, Mike Merrill | Cast: Judi Johnson, Mike Merrill, Victoria Rowell, Sundra Oakley, Carli McIntrye, Tosh Alexander
2025 HBO® SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
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SHORT FILMS | 78 min
8:30 pm
The 2025 HBO Short Film Showcase spotlights the five finalists from the 29th American Black Film Festival, selected from a pool of thousands. Together, these films reflect the vitality, humor, and complexity of contemporary Black storytelling.
The program features the following lineup: ADO (Written by Sam Henderson and Ryan Romine; Directed by Sam Henderson), AA Beauty Supply in Queens (Written by Princess Adenike; Directed by Oluseyi Olatujoye and Princess Adenike), In Good Hands (Written by Yasmine Crawley; Directed by Nick Buchheit), ManBooBs (Written and Directed by Luke Harris), and Last Hoorah at G-Baby’s (Written and Directed by DeeDee Casimir).
Following the screenings, filmmakers Princess Adenike and Sam Henderson will join in conversation.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16
THE FISHERMAN
NARRATIVE FEATURE | FAMILY FRIENDLY | GHANA | 106 min
1:00 pm
(Winner, 2025 American Black Film Festival Best Narrative Feature and Best Director)
In Zoey Martinson’s award-winning feast of magical realist comedy, aging Ghanaian Atta Oko sets his sights on finally having his own boat and becoming the envy of his village; he’ll just need help from a talking dead fish first.
Director: Zoey Martinson | Writer: Zoey Martinson | Producers: Kofi Owusu Afriyie, Korey Jackson | Executive Producer: Yvonne Orji | Cast: Ricky Adelayitar, Endurance Grand, William Lamptey, Kiki Romi, Adwoa Akoto, Dulo Harris
Tickets $12 + fees via Eventbrite
FATHERLESS NO MORE
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE | USA | 86 min
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4:00 pm
Fatherless No More chronicles the remarkable journey of an Orlando-based pastor and former Super Bowl Champion who was driven by a divine calling to move into an RV at a place often deemed hell on earth, Rikers Island. Talkback to follow with director/producer Kayla Johnson.
Director: Kayla Johnson, Co-director Ashly Robinson | Producers: Cole Anthony, Cece Winans, Ashly Robinson, Kayla Johnson, Michelle Duffie | Cast: Tim Johnson, Malik Bacchus, Jayden Mayo, and Tristian Williams
Tickets: $12 + fees via Eventbrite
THE LATE NIGHT CREEP
NARRATIVE FEATURE | USA | 96 min
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6:45 pm
For a married man, date night without the wife can be hell.
Director: Jamal Dedeaux | Writer: Jamal Dedeaux | Producers: Rebecca T. Haze | Cast: Jake Choi, Tosin Morohunfola, Karen Obilom, Siddiq Sanderson, Ali Gallo, Jason Mitchell, Leslie Jones
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