The American Black Film Festival is wrapping its 30th-anniversary run with a hometown thank-you: a free Community Day in Historic Overtown on Sunday, May 31, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event, presented with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, will bring screenings, a vendor marketplace, and live conversations to the Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater. Headliners include the HBO Short Film Award Showcase and an encore screening of the Marsai Martin-starring feature Girl Dad, capped by a Q&A with members of the cast and creative team. Admission is free and open to the public, although organizers strongly suggest reserving a spot in advance.
HBO Short Films Take Center Stage
The day kicks off at 12:30 p.m. with the HBO® Short Film Award Showcase, a long-running competition that offers a $10,000 grand prize and four $5,000 finalist awards. According to ABFF, this year’s five finalists are Jared Leaf, Modupe Thompson, Jeremiah Towolawi, Linda Lô, and Carlton Daniel Jr., giving Miami audiences an early look at filmmakers the industry is already watching closely.
Girl Dad Encore Screening And Q&A
At 3 p.m., ABFF will roll out an encore of the world-premiere feature Girl Dad, written and directed by Solvan Slick Naim and produced by Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Phil Thornton, Marsai Martin, and Josh Martin, with Marsai Martin and Courtney B. Vance among the cast. Community Newspapers reports that the screening will be followed by a Q&A with members of the cast and creative team, giving local film fans a chance to hear directly from the people behind the movie. The encore is part of ABFF's weeklong Homecoming celebration across Miami Beach from May 27 to 31, 2026.
Why This Matters For Overtown
Behind the scenes, a roster of national partners helps make Community Day possible. ABFF lists sponsors including Walmart, Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO (Founding), American Airlines (Major), Ally Financial, and Netflix, which help underwrite the festival's community programming, according to ABFF. Jeff Friday, cofounder and CEO of NICE CROWD and founder of ABFF, said the Community Day "reflects our ongoing commitment to making the festival more accessible across Greater Miami," as reported by Community Newspapers. Connie Kinnard, the GMCVB's senior vice president for multicultural tourism and development, added that Community Day "creates an accessible space where residents, families, and emerging creatives can engage with the arts," according to the same announcement.
How To Get In
The Community Day event is free and open to everyone, but organizers ask guests to reserve a ticket on Eventbrite to secure entry. The Eventbrite listing notes that doors open at 12:00 p.m. and seating can be limited, so arriving early is a smart move. Attendees are encouraged to check the reservation page for any last-minute updates.
