American Black Film Festival 2027

The American Black Film Festival returns to Los Angeles for its 31st edition, running May 20 through 23, 2027. That's a meaningful milestone: after three decades as one of the entertainment industry's most closely watched film festivals, ABFF is now entering what its founders describe as its next chapter, and it's doing so from the center of the industry it helped shape.

This is one of the LA music festivals and cultural gatherings worth planning ahead for. ABFF isn't a passive screening series; it's a working festival where careers get launched and deals get made. Over 30 years, the festival has built a reputation for introducing talent that later became central to American film and television, and the 2027 edition looks to continue that work under a new Los Angeles footprint.

The Venues

The festival spreads across several of the city's recognizable spaces. AMC The Grove handles film screenings, while SLS Beverly Hills serves as the hub for industry programming: conversations, master classes, and professional development sessions. The Original Farmers Market will host activations and community experiences. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, one of LA's most dramatic cultural spaces since it opened, will serve as the venue for marquee events.

A complimentary daytime shuttle connects all the festival venues, which matters when you're trying to move between screenings at The Grove and a panel at SLS without losing half your afternoon to parking.

What's New in 2027

ABFF 2027 introduces two notable programs. The first is ABFF First Look: The Studio Showcase, featuring previews of upcoming projects from studios, independent distributors, and streaming platforms. Expect exclusive footage, announcements, and appearances from filmmakers and talent attached to projects that haven't opened yet.

The second is ABFF Sports, a festival within the festival exploring the intersection of sports, storytelling, entertainment, media, business, and culture. For anyone following the current wave of sports documentaries and docuseries, this program is a direct response to that trend, bringing athletes, filmmakers, and executives together on the same stage.

Why ABFF Matters

Jeff Friday, who founded the festival and leads NICE CROWD, has been consistent about what ABFF is for: access. "For more than three decades, we've built ABFF with the belief that access can change the trajectory of a career," Friday said in announcing the 2027 edition. That framing has guided the festival's programming logic since day one, and you can see it in the mix of public screenings, industry sessions, and networking events that make up each year's schedule.

Nicole Friday, President of NICE CROWD, put it differently: "We want to build on that foundation, creating new opportunities for filmmakers, audiences, industry leaders, and partners to connect while preserving the spirit and sense of belonging that have always made ABFF special."

Practical Information

ABFF 2027 runs May 20-23 across multiple Los Angeles venues. The SLS Hotel Beverly Hills at 465 La Cienega Blvd is the main industry hub. Additional venue details and full programming schedules will be announced closer to the festival. For people looking for things to do in Los Angeles that combine cultural programming with real industry access, this is one of the harder events to replace on the calendar.

Ticketing and badge information is available at abff.com. Pricing had not been announced at the time of publication.

The festival's Los Angeles return marks the beginning of a new geographic chapter after years in Miami. For the festivals community in LA and the broader Los Angeles creative industry, this is a significant homecoming for one of the more consequential film festivals on the American calendar.