The American Black Film Festival Pop Up’s final tour stop in Los Angeles brought some of the best programming from Miami to Hollywood. The event was organized by Nicole Friday, Co-Founder and President of NICE CROWD, alongside Co-Founder and CEO Jeff Friday.
The ABFF Los Angeles Pop Up began on Saturday, December 13 as Tika Sumpter took the stage for her panel “Beyond the Role: Wealth, Worth & Womanhood,” presented by founding sponsor Ally Financial, exploring the intersection of creative ownership, financial wellness and emotional wealth and how to build a life and career rooted in values, not validation.
Audiences then enjoyed an advance screening of the first episode of season two of the hit Prime Video series CROSS, followed by a talkback with showrunner/executive producer Ben Watkins and stars Johnny Ray Gill and Stacie Greenwell. A fan-favorite staple of the Miami flagship festival, audiences capped off the first day with an encore of the 2025 HBO Short Film Showcase followed by an in-depth conversation with filmmakers Princess Adenike, Oluseyi Olatujoye, Nick Buchheit, Yasmine Crawley, Luke Harris, and DeeDee Casimir.
The second and final day of the ABFF Los Angeles Pop Up, Sunday, December 14 kicked off with a screening of Swimming Against The Current followed by a talkback with director Aminah Salaam, presented by AARP. Next up, Salli Richardson-Whitfield took the stage for her “Creator Conversation” discussing her creative process, leadership, and commitment to authenticity and representation in shaping stories that create lasting impact.
The day’s buzz continued with a screening of Andscape’s Hoops, Hopes & Dreams. The packed weekend came to a close with LA Stories Double Feature: director Affion Crockett introduced his film, KenDrake and Good Shot was followed by a talkback with director Joris Debeij.
