14th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Winners

Film Life's 14th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced the winners of their independent film awards at the Lincoln Theatre on June 26, 2010. And here are the results:

The Grand Jury Prize for Best Film: Legacy, directed by Thomas Ikimi. Starring Idris Elba, the film centers on a Black Ops operative Malcolm Gray (played by Elba) returns home after a botched mission in Eastern Europe. Holed up in a Brooklyn motel room, he is torn between retribution and personal salvation as he mentally unravels. When the walls close in, his story may be all he can leave behind. (He also received film stock valued at $5000.)

The Grand Jury Prize for Best Performance by an Actor: Golden Brooks for her performance in The Inheritance. Robert O'Hara makes his directorial debut with this film, also being produced by Effie T. Brown and her production company, Duly Noted Inc., the story centers on family friends (played by Golden Brooks, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Rochelle Aytes, Shawn Michael Howard, and D.B. Woodside) who gather during a winter storm for a 'secret' reunion at the family estate. The connection to their tortured history is one of only passing fascination. The reunion turns deadly when the elders have to make good on an ancient pact with a spirit of an ancestor. Now, it's this generation's turn to make the ultimate sacrifice. It is their duty and their destiny, but they won't give up without a fight to survive. (Prize includes $5000 sponsored by Gold Peak Tea.)

The HBO Short Film Award: Stag and Dow, directed by Daniel Patterson and John Staley. Stag and Doe is the story of Christian and Camille on the eve of their wedding night. With the promise of "forever" looming, Camille presents Christian with a unique proposition: one last "freebie" before the wedding, on the condition she gets to do the same...What will they decide?

The HBO Star Project grand-prize winners: Emayatzy Corinealdi of Los Angeles and Stephen Hill of New York. Emayatzy Corinealdi has played a range of characters, from a naive and tough teenager in the cable pilot Katrina, to an over-zealous and independent divorcee in indie flick Cordially Invited. Her latest projects include an episode of the ABC show 'Romantically Challenged;' independent films entitled Legend of The Black Lotu's and The Dating Game of which the short version has been chosen as an official selection for the Cannes Film Festival. Stephen Hill is noted as a genuine talent with onscreen charisma. He receives positive industry nods from Susan Batson (Black Nexxus Inc.) NYU Graduate Film, HBO/HBO Sports, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and Adcolor, among others. (Star Project is an international acting competition for emerging multicultural artists.)

The Career Achievement Award: Lee Daniels in celebration of his success and in recognition of his great talent. (ABFF Honors Past honorees have included Spike Lee and Melvin Van Peebles.)

The 1st Annual National 'Rising Icons' Award: Chrisette Michele talented Def Jam R&B singer. 'Rising Icons' is a TV series on BET network honoring the spirit of musical excellence by recognizing the world's most influential new-found artists.
 
The event was hosted by director Robert Townsend.