Written by Kianna Best on Oct 4, 2023. Posted in Awards and Festivals

Issa Rae announced as 2024 ABFF creative director

On 2 October, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced that multi-hyphenated talent Issa Rae would lead as creative director for the 2024 edition of their annual celebration. The newly created role will see Rae working with ABFF co-founders and producers Nicole and Jeff Friday during the Miami Beach Florida held event from 12-16 June 2024.

“Throughout the course of her career, Issa Rae has made an indelible impact within the entertainment ecosystem ranging from her wide array of roles – in front of and behind the camera – to her fierce advocacy for equitable representation and opportunities for Black creatives,” said Nicole and Jeff Friday, in a statement announcing Rae’s appointment. “We couldn’t think of a better partner to help us continue to embody the ABFF mission of showcasing Black talent — and discovering and amplifying new voices,” they added.

“There’s no other festival highlighting us in this way, highlighting our film, highlighting our television shows, and it’s in an elegant way,” Rae told Variety. “That’s what I admire so much about this particular festival — it’s so intentional. Even thinking about the awards that they do later, ABFF as a brand is so solid, and I feel proud of having my work showcased here.”

Rae has a long history with the film festival, from early career recognitions to serving as an ambassador for the 2022 edition of the celebration. During this ambassadorship, Rae also used the platform to share the first preview of her HBO Max series Rap Sh!t. Rae’s career, which started with her NY Times best-selling book The Misadventures of Black Girl, has risen to Golden Globe nominated fame for her show Insecure, and expanding into multimedia mogul status with entertainment company Hoorae and music label Raedio.

Image courtesy of American Black Film Festival