ABFF97 Will Bring Independent Films to AMC Theatres

The American Black Film Festival is moving into theatrical distribution with ABFF97, a new year-round initiative designed to place selected independent films in cinemas across major U.S. markets. AMC Theatres will serve as the program’s first theatrical provider, creating a route from festival discovery to a wider paying audience.

Initial markets named for the rollout include Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte and Philadelphia. ABFF97 has not yet announced its first slate or release calendar, so the immediate development is the creation of the distribution structure rather than a specific movie opening.

How ABFF97 plans to support independent films

The initiative will curate films, shape theatrical release strategies and lead marketing, publicity and audience engagement. Movies that have screened at ABFF will receive priority consideration, although the program is also expected to consider independent titles from outside the festival as it expands.

IndieWire reported that ABFF97 takes its name from the festival’s 1997 founding year. ABFF founder Jeff Friday said the move extends the organization’s work from identifying filmmakers to bringing their projects to market. The goal is not only to sell cinema tickets, but also to demonstrate audience demand and improve the selected films’ chances of securing later licensing and distribution on other platforms.

The plan follows the 2026 ABFF Pop-Up Tour, which brought festival programming to several U.S. cities. Completed stops in Washington, D.C., and New York were cited as evidence of interest in seeing independent films on the big screen, with Atlanta and Houston also included in the tour.

ABFF’s broader work has long centered on connecting Black filmmakers and television creators with industry professionals, media and audiences. Its next annual festival is scheduled for May 20 through May 23, 2027, in Los Angeles, with venues including The Grove, SLS Beverly Hills, the Original Farmers Market and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

The launch gives ABFF a more direct role in what happens after a film earns festival attention. The unanswered questions now are which titles will form the inaugural slate, how wide each release will be and when the first screenings will begin. Those details are expected in a later announcement.