Cadillac proudly sponsored ABFF's morning mindset session led by wellness guru Tai Beauchamp, which encouraged attendees to embrace wellness through affirmations and Soca fitness activities. At ABFF 2023 Festival Ambassador Lena Waithe will open this year's programming with a screening and discussion about her Netflix film They Cloned Tyrone. Additionally, Lena Waithe will discuss The Lena Waithe Effect which explores her efforts in supporting diverse voices while making art that challenges the status quo. LYRIQ American Black Film Festival (ABFF), founded with a mission of elevating and empowering Black film and television creators, is an established platform supporting artists through its platform. Over 27 years after opening its doors for business, ABFF continues to lead celebration of Black stories, cultures and heritage. At ABFF 2022, Warner Media and HBO joined forces to present King Richard, which follows real-life father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams as he disproves racial stereotypes. Issa Rae serves as Festival Ambassador and stars in Insecure as well as producing audience favorites such as A Black Lady Sketch Show and Sweet Life: Los Angeles. At this year's festival, Cadillac will also present their all-electric LYRIQ model as part of their premium driving experience without compromises. Its advanced electric powertrain delivers exhilarating performance while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions and inspiring a new era of clean transportation. Furthermore, for every test drive taken by guests of ABFF Foundation Greenlighters (a non-profit which promotes creativity within entertainment and film industries), $20 will be donated directly back to ABFF Foundation Greenlighters - supporting future creatives working within these industries! Cadillac has long supported ABFF in their mission to support, celebrate and encourage Black cinema. Now Cadillac brings their "Reimagine the Luxury" campaign to Miami Beach for the first time with an upbeat 30-second spot set to Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk," featuring their newly launched Cadillac XT4. Other highlights include screening of Cinnamon, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and won two Best of ABFF awards; Morgan Rhodes and Carolyn Owens of Commit or Quit (WBD Access Music Supervisor Panel); and an ABFF Community Day hosted by Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau to help local residents gain knowledge about careers in entertainment industries through activities like ALLBLK's Shoot Your Shot Casting Call as well as Warner Bros Discovery/HBO Screenwriting Competition. Morning Mindset with Tai A new generation of Black filmmakers are challenging the notion of what constitutes entertainment. From documentaries to drama, comedy to romance and horror coming-of-age stories ABFF presents an exciting selection of captivating tales about our communities' past, present and future. Cadillac continues its impressive track record by inviting attendees to experience its all-new LYRIQ vehicle and take part in Tai Beauchamp's Morning Mindset session (co-founder of Brown Girl Jane). Furthermore, an impactful "Creating Cultural Capital" panel moderated by Stacey Walker-King from MACRO will provide attendees with plenty of gems. Morning Mindset with Tai was established on the belief that how you start each day is half of success, supporting women and men worldwide on their quest to uphold their minds, hearts, and spirits. Born out of Tai's desire to share self-care rituals she personally uses with others, her monthly hiking experience has attracted over 3,000 participants with brands such as AG1, Walmart, Thrive Causemetics and Lululemon partnering to help people affirm their identities while reconnect with nature while refreshing themselves through outdoor activity. Tabitha Brown, founder and president of this philanthropic organization, embodies a contemporary approach to wellness while championing sisterhood through sister events and diverse-owned small business promotions. Her energy can be felt throughout family celebrations and positive social media posts about diverse-owned small businesses; an intimate discussion will reveal more details of this journey while exploring its impactful work that's making an impactful difference in lives around her. ABFF is dedicated to commemorating Michelle Materre's legacy of film distribution, teaching and curation since her passing last March. To honor her decades-long dedication to supporting women and BIPOC filmmakers, Daughters of Eve Media is pleased to collaborate on an interactive panel discussion about the power of films to spark conversations and effect positive change. Tarshena Armstrong, Director of Diversity Marketing and Development for General Motors; Franklin Leonard from Blacklist; Tommy Oliver of Confluential Films (Netflix's The Perfect Find); and Liliana Lopez from Spike DDB (Cadillac's Multicultural Agency of Record), this powerful panel will discuss how film can serve to uplift communities they represent. Creating Cultural Capital The American Black Film Festival has long been known to serve as an incubator of talent, both behind and in front of the camera. Notable talent discovery programs at ABFF include Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Anthony Anderson (Blackish), Issa Rae (Insecure), Will Packer (Girls Trip) and more - among many others! Additionally, ALLBLK's Shoot Your Shot with Judge Lynn Toler returns along with its YouTube Black Voices Film Showcase which showcases original short films by Black Voices creators Baby Tate Tate Armani White Conscious Lee and Glen' Beleaf Henry among many more! Cadillac will host engaging conversations this week aimed at celebrating creativity and innovation, including experiencing LYRIQ and aligning chakras at Morning Mindset with wellness expert Tai Beauchamp; collecting gems from an impactful "Cultural Capital" panel featuring Tarshena Armstrong from General Motors as Director of Diversity Marketing & Development; Tabitha Brown of UPS as Celebrity Ambassador; filmmakers Franklin Leonard (Black List), Tommy Oliver (Netflix's The Perfect Find) and Liliana Lopez from Spike DDB as Cadillac's Multicultural Agency of Record). Cadillac is proud to present an exclusive interview with award-winning filmmakers Jeff Nichols and Nicole Nicole, the duo behind the buzzy indie rap drama Rap Sh!t. Inspired by their real-life experiences of growing up in Miami while raising a family there and eventually breaking through barriers into successful entertainers, their film depicts two high school friends reuniting to form a rap group and create a film inspired by them both called Rap Sh!t based around them forming an indie rap group. Guest will also have the chance to hear from producer and television executive DeVon Franklin of HOORAE Productions. Franklin is widely respected for their commitment to authentic and inclusive entertainment through series such as Love & Hip Hop and A Black Lady Sketch Show as well as Project Greenlight on MAX; through which he continues breaking barriers for artists of color. The ABFF Experience The ABFF Experience transcends film premieres, celebrity interviews and panel discussions; it's an experience that links vibrant culture to its impactful social impacts. Cadillac took great pride in expanding their activation at Miami Festival by connecting attendees with experiences that helped them "reset" in Miami. Cadillac held an inspiring morning session called "Morning Mindset with Tai," which focused on cultivating the ideal mindset. This experience included affirmations, Soca fitness classes and sound bath sessions to help attendees align their chakras. Juanita Slappy, head of multicultural marketing at Cadillac said the event was a huge success and highlighted how important wellness awareness among Black communities is. Cadillac demonstrated their commitment to cultural awareness at ABFF with their engaging panel discussion, "Creating a Platform for Conversation and Change." Moderated by Tarshena Armstrong (Director of Diversity Marketing & Development for General Motors), Franklin Leonard (Co-Founder/CEO of Blacklist), Tommy Oliver (Founder/CEO of Confluential Films), and Liliana Lopez (Creative Director, Spike DDB- Cadillac's Multicultural Agency of Record), they explored how film can initiate meaningful discussions while prompting real change. The panelists discussed how film creates transformative power by sparking conversations while inspiring change through filmic imagery alone. Cadillac won over festival attendees with their all-electric LYRIQ vehicles and engaging activations activities. For every test drive of their all-electric LYRIQ vehicle, Cadillac donated $20 to ABFF Foundation Greenlighters - a non-profit dedicated to helping BIPOC creatives break into entertainment industries. This year's festival also showcased films that celebrated the legacy and future of Black cinema, such as Cinnamon (starring Pam Grier and Damon Wayans ). Additionally, many talent discovery programs of ABFF such as ALLBLK x ABFF Casting Call and Warner Bros Discover Writers Competition were highly received by emerging creators. Other highly anticipated films at ABFF this year include A Song from the Dark, about a woman with an embarrassing family secret who seeks help from a spirit hunter to remove an intimidating spirit, and Rap Sh!t, an amusing meta-horror comedy subverting horror film tropes. Furthermore, signature events and panels remain at ABFF as an exclusive platform where Black creators can gather to be inspired.