The American Black Film Festival kicked off here in sunny -- well, okay, smoky due to the unfortunate number of wildfires - Los Angeles with a press conference where we learned why the film festival moved from Miami, its former location. The reason is simple: they wanted closer interaction with the Hollywood community. Interestingly, festival chairman Jeff Friday mentioned plans to possibly take the festival films on tour through various other cities at some point sort of a traveling film festival, if you will since sadly many of the films fail to get much distribution outside of the festival.

After the press conference yours truly jetted over to see the US premiere of the film Deadmeat by black British actor and filmmaker Q (the festival isn't limited solely to African Americans but aims to showcase all people of African descent). I had a choice of films, but I chose this one because Q seemed so enthusiastic about it. Before the press conference he was working the crowd, handing out press packets and talking to reporters. He was the only filmmaker doing this, and when I mentioned it he seemed surprised and said it's standard practice in London.

The closing event of the day, not counting the party, was a screening of the fast-paced and hilarious comedy This Christmas by filmmaker Will Packer, a veteran of the American Black Film Festival. His very first year he missed the deadline due to budget issues, but the festival organizers took pity on him and let him in anyway. Now, in addition to opening the festival, he will be closing it with his film Three Can Play That Game, slated for release next year.

I got into the first showing of This Christmas, with most of the cast and many other celebrities present. It was a dynamic environment with everybody cheering for each name in the opening credits and cast members calling out friendly insults to one another.