New York, December 10, 2013, – The ABFF (American Black Film Festival) today announced that it is reviving the Black Movie Awards (BMA), which recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of persons of African descent in the motion picture industry, as an Internet-based awards presentation. The BMA previously broadcast on TNT, will now be produced exclusively as an online event encouraging interaction between artists and moviegoers through social media. The general public will select their favorite Black films and performances of 2013, and artists will have the opportunity to express their appreciation to the fans who chose their work. Award winners will be revealed online during Black History Month.
“We are planning to get the show back on television for next year’s awards season, but didn’t want to miss this opportunity to recognize the broad scope of films and brilliant performances we’ve been treated to this year,” said Jeff Friday, BMA Creator/Executive Producer.
The nominees in ten categories – Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Ensemble Cast, Breakthrough Performance, Film of the Year and Studio of the Year – will be selected by a blue-ribbon jury of film critics and industry professionals. Public voting will take place January 10 through February 10, at blackmovieawards.com. One lucky voter will receive an all-expense paid trip to the 2014 American Black Film Festival, in NYC, June 19-22.
The Black Movie Awards was first presented in 1997 during the closing ceremony of the American Black Film Festival. Following eight successful years as a non-televised event, the BMA had its broadcast premiere on TNT in 2005, and aired again in 2006. The broadcasts were executive produced by Jeff Friday and Suzanne de Passe, and hosted by Cedric the Entertainer and Tyler Perry respectively.
Over the years, the BMA has garnered a tremendous amount of goodwill in Hollywood and many well-known personalities have graced its stage, including Oprah Winfrey, Sidney Poitier, Cicely Tyson, Morgan Freeman Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Quincy Jones, Berry Gordy, Don Cheadle, Spike Lee, Idris Elba, Robert Townsend, Keneen Ivory Wayans, John Singleton, Blair Underwood, Laurence Fishburne, Tyler Perry, Tracey Ellis Ross, Angela Bassett , Zoe Saldana, Rosario Dawson,, Bill Duke, Anthony Anderson, Anthony Mackie, Regina King and Cuba Gooding Jr., among others. Today it stands as the only awards platform solely dedicated to celebrating Blacks in the motion picture industry.
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