The first-of-its-kind program will celebrate the career of the two-time Oscar winner, who will star in ‘Gladiator 2’ this fall and produce the film adaptation of ‘The Piano Lesson.’
The first-of-its-kind program will celebrate the career of the two-time Oscar winner, who will star in ‘Gladiator 2’ this fall and produce the film adaptation of ‘The Piano Lesson.’
The 28th annual American Black Film Festival will feature a first-of-its-kind retrospective celebrating the career of double Oscar winner Denzel Washington, the organization announced Tuesday.
The Retrospective: Celebrating the Legacy of Denzel Washington program will “take attendees on a journey through Academy Award-winning actor and director Denzel Washington’s cinematic legacy, showcasing his extraordinary talent and enduring impact on the film industry,” a release reads. “The program will feature themed activations and screenings throughout the festival of some of his most iconic films.”
Washington will appear onstage for the festival’s final night, in a conversation celebrating “his achievements on screen but also his significant cultural impact off-screen as a director, producer, humanitarian, husband and father.”
Washington will star opposite Paul Mescal in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 in November, and is producing the adaption of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson for Netflix. It stars son John David Washington with Samuel Jackson and directed by son Malcolm Washington.
This year’s American Black Film Festival will take place live in Miami from June 12 to 16, followed by an online segment from June 17 to 24 on ABFF PLAY. Washington’s program will take place Saturday, June 15.
“The Denzel Washington Retrospective will inspire and enlighten the festival’s captive audience, offering a comprehensive look at the career of one of the most respected and talented artists of all time,” the release continues.
“ABFF has become a cornerstone for diversity in Hollywood showcasing Black creativity and stories through a one-of-a-kind platform for mainstream audiences and beyond,” the release adds, and this year’s lineup will feature “diverse narrative and documentary filmmakers” hailing from the United States, Nigeria, France and Canada. The narrative features lineup also includes programming from action, psychological thriller, romance, biography, drama, comedy and coming-of-age genre stories which deal with mental health, trafficking, homelessness, gang violence, gentrification and LGBT advocacy.