The 30th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is launching a new initiative, the ABFF 9:16 Microdrama Project. The digital-first initiative is “designed to identify, showcase and amplify outstanding vertical microdrama series by creators of color.”

Microdramas, described by ABFF as “short-form, vertical episodic video series built for mobile-first consumption and optimized for popular social media platforms and emerging apps,” typically have one to two-minute-long episodes.

“[M]icrodramas rely on fast pacing, heightened emotion, and cliffhanger storytelling to drive binge viewing and repeat engagement,” according to ABFF. The initiative places ABFF at a prime position in the emerging microdrama sector by creating a platform for new storytellers and connect creators with a global audience. Creators will also be able to find new opportunities within the sector.

A group of standout microdrama series will be chosen after a rigorous review process evaluated by industry professionals, including producers, leaders and creative executives across film, digital and emerging media. The selected projects will be named ABFF 9:16 Microdrama Project Official Selections. Official Selections will be featured across ABFF platforms and throughout the 2026 American Black Film Festival. Creators will also retain full ownership and creative control of their work.

Jeff Friday, the co-founder and CEO of Nice Crowd and founder of the ABFF said how the new initiative is bringing the festival into the “next frontier.”

“Vertical storytelling is redefining how audiences discover and consume scripted content,” he said in a statement. “With the ABFF 9:16 Microdrama Project, we are extending ABFF’s mission into this next frontier and ensuring creators of color are not only represented, but leading the evolution of this format and participating in the economic upside of this rapidly expanding market.”

Sponsors for the ABFF include founding sponsors Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO, host sponsor Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, presenting sponsor Ally Financial, major sponsors American Airlines and the City of Miami Beach, official sponsor Sony Pictures Entertainment, supporting sponsors Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority and Netflix, contributing sponsor Motion Picture Association and media sponsors Variety and LA Times.

Learn more about the initiative at the ABFF website.