The 2026 edition of the American Black Film Festival has set Malcolm D. Lee’s Strung, starring Chloe Bailey, Lucien Laviscount, Lynn Whitfield, Anna Diop and Coco Jones, as the Opening Night premiere. This year’s ABFF, its landmark 30th year, will take place in Miami Beach from May 27 to 31.
The upcoming Universal and Blumhouse thriller will bow at the festival before its premiere on Peacock in June. The film stars Bailey as “a talented violinist whose prestigious new role as a music tutor for an enigmatic, elite family spirals into a psychological battle for her safety and sanity.”
The film is written by Alan McElroy and produced by Peachtree & Vine and Blumhouse, in association with Blackmaled Productions. Tyler Perry, Jason Blum, Tim Palen, Malcolm D. Lee, Dominique Telson are producers on the film, with Philip Waley, Shaun S. Sutton, Alan McElroy, Giselle Johnson-Morris serving as executive producers.
What Nicole Friday says about ‘Strung’ opening the festival.
“As we celebrate 30 years of the American Black Film Festival, having Malcolm D. Lee return with his latest project, Strung, feels especially right for this moment,” said Nicole Friday, President of NICE CROWD and Producer of ABFF, in a statement. “Malcolm has been part of the ABFF journey, and his return under our ‘Homecoming’ theme feels truly full circle. It’s a special way to open the festival in Miami Beach as we mark this milestone.”
Who is this year’s festival ambassador?
Regina King will be the ambassador for this year’s festival, which is launching the ABFF 9:16 Microdrama Project.
The post Chloe Bailey-Led Malcolm D. Lee Film ‘Strung’ To Open ABFF; Lucien Laviscount, Lynn Whitfield And More Star appeared first on Blavity.
