{"id":63178,"date":"2012-04-25T15:05:15","date_gmt":"2012-04-25T15:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2012\/04\/25\/salim-and-mara-brock-akil-to-speak-at-abff\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T11:01:10","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T11:01:10","slug":"salim-and-mara-brock-akil-to-speak-at-abff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/salim-and-mara-brock-akil-to-speak-at-abff\/","title":{"rendered":"Salim and Mara Brock-Akil To Speak At ABFF"},"content":{"rendered":"

Salim and Mara Brock-Akil To Speak At ABFF<\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

April 25, 2012<\/p>\n

FILM LIFE\u2019S 16th<\/sup> ANNUAL AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES \u201cA CONVERSATION WITH\u201d INDUSTRY POWER COUPLE, SALIM & MARA BROCK-AKIL<\/strong><\/p>\n

Film Life, Inc., today announced power couple Salim<\/strong> and Mara Brock-Akil <\/strong>as the featured guests for the \u201cA Conversation With\u201d <\/strong>discussion at the 16th<\/sup> Annual American Black Film Festival <\/strong>(ABFF).\u00a0 Presented by BlackAtlas.com<\/a> from American Airlines, this special panel will take place on Friday, June 22 from 12:00 Noon \u2013 1:30 pm at the Ritz Carlton South Beach hotel.<\/p>\n

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The husband and wife team, Salim and Mara Brock-Akil, who founded Akil Productions, in 2000, instantly broke ground, when the company created CW\u2019s hit, GIRLFRIENDS<\/strong>,<\/em> which aired for eight years and became one of the longest running sitcoms on television.\u00a0 In 2006, the sitcom THE GAME<\/em><\/strong>, also created by Akil Productions, premiered and aired for three seasons on the CW before being picked up by BET Networks.\u00a0 Mara Brock-Akil is also credited as a Key Consulting Producer on ABC\u2019s COUGAR TOWN<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The dynamic duo\u2019s feature film credits are just as impressive as their television success.\u00a0 Salim Akil teamed up with Sony Pictures and Our Stories Films to direct the feature film JUMPING THE BROOM<\/em><\/strong>, starring Angela Basset, Paula Patton<\/strong> and Laz Alonso<\/strong>.\u00a0 This film\u2019s success led to the highly anticipated musical, SPARKLE<\/em><\/strong>, also produced by Akil Poductions.\u00a0 Written by Mara Brock-Akil and directed by Salim Akil, SPARKLE<\/em> stars Whitney Houston, Jordan Sparks, Mike Epps<\/strong> and Cee Lo Green<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Salim and Mara Brock-Akil continue to create, develop, and produce projects that entertain as well as bring individuals together and highlight shared human experiences. \u00a0This year, Mara Brock-Akil has a new series, which she created and wrote, coming to BET Networks. \u00a0SINGLE BLACK FEMALE<\/strong>,<\/em> which will premiere on BET later this year, is a biopic about a woman in search of the missing pieces of her successful life as an influential news anchor.<\/p>\n

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Jeff Friday, Founder and CEO of ABFF states, \u201cThis year\u2019s \u201cA Conversation With\u201d<\/strong> discussion is special because we have two guests with individual stories and experiences.\u201d He adds,\u00a0 \u201cYet, as a married couple, the Akils also bring a very unique perspective about surviving the many pitfalls of the industry and being successful as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n

By engaging guests in thought provoking conversations, \u201cA Conversation With\u201d<\/strong> continues to be a special highlight of the festival. \u00a0Past \u201cA Conversation With\u201d<\/strong> guests include: Paula Patton, Idris Elba, Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Jeffrey Wright<\/strong> and Cuba Gooding Jr.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Established in 1997, the core mission of the ABFF is to promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry.\u00a0 Through its film showcases and special contests, it annually introduces the top echelon of emerging artists to the film and television industry.<\/p>\n

The ABFF is a property of Film Life, Inc., a New York-based event marketing, production and film distribution company founded in 2000 by Jeff Friday (CEO).\u00a0 For full details on this year\u2019s festival, please visit www.abff.com<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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