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EMMY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER & DIRECTOR KEENEN IVORY WAYANS TO BE HONORED

5/27/2011

Originally noted for his infamous stand-up routines, Keenen Ivory Wayans was the first from his famed comedic family to gain notoriety. After years of performing on the circuit, in 1987 Wayans produced and co-wrote the hugely successful feature film Eddie Murphy Raw, catapulting his career to the next level. Continuing his success and adding acting to his credits, Wayans broke new ground in television with the Emmy Award-winning Fox comedy series In Living Color. The series single-handedly is credited with launching the careers of such A-list actors Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Lopez and Damon Wayans. The show also introduced the television audience to brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans.
In 2000, Wayans wrote and directed the international box office smash hit Scary Movie, a parody of slasher movies, for Dimension Films. The movie went on to break several box office records including biggest opening for an R-rated movie and highest grossing film for an African American director. The film grossed over $300 million worldwide and led to a successful sequel, Scary Movie 2, which Wayans wrote, directed and produced.
Currently Wayans is developing several features, including It Takes a Village, a story about a successful career woman who adopts a baby from a tiny island nation and unwittingly adopts the entire village. He is also executive producing and directing the television pilot Killville for MTV.
Established in 1997, the core mission of the ABFF is to promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry. Through its film showcases and special contests, it annually introduces the top echelon of emerging artists to the film and television industry.
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). For full details on this year's festival, please visit www.abff.com.

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