THE BRITISH Urban Film Festival today announced that it has launched a dedicated home of 70 official selections, including B.U.F.F award-winning titles, on the Apple TV app for customers to buy.

It’s great to reach a global audience with our official selections thanks to Apple and our partners at Dicentia Studios

B.U.F.F founder and festival director Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe MBE

“The British Urban Film Festival” collection on the Apple TV app will be the first of its kind for a UK festival and will include over 50 British short films as well as feature films, including “Sorority” from award-winning director James Webber, Scottish sports documentary “In The Red” directed by Patrick Rooney and the festival’s original production, romantic drama “No Shade” directed by Clare Anyiam-Osigwe.

Through the Apple TV app, customers can easily find and buy B.U.F.F films throughout December and into the New Year.

This year’s festival selections feature a variety of respected talent, such as Tobias Menzies in “The Velvet Abstract,” Judi Love in “Time to Collect,” Tamer Hassan in “Queen of Diamonds,” Bruce Jones in “Shiney,”, Sharon Duncan-Brewster in “Snowflakes,” Roger Griffiths in “Hard Time Bus” and Wil Johnson in “Transference.”

In addition, a selection of films will be available on the festival website on the same day, including “All on a Summer’s Day” starring Antonia Thomas (“Small Axe,” “Misfits”) and James Floyd (“My Brother the Devil”), “How to Stop a Recurring Dream” staring Ruby Barker (“Bridgerton”) and Jamie Michie (“Deadwater Fell”), and “Solitary” starring Johnny Sachon.

Additional script reading and daily Q&A panels with guests, including BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar, will be available on the B.U.F.F website throughout the festival, supported by Greenlit Fund.

There will be three script readings hosted by B.U.F.F lead script juror Clare Anyiam-Osigwe.

The three scripts were chosen by a panel of jurors including Isis Davis (“Secret Garden”) and Jesse Quinones (“Cage Fighter”) and include modern British western “Hell Water” by Tim Mallon, South American thriller “Made in America” by Brendan Kelly, and Twickenham based apocalyptic drama “Chalice and Blade” by Charlie Taylor. A cast of actors will perform 20-minute extracts of the scripts.

B.U.F.F founder and festival director Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe MBE said: “The British Urban Film Festival is delighted to have found a home on the Apple TV app offering our unique brand of urban independent cinema to new audiences, not just in the UK and Ireland but also in the United States, Canada and South Africa.

“It’s great to reach a global audience with our official selections thanks to Apple and our partners at Dicentia Studios.”

Bobby Johar, CEO of Dicentia Studios, said: “For small and large film producers and distributors alike, it’s a complex journey to launch content on various digital global marketplaces.

“There are so many technical standards, requirements and barriers to overcome before you see your feature film or tv-series receive exposure and revenue online.

“We are proud to help the B.U.F.F community of creative filmmakers with this unique opportunity to reach millions of viewers through the Apple TV app.”

The annual B.U.F.F. Awards Ceremony, hosted by Femi Oyeniran, will be the centrepiece of proceedings on December 25.

This year’s ceremony will return once again to the Met Film School at Ealing Studios however this year there will be no audience presence due to Covid-19 regulations.

The collection can be found at https://geni.us/buff2020. 

B.U.F.F. 2020 programme overview: 

Fri 18 Dec
The British Urban Film Festival room launches on the Apple TV App, with additional films made available on the B.U.F.F. website

Virtual script readings 4:30pm – 6:30pm 

Sat 19 Dec
Daily Filmmaker virtual Q&A’s
Black Films Matter 1:00pm-2:00pm
Drama Showcase 1 4:30pm-5:30pm

Black Films Matter selections: Dolly; Little Dog, Big Dog; Resolution, Snowflakes, S.O.U.L of a Black Woman, Stop and Search, We Do What We Can

Drama Showcase 1 selections: City, Palindrome, Sorority, What is dIGIHIRO, Cold Feet

Sun 20 Dec
Daily Filmmaker virtual Q&A’s
Life & Death 1:00pm-2:00pm
Laughter Zone 4:30pm -5:30pm

Life & Death selections: Dismissed, Domino Effect, Elephant, I Am Pilate, Maithiunas, PODS short film, Smiley Face, Stilled, Time to Collect, Transference, Where is God Now

Laughter Zone selections: Cleaning House, Gurrl, Hungry Joe, Loyalty or Lies, Shiney, Steve, Stranded, The History of Nipples  

Mon 21 Dec
Daily Filmmaker virtual Q&A’s
Arthouse 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Documentary 4:30pm -5:30pm

Arthouse selections: A Fashion Show, Knightvolf, Loki’s Game, Mi o Le Ku (Survival), Rice and Bread, The Overcoat, The Velvet Abstract

Documentary selections: In The Red, Deleted, Mini DV, The Bern Identity, Women of Impact, Ayiti: The Awakening; Spit Fire, Dream Higher

Tue 22 Dec
Daily Filmmaker virtual Q&A’s
Love Stories 1 1:00 – 2:00pm
Love Stories 2 4:30pm-5:30pm

Love Stories 1 selections: A Living Sculpture, Fool’s Errand, Games Night, Inheritance, January 14th, Meteque

Love Stories 2 selections: Mino: A Diasporic Myth, Sweet Street, Thrive, Unregistered, What You Will, Yolk

Wed 23 Dec
Daily Filmmaker virtual Q&A’s
Drama Zone 1 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Drama Zone 2 4:30pm – 5.30pm

Drama Zone 1 selections: Duchess, Escort, Hate, In Your Hands, Moment of Truth, Queen of Diamonds

Drama Zone 2 selections: Ruby Red, South Beast, The Chippie, The Lost Land Girl, Thousand Lights of Sun, Trust 

Thu 24 Dec
Daily Filmmaker virtual Q&A
Drama Zone 3 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Drama Features 2 Q&A 4:30pm – 5:30pm

Drama Zone 3 selections: Two Hours, The Vlogger, Under the Full Moon, Where are you From, Winter Coat

Drama Features 2 selections: Small City, All on a Summer’s Day, Solitary, The Tale of the Fatherless, How to Stop a Recurring Dream

Fri 25 Dec
BUFF Awards Ceremony
8:15pm – 9.30pm

Windrush Stories: 15 minute documentary by BUFF Originals with the Voice Newspaper