What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 21st May 2026.

The 30th American Black Film Festival (ABFF) takes place this year from Wednesday 27th through to Sunday 31st May, at Miami Beach, Miami, Florida, USA. This premier annual event is dedicated to empowering emerging talent and showcasing film and television content by and about people of African descent. Founded in 1997, the festival was conceived to strengthen the independent film community through resource sharing, education, and artistic collaboration. From its trailblazing start as a destination film festival, ABFF has evolved into Hollywood’s leading talent discovery platform. Today, it attracts a global community of creators, executives, and enthusiasts. Featuring a dynamic mix of film screenings, panel discussions, master classes, networking events, and lifestyle experiences, the five-day festival in Miami Beach draws more than 7,000 attendees annually, serving as a vital platform for emerging voices and creative excellence in the industry. This year ABFF celebrates its 30th anniversary under the theme 'Homecoming', as a tribute to the festival’s rich legacy and the global community it has cultivated over three decades. This milestone event will honour the past while looking toward the future, reaffirming ABFF’s role as the premier destination for discovering and elevating diverse talent in Hollywood and beyond . . . . . so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night film is 'Strung', which is an American psychological thriller film Directed by Malcolm D. Lee, and is about a talented violinist who takes a prestigious job as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of an influential and enigmatic family. As she becomes entangled in their opulent world, unsettling secrets begin to surface, forcing her to question her safety, her dreams, and even her sanity. Starring Chloe Bailey, Lynn Whitfield, Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, Coco Jones, and Romy Woods. 

In the Narrative Features (US & International) competitive section of feature-length films Directed by, or Written and Produced by persons of African descent. Selected films compete for Jury Awards, including the Grand Jury Prize for Best US Narrative Feature, Directing Award, Screenwriting Award, and Performance Award. International films are eligible to compete for the Grand Jury Prize for Best International Feature. There are twenty titles in this section, as detailed briefly below :-

* 'Garden of Silence' - from Brazil and Italy and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Henrique Dantas. World Premiere.

* 'Southside Kev' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jamel Furlow. World Premiere.

* 'Athena A.I.' - from the USA and Directed by Corey Grant. World Premiere.

* 'Bust!' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and starring Richie Kamtchoum.

* 'Waking Up Horny' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Michael Arcell. World Premiere.

* 'Otra' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and starring Armani Ortiz. World Premiere.

* 'That's Her' - from the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Nina Lee. World Pemiere.

* '93 'til' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Alterik Miller. World Premiere.

* 'Funny Feelings' - from the USA and Directed by Rhonda Baraka. World Premiere.

* 'Sr.' - from the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Toroes Thomas Jnr. 

* 'Lights Out' - from Cameroon and Directed by Enah Johnscott. US Premiere.

* 'Seahorse' - from Canada and Written, Directed and starring Aisha Evelyna. 

* 'Small Gods' - from the UK and Co-Written and Directed by Asher Rosen. US Premiere.

* 'Voices : The Musical' - from the USA and Directed by Deante Gray. World Premiere.

* 'A Story About You' - from the USA and Co-Produced and Directed by Joseph E. Austin II. 

* 'Three Colours : Pan-African' - from the USA and Directed by Elijah Davis, Allison A. Waite, Tyler Ocasio Holmes, and Co-Written and Co-Produced by Elijah Davis. 

* 'Hoop Street' - from the USA and Directed by Princeton James. US Premiere.

* 'Girl Dad' - from the USA and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Solvan Slick Naim, and starring Courtney B. Vance. World Premiere.

* 'Homage' - from the USA and Co-Produced, Directed and starring Miles Mussenden. World Premiere.

* 'Montmartre' - from the USA and France and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Leon Hendrix III. 

For the full synopsis of the above named films, plus the details of the other official selections including the Spotlight Screenings, Documentary Features, the Short Film Award Showcase, the Voices of Culture shorts section, African Stories shorts section and more, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.abff.com

Looking ahead then to this weeks six new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we kick off with an epic Sfi-Fi action adventure offering that is part of a near fifty year old franchise set in a galaxy far far away, in which the evil empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy, and so a fledgling New Republic enlists the help of this duo to protect everything the Rebellion fought for during the Empire’s reign, in a time where remaining Imperial warlords threaten the tender peace of the star system. This is followed by an Aussie black comedy about a man who is evicted from his rental home, moves back with his pregnant wife into his parents house, and while focusing on his parents wealth, decides to achieve success through unimaginable actions. Next up there is a supernatural horror film that follows a couple tormented by a demonic entity after a highway accident. Then we turn to a British RomCom about a lovesick musician who is given the wrong number for his dream girl, and so he teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Following on we have a biopic that transports us back and forth in time, from early 20th Century Prague through to the present day, in this richly detailed portrait of one of literature's most influential and elusive figures. And closing out the week we have a French comedy drama offering where an elderly billionaire woman gives hundreds of millions of euros to a younger gay artist she is close to, only for her daughter to file a complaint for abuse of a vulnerable person, and a scandal erupts.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU' (Rated M) - AKA 'Star Wars : The Mandalorian and Grogu' is an American Sci-Fi action fantasy film Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jon Favreau, the American Actor and filmmaker whose previous feature film Directorial efforts include his debut with 'Made' in 2001, which he would follow up with the likes of 'Elf' in 2003, 'Iron Man' in 2008, 'Iron Man 2' in 2010, 'Cowboys & Aliens' in 2011, 'Chef' in 2014, 'The Jungle Book' in 2016, and 'The Lion King' in 2019. This film forms part of the 'Star Wars' franchise and a continuation of the Disney+ TV series 'The Mandalorian' which has so far run for three seasons.

Following the fall of the Galactic Empire, during a period where remaining Imperial warlords threaten the galaxy, the New Republic enlists Din Djarin/The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu to rescue Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White) in exchange for information from the Hutt clan on a New Republic target. The film also stars Sigourney Weaver, cost US$165M to produce and is released in the US this week too.

'BIRTHRIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian black comedy satire film is Written and Directed by Zoe Pepper in only her second feature film offering following 'Fads & Miracles' in 2022. Here, set against the housing crisis in Australia that makes it very difficult for young people to purchase their first home, as demand far outweighs supply and as the cost of both apartments and houses skyrockets making Australia one of the most expensive property markets in the world. Cory (Travis Jeffrey) who recently lost his job and his pregnant wife Jasmin (Maria Angelico) are evicted from their rental property and move back into the home of Cory's parents Richard (Michael Hurst) and Lyn (Linda Cropper) on the outskirts of the city. What begins as uneasy dependence spirals into paranoia, as both generations confront their failures and fears. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC in early June last year, and subsequently screened at all the major Australian film festivals throughout the remaining months of 2025. The film has generated largely positive critical reviews.

'PASSENGER' (Rated MA15+) - is an American supernatural horror film that is Directed by Andre Ovredal whose prior feature film credits take in 'Trollhunter' in 2010, 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe' in 2016, 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' in 2019 and 'The Last Voyage of the Demeter' in 2023. A few weeks into their van life adventure, a young couple Maddie (Lou Liobell) and Tyler (Jacob Scipio) witnesses a horrific accident that leaves the driver dead. Soon they're being pursued by a demonic stalker known as The Passenger (Joshua Lopez) who's impossible to outrun, follows them wherever they go and won't stop until it claims them both. The film also stars Melissa Leo, and is released Stateside this week also. 

'FINDING EMILY' (Rated M) - this British RomCom is Directed by Alicia MacDonald in her feature filmmaking debut. When a lovesick musician Owen (Spike Fearn) is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student Sami (Angourie Rice) to find her. So he decides to send a text message to all 318 Emily's on campus in an attempt to find his dream girl. Together, Owen and Sami, spark a hilarious, campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way. Also starring Minnie Driver. The film is released in the UK this week too and not in the US until 28th August.

'FRANZ' (Rated MA15+) - is a Czech Republic, Polish, French, German and Turkish Co-Produced biographical film Directed by Agnieszka Holland who made her feature length debut with 'Provincial Actors' in 1979, and would follow this up with other titles including 'Angry Harvest' in 1985, 'Europa Europa' in 1990, 'The Secret Garden' in 1993, 'Washington Square' in 1997, 'In Darkness' in 2011, 'Mr. Jones' in 2019 and 'Green Border' in 2023. Here then, Prague at the beginning of the 20th Century, and Franz Kafka (Idan Weiss) is torn between the strict expectations of his father Hermann (Peter Kurth), his monotonous daily routine at an insurance company, and his deep-rooted urge to write and thus give literary expression to his innermost feelings. His texts finally receive initial attention, while he continues to try to lead a life between conforming to others, such as his dominant father, and self-realisation. Time and again, Franz experiences intense relationships with women who enchant him to the utmost, inevitably facing the tensions between closeness and withdrawal. Supported by his friend and publisher Max Brod (Sebastian Schwarz), the picture emerges of a man searching for his place in the world - between a sense of duty, inner turmoil and creative expression, before his premature death from tuberculosis in 1924 aged just 40. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival back in early September last year. 

'THE RICHEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD' (Rated M) - this French and Belgian Co-Produced comedy drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Thierry Klifa who made his feature length debut in 2004 with 'Une vie a t'attendre', and would follow this up with other titles taking in 'His Mother's Eyes' in 2011, 'All That Divides Us' in 2017 and 'Rachel's Game' in 2023. Here, Marianne Farrere (Isabelle Huppert), heir to a major cosmetics empire and considered the richest woman in the world, meets Pierre‑Alain Fantin (Laurent Lafitte), a Parisian writer‑photographer, during a photoshoot. Their unexpected encounter develops into a close and ambiguous friendship that blends admiration, fascination, and tension. As Marianne navigates her immense wealth, she faces family secrets, shifting loyalties, and a series of increasingly high‑stakes emotional and financial entanglements. The film saw its World Premiere screening at last years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May, and was released in its native France at the end of October, has garnered generally favourable reviews and has so far grossed US$7.5M at the Box Office.

With six new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-