Pan African Film Festival
An international beacon for the Diaspora arts community to showcase “our stories” & preserve the cinematic creativity of Pan-African Culture
Pan African Film Festival
I love film and television because I love storytelling (and escapism from time to time). I’ve been wanting to get more into script writing and once I put something into the universe, it starts to shift to support that desire. So over the last year I have found myself being exposed to more events and opportunities like PAFF. I was actually in California for the opening of the Charlotta Bass Lab at USC (more on that soon) when I realized that PAFF was happening at the same time. Sadly I missed the opener, Chevalier, which looks INCREDIBLE.
But there was still much to do and see but first, a little history!! Founded in 1992, The Pan African Film & Arts Festival was established to become the international beacon for the Diaspora arts community to showcase “our stories” and preserve the cinematic creativity of Pan-African Culture. Established by Hollywood veterans Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Lethal Weapon), the late Ja’Net DuBois (Good Times), and Ayuko Babu (Executive Director), the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression.
As the critically acclaimed largest Black film and arts festival and Black History Month activation in the United States, PAFF features filmmakers, artists, and unique craftspeople from over 40 countries and six continents to Los Angeles annually, to showcase their pivotal work and talent. PAFF has become the quintessential global celebration of Pan-African cultures. Every year PAFF continues to showcase over 200 new high-quality Black films from the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, the South Pacific, Canada, and increasingly, Asia.
Definitely didn’t make it to everything but two of my highlights were A Nashville Legacy, a distinctly FUBU experience from Mahogany. In this film, Naima moves to Nashville to uncover secrets about an undiscovered music group. Starring Andrea Lewis, Pooch Hall, Stan Shaw and Roz Ryan and with cameos by Curt Chambers and Ruben Studdard, this film is fun for all.
My mom is a big Hallmark movie watcher and I often tease her about it. I went into this expecting corny and it was so much more. Yes it was still a little corney cause it’s still a Hallmark movie, but it was also funny, sweet, and unapologetically Black. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it took me on a journey that I’m excited for others to experience. I recognized the lead actress, Andrea Lewis, from her last project, Three Ways (Formerly titled The Threesome, I knew I wasn’t tripping when I asked her about it lol) which I ironically also saw at a film festival last summer, The Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival and looks like it got picked up on Hulu.
Another film that stuck with me was We Are Still Here. “Spanning 1000 years, We Are Still Here tells eight stories of grief and resilience as experienced by the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, Australia and the South Pacific Islands. The movie begins as unknown ships sail into view, signalling the end of a Pacific ‘Utopia’. The storylines then branch out into central Australia, 1860s Aotearoa and World War l battlefields, exploring pain and defiance as colonisation changes indigenous communities forever. We Are Here showcases creatives from Aotearoa and Australia — including Māori and Pasifika writer/ directors Mario Gaoa (bro’Town), Miki Magasiva, Renae Maihi and Tim Worrall.” I was actually supposed to be in another screening but I fully believe everything for a reason, it was a piece I needed to see.
The movie I missed and will definitely have to check out later is Aisha with Letitia Wright who I think is insanely talented and has had a rough go of it at times but seems to be finding her way. I’m rooting for her.
Overall it was a great experience with a lot of great works to check out, so much talent. I met some great people there and have a list of movies I need to watch now. Excited many delicious products. I can’t wait for the next festival.
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