2009 PAFF Features Films from 42 Countries

The Pan African Film and Arts Festival announced the lineup of films selected to screen in its annual film competitions for the 17th Annual Pan African Film Festival. Jury Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Narrative Short, Best Narrative Feature, Best First Feature, and Best Director-First Feature. In addition to the Jury Prizes, the PAFF audience will cast ballots for their favorite films from this year’s selection.

Film nominations are selected by a jury of industry professionals, with the exception of the audience favorite awards, which will be based on the results of ballots cast by festival filmgoers. Screenings for the 2009 PAFF Jury of all films receiving nominations will take place February 5-16, 2009 at the Culver Plaza Theatres. The 2009 PAFF Awards will be announced on Monday, February 16 at the annual PAFF Filmmaker Awards Brunch taking place at the Culver Hotel in Culver City.

“With over thirty world and U.S. premieres, this year’s lineup is a remarkable representation of the African cinematic landscape from the United States and across the globe,” commented Sharifa Johka, PAFF senior programming consultant. “Los Angeles has a large international population and I am so excited to bring this diverse and exciting program to this community.”

PAFF is America’s largest and most prestigious flagship black film and arts festival and will take place February 5-16, 2009. With over 2,500 submissions, the 2009 PAFF features films from 42 countries and boasts a record attendance now topping a quarter of a million attendees over its twelve-day run.

The festival has announced a change of venue to accommodate its ever-growing audience for its film festival to the Culver Plaza Theatres (9919 Washington Boulevard). The PAFF Art Market, a highly anticipated and celebrated major exhibit of black fine art and quality crafts featuring the work of over 100 different artists and artisans, will remain at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza (3650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). For more information and access to PAFF’s online box office, please visit www.paff.org.

The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) was founded in 1992 as a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of cultural and racial tolerance and understanding through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression. It is the PAFFs goal to present and showcase a broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes. The PAFF believes film and art can lead to better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles, while at the same time, serve as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.

• < Prev in Movies
• Next in Movies >