Pan African Film & Arts Festival, Los Angeles CA

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF), in its 17th year, is the nation’s largest black film festival. Established in 1992, PAFF is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of cultural and racial tolerance and understanding through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression. PAFF’s stated goal is to present and showcase the broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes. PAFF has an ethos of using film and art to create a better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles. PAFF mission also uses film as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues.

Opening this year’s festival is the acclaimed South African drama “Jerusalema” directed by Ralph Zinman. Part Robin Hood, part Horatio Alger, after cutting his teeth on local carjackings, young Lucky Kunene dreams of bigger scores than his best friend Zakes. Moving to the rough-and-tumble Hillbrow section of Johannesburg, Kunene, whose heroes are Karl Marx, Al Capone and Dale Carnegie, transforms himself into a real-estate crime boss even as he tries to elude determined white cop Blakkie Swart, vengeful renegade Nazareth Mbolelo and Nigerian drug lord Tony Ngu.

The festival’s centerpiece will be “Skin,” starring Sophie Okonedo, based on a true story about a woman who was born to white parents in apartheid South Africa but due to a genetic abnormality appears to have black skin. Tormented and unaccepted by white society though classified as white, she falls in love with a black man and moves to a township, alienating her parents.

In addition, the 17th Pan African Film & Arts Festival will present actress Marla Gibbs with its coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. Actor Omar Benson Miller (“Miracle at St. Anna”) has been selected for the PAFF Canada Lee Award, and California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass will be recognized for her commitment of supporting the exhibition of film, art and creative expression with the PAFF Community Service Award.

As usual, this year’s PAFF will also feature panel discussions, industry workshops and seminars in addition a diverse selection of Black films, including features, shorts, documentaries as well as studio/network releases. Visit the Pan African Film & Arts Festival official website for more information.

[Video Clip: Jerusalema]

[Video Clip: Skin]