Six Reasons to Attend the 22nd Annual Pan African Film Festival

1) A haven for filmmakers and film buffs, the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is America’s largest and most prestigious international black film festival. It’s one of the coolest black film festivals as it screens films made by and/or about people of African descent from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the South Pacific, Latin America, Europe and Canada.

2) Last year, the festival screened 154 films, representing 34 countries from Nigeria, the United Kingdom to Canada and Jamaica. This year, PAFF is bigger and better and has selected 179 films, representing 46 countries.

David Oyelowo and actor Nate Parker at the Pan African Film Festival – photo by Royalty Image 

3) PAFF will be screening “Confusion Na Wa”.  A winner of the ‘Best Picture’ category at the 2013 African Movie Academy Awards, it’s a comedy about a group of strangers whose fates become entwined in Nigeria. Directed by Kenneth Gyang, it stars O.C. Ukeje, Ramsey Nouah and Ali Nuhu.

Jimmy Jean-Louis, Loretta Devine and David Oyelowo at the 2012 PAFF

4) Actors Emayatzy Corinealdi, Tequan Richmond, power publicist Roz Stevenson and actor/director Charles Dutton are being honored at this year’s festival.

5) Celebrity jurors this year include actor Michael DeLorenzo, Dorian Missick, Vanessa A. Williams and Jimmy Jean-Louis.

PAFF-Rising-Star-recipient Emayatzy Corinealdi 

6) PAFF showcases the coolest movies in black cinema. Their goal is to present and showcase the broad spectrum of black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images, help to destroy negative stereotypes and depict an expanded vision of the black experience.

PAFF founders (l-r) Danny Glover, Ja’Net DuBois and Ayuko Babu 

The 22nd annual PAFF will be held on February 6-17 at the new Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills 15 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles, CA

Samantha Ofole-Prince is a journalist and movie critic who covers industry-specific news that includes television and film. She serves as the Entertainment Editor for Trendy Africa.