The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is gearing up to once again to take moviegoers on a cinematic world tour featuring U.S. and international film screenings with the announcement of its June 1, 2021 opening of its “Call for Entries.”
The 30th annual PAFF, the nation’s largest and most prestigious Black film festival will be held on February 8-21, 2022 in Los Angeles and virtually throughout the world. Over the years, it has showcased films from all parts of the world, representing such countries as Angola, Nigeria, Jamaica, New Zealand, Rwanda, Canada, Mozambique, Egypt, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Brazil, Kenya, Fiji, Mexico, the U.K., South Africa, England, Japan, France and of course, the United States. With the pulse on the international film market, PAFF has opened its audiences' minds and transported them to far-away places and back home again. “Over the years, filmmakers the world over have become more sophisticated in telling their stories,” says Asantewa Olatunji, the director of programming for PAFF. “In our ever-shrinking world, it is so important to understand the experiences and points of views of diverse peoples and cultures.”
Due to the pandemic, PAFF2021 was held virtually and enjoyed a global audience. But remaining true to our roots, PAFF plans to present a hybrid festival (both physical and virtual) with the majority portion of physical activities and all live-audience screenings being held physically in Los Angeles. In years past, PAFF has hosted live festivals with more than 40,000 people attended the film festival, which has long been a highly anticipated event in Los Angeles attended by local, national, and international guests.
PAFF accepts only online applications and submissions. Filmmakers wanting to submit to PAFF2022 can apply by going to the PAFF website www.paff.org and clicking on “Submit Film.” Filmmakers can also submit to The Pan African Film Festival directly through FilmFreeway.com or Festhome.com.
ELIGIBILITY: PAFF accepts applications for films and videos made by and/or about people of African descent. (Please note: the filmmaker need not be of African descent.) Preferably, films should depict positive and realistic images and can be of any genre — drama, comedy, horror, action/adventure, animation, romance, science fiction, experimental, historical/epic, etc. PAFF accepts features and shorts, both narrative and documentary.
COMPETITION:
The PAFF competition categories are: Best Narrative Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary (Short or Feature), Best Director — First Feature, Best Web Series, plus a variety of Audience Favorite Awards. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, submitted films must be copyrighted no earlier than 2019. With the exception of Audience Favorite Awards, films are judged by industry professionals. In addition to competition awards, other programming and festival special prizes will be awarded.
SUBMISSION PERIODS:
Early Submissions: June 1 through July 5, 2021.
Regular Submissions: July 6-September 20, 2021.
Late Submissions: September 21- October 31, 2021.
Extended Late Submissions: November 1-December 1, depending on available space.
After December 2, the submitter must contact submissions@paff.org to obtain permission.
For submission instructions, information, fees, and registration kindly go to www.paff.org and click on “Submit a Film”; or email submissions@paff.org.
ABOUT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
Looking forward to its 30th Anniversary, the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), is America’s largest and most prestigious Black film festival. Each year, it screens more than 200 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 and increasingly Asia. In conjunction with its simultaneous Art Showcase, PAFF holds the distinction of being the largest Black History Month event in the US.
PAFF was founded in 1992 by award-winning actor Danny Glover (“The Color Purple,” “Lethal Weapon”), the beloved Emmy Award-winning actress Ja’net DuBois (best known for her role as Willona in the TV series “Good Times”) and executive director, Ayuko Babu, an international legal, cultural and political consultant who specializes in African Affairs. PAFF is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of ethnic and racial respect and tolerance through the exhibit of films, art, and other creative expressions.
The goal of PAFF is to present and showcase the broad range of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive and images, help to destroy negative stereotypes, and depict an expanded, realistic vision of the Black experience. PAFF believes film and art can lead to better understandings and foster communications between people of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles, while at the same time, serves as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our time.
For more information, please visit www.paff.org or email info@paff.org.
