Film Festival – Page 8 – Unspool Hollywood

Basketball Legend Dick Barnett’s Long, Challenging, And Historic Journey to Get His College Team Inducted into The Hall Of Fame is the Subject of Inspiring New Documentary

Dick Barnett spent three seasons with the Lakers before helping the Knicks beat L.A. twice in the NBA finals.

In 1957, nine years before Texas Western's NCAA title victory over Kentucky, there was the Tennessee A&I (now known as Tennessee State University) Tigers. And while Texas Western became the first team to win the NCAA title with an all Black starting lineup, Tennessee A&I was the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to win a national championship tournament. Led by Hall of Fame coach John McLendon, and future NBA players Dick Barnett and John Barnhill, Tennessee A&I closed out the 1950s winning the NAIA Tournament in 1957, 1958, and 1959, the first college team, on any level, to win three consecutive national titles.

Fittingly, in the 65th anniversary year of the Tigers' first national championship of that historic run, comes the 2022 release of The Dream Whisperer (The Dream Whisperer Trailer - YouTube). Eleven years in the making, the documentary chronicles New York Knicks legend Dick Barnett's long and often frustrating journey to have his team recognized for its achievement at the highest level -- induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The Dream Whisperer, which will first be playing the festival circuit, is a not only a homage to a historic team from a small HBCU school which won three consecutive national championships in the midst of segregation in the Jim Crow South, but a testament to Barnett's persistence and perseverance to make sure the Tigers' legacy would be honored and remembered.

"This is a story about the first college basketball team to win three consecutive national championships. A team that almost was lost to history until I decided to do something about it," said Barnett, who is now 85. "It's about a legacy that needs to be protected and passed on."

Narrated by Dr. Barnett, The Dream Whisperer features interviews with: John Thompson, Hall of Fame coach; Julius Erving, Hall of Fame NBA player; Walt Frazier, two-time NBA Champion; Bill Bradley, two-time NBA Champion; Phil Jackson, Hall of Fame coach; David Stern, Hall of Fame NBA Commissioner; Joanna McLendon, Coach McLendon's widow; Jim Satterwhite, Tennessee A&I championship team member; Harry Carlton, Tennessee A&I championship team member; Howard Gentry, former Tennessee State University Athletic Director; Dr. Harry Edwards, Civil Rights activist; John Doleva, President, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame; and George Willis, sports journalist.

Barnett, known as the Skull during his college days, was selected by the Syracuse Nationals in the first round (No. 5 overall) of the 1959 NBA Draft. The Nationals made the playoffs in Barnett's first two years before he jumped to the American Basketball League in 1961, where he led the Cleveland Pipers, owned by George Steinbrenner, to the ABL title. Barnett and his Fall Back Baby jump shot returned to the NBA in 1962, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that made it to the NBA Championship Finals in two of the three years he played for them.

He was traded to the New York Knicks in 1965 and was a member of the 1970 and 1973 NBA Championship teams. The Knicks retired his No.12 jersey, which hangs in honor with those of his teammates inside Madison Square Garden. Barnett, who holds a master's degree in public administration from New York University and a PhD in education administration and supervision from Fordham University, continues to champion the battles for equity and social justice by telling his story, and the story of the courageous and talented Tennessee A&I team, on which he played, to students, of all ages, around the country.

The Dream Whisperer is executive produced by Ed Peskowitz, Penelope Peskowitz, Eric Drath, George Willis, and Grammy Award-winning hip hop producer 9th Wonder, produced by Danielle Naassana, Aaron Cohen, and directed by two-time Emmy winner Eric Drath.

The Dream Whisperer will have its world premiere at the 30th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival on Sat., Apr. 30th at 7 p.m. with Dick Barnett in attendance.

Tickets are available here.

Who: Pan African Film & Arts Festival and Dick Barnett

What: The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival

When: Saturday, April 30, 2022, Red Carpet at 6 p.m., Screening at 7 p.m., Q&A to follow screening

Where: Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, 4020 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008

PAFF30 is taking place in-person through May 1, 2022, at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills and the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. The Festival will showcase nearly 200 films, as well as a slew of accompanying filmmaker Q&As and audience engagement opportunities. In addition, PAFF’s renowned Black art show will take place at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

For additional information about PAFF visit paff.org.

CAST OF ACCLAIMED FILM ‘SOUTH CENTRAL’ TO REUNITE FOR SPECIAL SCREENING OF FILM ON 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1992 CIVIL UNREST

South Central is a critically-acclaimed 1992 American crime-drama film, written and directed by Stephen Milburn Anderson. This film is an adaptation of the 1987 fictional novel, The Original South Central L.A. Crips by Donald Bakeer, a former high school teacher in South Central Los Angeles. The film stars Glenn Plummer, Byron Minns, Carl Lumbly, and Christian Coleman. South Central was produced by Oliver Stone and released by Warner Bros.

South Central tells the story of a man who is put into prison for 10 years. Coming out of prison he wants to live a normal life in South Central Los Angeles and stop with crime but his son has yet followed the criminal path of his father.

Who: Pan African Film & Arts Festival and Donald Bakeer, Glenn Plummer, Byron Minns, Carl Lumbly, and Christian Coleman.

What: The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival

When: Friday, April 29, 2022, Red Carpet at 8 p.m., Screening at 9:10 p.m., Q&A to follow screening.

Where: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, 4020 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008

For additional information about PAFF visit paff.org.

See New Trailer! IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA at Hot Docs 2022

IOAND (Photo Credit Paranord Film)

IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA International Premiere
Section: Artscapes
Director: Nils Gaup
Producer: Linn Henriksen
Running Time: 1 hour 11 minutes
Language: English, German, Norwegian
Country: Norway, Germany
Genre: Feature Documentary

HOT DOCS 2022 Festival Screenings:
Public Screening:
Saturday, April 30 at 11:30am
Location: Varsity 8 (55 Bloor Street West)
Thursday, May 5 at 8:45pm

About
A persistent art collector (Haakon Mehren) faces unexpected resistance while championing the work of an unknown Norwegian artist after finding a cache of paintings in a barn. Despite success abroad, the undiscovered work of Aksel Waldemar Johannessen, an admired contemporary of Edvard Munch, takes nearly three decades to launch. The painter's oil depictions of prostitutes and drunks living in miserable poverty offend the bourgeois aesthetics of Norway's art establishment and challenge the canon to the point of sabotaging his rediscovery. Will rejection by the curatorial staff at the National Museum and gatekeepers of the Munch Museum diminish Johannessen's work? An invaluable insight into art world politics, cultural institutions' ties to big business and the power of exposure, IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA shows Johannessen's pieces repetitively throughout the film, to the point of familiarity, to demonstrate how contact with works of art cultivate appreciation and memorability, and how essential access is to making or breaking an audience for an artist's oeuvre.

Nils Gaup was born in Kautokeino, Northern-Norway in 1955. Gaup is an award-winning screenwriter and director with over 30 years of experience from filmmaking. His first feature film PATHFINDER (1987) was nominated for an Academy Award.

Since then, he has made numerous feature films, with IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA, being his first documentary. His upcoming projects include THE RIOT, a powerful Norwegian historical action film chronicling a miners’ uprising at the start of the 20th century starring Swedish actors Otto Fahlgren (BEARTOWN) and Simon J. Berger (MARGRETE- QUEEN OF THE NORTH).

HOT DOCS 2022 Link to buy tickets:

https://hotdocs.ca/whats-on/hot-docs-festival/films/2022/images-of-a-nordic-drama

@hotdocs #HotDocs22

SEE TRAILER BELOW!

TABITHA BROWN, SALLI RICHARDSON-WHITFIELD, TINA KNOWLES LAWSON & MORE DURING 1ST WEEKEND OF PAN AFRICAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF), America's largest Black film festival, continues its 13-day run in Los Angeles. Below are a few of PAFF’s highlights happening Sat., Apr. 23 and Sun., Apr. 24.

TABITHA BROWN, actress & social media personality, will host a discussion on being your authentic self in the entertainment industry. Saturday, April 23, 2022, 4:00 pm at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3650 King Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008, 1st Level (formerly Mexicano’s). Free to the public.

PAFF will presenting an exclusive sneak peek of the first two episodes of the new SHOWTIME original series, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH followed by a virtual panel discussion with Executive Producer Jenny Lumet; Cast Members Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris & Clarke Peters & Cinematographer, Tommy Maddox-Upshaw.

Saturday, April 23, 2022, 6:45 pm at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, 4020 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008.

Reserve your complimentary tickets HERE.

Thirty-year industry veteran SALLI RICHARDSON-WHITFIELD will discuss her dynamic trajectory in Hollywood. Sunday, April 24, 2022, 12:00 pm at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3650 King Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008, 1st Level (formerly Mexicano’s). Free to the public.

TINA KNOWLES LAWSON will lead a conversation and preview of the trailer and behind the scenes documentary of the film adaptation “Black Terror” written by Richard Wesley and directed by RICHARD LAWSON. Sunday, April 24, 2022, 4:15 pm at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, 4020 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008. Free to the public.

In “Black Terror”, a group of Black freedom fighters defend their community by any means necessary --- negotiating two approaches to liberation: kill the oppressor or use their social, political, and spiritual power to win.

Additional highlights include PAFF’s CHILDREN’S FEST, SPOKENWORD FEST and the ARTFEST.

Who: Pan African Film & Arts Festival and Tabitha Brown, Tina Knowles Lawson, and Salli Richardson-Whitfield

What: The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival

When: Saturday, April 23, 2022 and Sunday, April 24, 2022

Where: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, 4020 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008 and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3650 King Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008.

For additional information about PAFF visit paff.org.

What’s Happing Today at the 30th Pan African Film and Arts Festival Friday, April 22

Find the latest information on what to see, hear and do at the 30th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festial

ARTFEST
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
3650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

FILM FESTIVAL
Today’s film screenings can be found here.

Senior Connections
Free screenings for seniors
Fri, April 22 @ 1:15p
The Cannons
Location: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD

PANELS

Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community
Thu, Apr 21-Sun, May 1

This digital panel discusses the context of entrenched institutional, structural and systemic racism, monopoly capitalism, sexism, gender identity, socialism, intersectionality, Pan Africanism, Mother Nature (COVID-19 and climate change).
Moderator: Journalist Jasmyne Cannick
Panelists: Ayuko Babu, Professor Angela Davis, Dr. Melina Abdullah, historian Dr. Gerald Horne
WATCH IT HERE

Earth Day: How You Can Help Protect Our Community from the Oil Field in Our Backyard

Fri, Apr 22 @ 4:30p
The Inglewood Oil Field, right here in Baldwin Hills, is the largest urban oil field in the US. More than a million people live within 5 miles of Inglewood Oil Field and it exposes residents to toxic chemicals, which can cause a vast amount of public health concerns like respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Learn about the impacts of oil fracking on our public health, especially in Black communities, and how you can help us transition to a better, cleaner, future for all.
Moderator: Josiah Edwards, Sunrise Movement Los Angeles
Panelists: Damon Nagami, Senior Attorney and Director of NRDC’s Southern California Ecosystems Project, Veronica Flores, Chief Executive Officer at Community Health Councils, Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles County Supervisor 2nd District, David Haake, M.D., Chair of Clean Break Team, Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club, and Kaela Thomas from Black Women for Wellness.
Location: SSC Gallery, BHC 2nd level (#272)

Women Behind the Scenes
Fri, Apr 22 @ 6:00p
BIPOC women are working behind the scenes and bringing their POV, life experiences and talents to film and television projects. Learn from an all-female panel discussion about the importance of gender representation in the entertainment industry and why representation empowers and amplifies female voices for the culture.
Moderator: Dominique DiPrima, KBLA 1580AM Talk Radio
Panelists: Jessica Sarowitz (Founder, Miraflores Films & 4S Bay Partners), Areva Martin, Camille Tucker, Tina Farris
Location: PAFF Institute Lounge, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 1st level

AN ACT OF WORSHIP World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival 2022

Directors: Nausheen Dadabhoy
Producer: Sofian Khan, Kristi Jacobson, Heba Elorbany
Running Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
Language: English, Arabic
Country: United States

PRESS SCREENING
Friday, June 10 at 9:30AM at Village East - Press/Industry Screening
PUBLIC SCREENING SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 9 at 5:00PM at Village East - WORLD PREMIERE
Friday, June 10 at 6:00PM at Cinepolis - 2nd Public Screening
Sunday, June 12 at 8:15PM at Tribeca Film Center - 3rd Public Screening

Photo 5-(L-R) Aber in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures).

AN ACT OF WORSHIP is a polyphonic portrait of the last 30 years of Muslim life in America. Told through the lens of Muslims living in the United States, the film offers a counter-narrative of pivotal moments in U.S. history and explores the impact of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy on young Muslims who came of age after 9/11. Due to their first-hand knowledge and intimate access to the Muslim community, the filmmaking team is able to take charge of the account, which has previously been shaped by outsiders.

ABER’s father was deported when she was 16. Now, she’s a community organizer leading a sanctuary city initiative in New York. KHADEGA is an 18-year-old Sudanese immigrant living in Michigan. While she feels compelled to advocate for her community, she struggles to overcome society's expectations of her and find her own way. AMEENA is a civil rights lawyer in California, but as a mother, she’s conflicted between caring for her three young children or sacrificing her time with them to fight for change.

(L-R) Aber and her mother in Nausheen Dadabhoy's AN ACT OF WORSHIP (Photo Credit_ Capital K Pictures)

Weaving together observational footage of these three women with community home videos, and evocative recollections from individuals impacted by incidents of Islamophobia, AN ACT OF WORSHIP opens a window into the world of Muslim Americans through collective memory.

NAUSHEEN DADABHOY, is a director and cinematographer whose work spans fiction and documentary. She lensed an Oscar nominated film, an Emmy winning documentary, and films that have played at Sundance, TIFF, Locarno and on Al Jazeera, HBO and PBS. Her directorial debut THE GROUND BENEATH THEIR FEET premiered at IDFA.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2022
Link to buy tickets: https://tribecafilm.com/films/act-of-worship-2022 #Tribeca2022

PR CONTACT:
Emma Griffiths (EG-PR)
emma@eg-pr.com
www.eg-pr.com

It’s a Hit! The 30th Pan African Film and Arts Festival’s Opening Night Screening “Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story”

Cast of "Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story" at 30th Pan African Film Festival Opening Night. Photo: Pan African Film Festival

The Stars shined bright last night as the Pan African Film and Arts Festival celebrated its 30^th Anniversary with an in-person screening of “Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story”, directed by Denise Dowe and written by Ericka Nicole Malone. Last night at the Director Guild of America on April 19^th.

On the Red Carpet were the stars of the film GRAMMY® winning Ledisi as Mahalia Jackson, Columbus Short as Martin Luther King Jr., Janet Hubert, Vanessa A. Williams, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Keith David, Corbin Bleu and Keith Robinson.

Ayuko Babu, Executive Director of Pan African Film Festival and actor Danny Glover, both co-founders. Photo: Pan African Film Festival

In attendance was the film’s writer Ericka Nicole Malone, who is also an executive producer and director Denise Dowse, who also shined bright.

The night was hosted by actor, activist and Pan African Film and Arts Festival co-founder Danny Glover and Executive Director and co-founder Ayuko Babu.

Proud sponsors of tonight’s 30^th Pan African Film and Arts Festival are Stocker Street Creative, Glassdoor and FX Networks.

The 30^th Pan African Film and Arts Festival will take place through May 1, 2022, at the Cinemark Theatre and in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

Columbus Short starring as Martin Luther King Jr. in "Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story" Opening Night Pan African Film Festival. Photo: Pan African Film Festival

REMEMBER ME is a poignant look into the life and rise of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson (Ledisi). Set in New Orleans, Louisiana, this provocative story explores the tumultuous relationship Mahalia shared with her mother’s sister “Aunt Duke” (Janet Hubert) legally named “Mahala” who was Mahalia’s namesake, after her mother Charity unexpectedly passes away. REMEMBER ME is a journey into Mahalia’s pursuit to go beyond the early childhood trauma she faced and detail how although her early childhood trauma shook her, it did not break her. Mahalia was not only an iconic gospel singer breaking racial and gender barriers she was also a Civil rights activist who understood the power of her position in the movement. REMEMBER ME explores Mahalia’s unbreakable relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Columbus Short) and her integral role in the Civil rights movement. REMEMBER ME brings Mahalia’s fight for freedom into the spotlight while highlighting Mahalia’s own personal search for love.

About the Pan African Film & Arts Festival

Established in 1992 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 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. PAFF is one of the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America

The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival Announces Competition Selections

International Black Film Festival to Feature 55 World Premiere Titles

Ledisi and Columbus Short as Mahalia Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Remember Me.

Today, the 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) announced its film nominations in its prestigious juried competition. Forty-four films are included in six competitions this year.

“This year’s film roster reflects the times we are in,” said PAFF General Manager Asantewe Olatunji. “Many focus on social justice issues such as gender equality, police and community relations, and the changing lifestyle norms. Of course, several of the PAFF 2022 films focus on our well-known and sometimes obscure sheroes and heroes whose stories told by their own people give a new perspective of history and view of our world.”

PAFF is the largest Black film festival in America taking place April 19 - May 1, 2022. This year the Festival will make its return to the Cinemark Baldwin Hills for in-person screenings, featuring over 200 films from 55 countries, in 18 languages, including 58 World and 32 North American premieres. Of the films selected for the Festival, 46% are helmed by female, queer or non-binary filmmakers, and 80% are directed by filmmakers of African descent. Many titles will also be available virtually for in-home screenings via the Festival’s streaming platform Eventive to audiences worldwide. The Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza will once again host its renowned Artfest, featuring over 100 established and emerging fine artists and quality craftspeople from all over the Black Diaspora.

Check out PAFF’’s competing films by clicking the names of the titles below.

*Denotes films available for viewing through PAFF press screenings for credentialed media.

Best First Feature Narrative

A Brother’s Whisper* (US)
Bantú Mama (Dominican Republic)
Get Out Alive* (US)
Juwaa* (Belgium)
Queen of Glory* (US)
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (US)

Best First Feature Documentary

Africa and I* (South Africa)
Conversations: The Black Radical Tradition* (US)
Fanon (Algeria)
Subjects of Desire (Canada)
Broken Chains (Singapore)
The Rumba Kings (Peru)

Best Feature Narrative

Ayinla (Nigeria)
Hairareb (Namibia)
Lingui, the Sacred Bonds (Chad)
Parsley (Dominican Republic)
Tug of War (Zanzibar)

Best Feature Documentary

African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey* (US/Jamaica)
Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away* (US)
Grandpa Was an Emperor (US/Ethiopia)
Race Today (UK)
Why Is We Americans? (US)

Best Short Documentary

Cuba In Africa (US/Cuba)
David Dinkins: A Gorgeous Mosaic (US)
For Love and Legacy (US)
I Am More Than My Hair (US)
Jumping Into Fire (US)
Miss Panama (US/Panama)
There’s Your Ready Girl (US)

Best Short Narrative

Alone Together (US)
Astel (Senegal)
Break-up In Love (US)
Cracked (US)
Cupids (P&G Short) (US)
Famadihana - Reunion
Here (US)
Leaving Isiolo (Kenya)
Lock Off (UK)
Mass Avenue (US)
Pink & Blue (US)
Sins of the Father (US)
Slow Pulse (US)
Sungara (Kenya)
The Last Days (UK)

*Denotes films available for viewing through PAFF press screenings for credentialed media.

PAFF30 ASSETS
https://www.paff.org/pressroom/

MEDIA CONTACT
press@paff.org

Festival Sponsors and Partners

PAFF is sponsored in part by the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell through the Department of Arts and Culture, LA Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA Councilmember Curren Price, LA Councilmember Herb Wesson, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, LA Arts COVID-19 Relief Fund with the California Community Foundation, and the LA County COVID-19 Arts Relief Fund administered by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture.

The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival's sponsors include Major Festival Sponsors: Stocker Street Creative, FX Networks, and Glassdoor.

About the Pan African Film Festival

Established in 1992 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 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. PAFF is one of the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar qualifying festival for animation and live-action films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.

THE PAN AFRICAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL PRESENTS ITS NEW ART PROGRAM, “ALL ARTISTS HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE,” SPONSORED BY IKEA

World-Renowned Artists Have Transformed IKEA Dining Pieces into One-of-a-Kind Designs in Celebration of 30 Years of PAFF

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) is proud to present, “All Artists Have a Seat at the Table,” a new and innovative art program sponsored by IKEA in celebration of 30 Years of PAFF. Under the direction of PAFF's Art Director, Allohn Agbenya, five esteemed artists are contributing their creativity to revamp an IKEA dining set. The furniture has been transformed into individual pieces of art inspired by the theme: PAFF 30, PAFF Roots. The pieces were previously on display at four IKEA stores throughout Southern California and will be viewable at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, April 21 - May 1st.

Marc Brogdon, Marketing Director for PAFF stated, “One of my favorite African Proverbs says, ‘A tree’s beauty lies in its branches, but its strength lies in its roots.’ Utilizing our artists and IKEA wooden furniture to create powerful artwork is the perfect symbolism of our deep-rooted connection to the community.”

“All Artists Have a Seat at the Table,” is a celebration of PAFF and the artistry showcased over the years. For more than three decades, PAFF has united folks across the diaspora—creating an inspiring platform for the partnership with IKEA. “The dining table is the universal space for gathering, our sustainable and accessible furniture provided the perfect blank slate for the artists to illustrate PAFF’s rich legacy and commitment to bringing people together to share the Black experience.” Kevin Matthews, Regional Marketing Manager at IKEA U.S. shared. “As the leader in life at home, we want to celebrate the importance of home and the role it plays for the many. This work naturally demonstrates our core value of togetherness in a vibrant and unique way.”

“As a curator and art director, I selected artists for the IKEA Project whose works of art present an array of diasporic characteristics that borrow from the broad field that is our celebrated history & traditions,” said Allohn Agbenya, PAFF Art Director. “Africa and her global artistic roots and outreach have been influential on every continent. Rich in texture, proverbial wisdom, beauty, and evolutionary flow.”

Participating Artists:

Allohn Agbenya (PAFF Art Director)
Allohn Agbenya is a contemporary artist whose roots celebrate the fibers and cultural pride of West Africa and beyond! Born in Ghana, Agbenya now resides in Los Angeles and is the Production Designer for PAFF as well as the Director/Curator for the ArtFest.
Sandra Zebi
Sandra Zebi is an artist from Sao Paulo, Brazil and came to Los Angeles in 1986, intrigued and inspired by the cultural diversity that the city has to offer.
Marvin Obasogie Aimiuwu (MOA)
MOA started drawing and painting as a child in Nigeria, studied fine art in college, and has pursued artwork full time since coming to the United States.
Aziz Diagne
Aziz Diagne is a multi-media artist from Senegal, West Africa. He grew up amid the traditional art forms of his homeland including rock carving, ceramic and wood sculpture, murals, tapestry, and Thiesoise (reverse painting on glass).
Charles A. Bibbs
A native son of Southern California, Charles Bibbs is an internationally acclaimed artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has made a significant impact on contemporary arts.

The full program for the 30th annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival will take place in person and virtually, April 19 - May 1, in Los Angeles at its flagship venues the Directors Guild of America, Cinemark Baldwin Hills and XD and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

About IKEA
At IKEA, the vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people by offering well-designed, functional and affordable, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment. Ingka Group (Ingka Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) is one of 12 different groups of companies that own and operate IKEA retail under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Ingka Group has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Ingka Group is a strategic partner in the IKEA franchise system, operating 389 IKEA stores in 32 countries – including 52 retail locations in the U.S.

For more information on IKEA U.S., see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSANews, @IKEAUSA or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.

About the Pan African Film & Arts Festival

Established in 1992 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 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. Every year, hundreds of filmmakers, fine artists, and unique craftspeople from more than 40 countries and six continents converge in Los Angeles to showcase their work. Annually, PAFF showcases more than 190 new high-quality Black films from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, the South Pacific, Canada and increasingly, Asia. Most importantly, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has designated PAFF as an official qualifying film festival for live action and animation short films.

PAFF is the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. It is also one of America's largest Black History Month events.

For more information, please visit https://www.paff.org/seatatthetable

Find the Pan African Film Festival on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/paffnow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paffnow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paffnow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePanAfricanFilmFestival

PAFF ANNOUNCES FULL LINEUP FOR 2022 PAN AFRICAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL

REMEMBER ME, THE MAHALIA JACKSON STORY Opens 30th Edition of America’s Largest Black Film Festival, Apri 19 - May 1

Over 200 films from 55 countries to be shown at Cinemark Baldwin Hills

LOS ANGELES, California – Today, PAFF announced the full lineup for the 30th annual Pan African Film & Arts Film Festival, the largest Black film festival in America, taking place April 19 - May 1, 2022. This year the Festival will make its return to the Cinemark Baldwin Hills for in-person screenings, featuring over 200 films from 55 countries, in 18 languages, including 58 World and 32 North American premieres. Of the films selected for the Festival, 46% are helmed by female, queer or non-binary filmmakers, and 80% are directed by filmmakers of African descent. Many titles will also be available virtually for in-home screenings via the Festival’s streaming platform Eventive to audiences worldwide. The Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza will once again host its renowned Artfest, featuring over 100 established and emerging fine artists and quality craftspeople from all over the Black Diaspora. Festival Passes and individual tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.paff.org.

BIG NIGHTS

The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival opens Apr. 19 at the Directors Guild of America with REMEMBER ME, a poignant look into the life and rise of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and starring Grammy-winning singer Ledisi. The Centerpiece presentation are the winning films from the JOHN SINGLETON SHORT FILM COMPETITION. Inspired by the legacy of the late Los Angeles-born legendary African American filmmaker, John Singleton, the competition is the result of a partnership between the City of Los Angeles and PAFF under L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson’s embRACE L.A. initiative and is designed to honor Singleton’s cinematic legacy while simultaneously celebrating his unapologetic approach to filmmaking. The Festival will also host the premiere of FX Network’s hotly anticipated “Snowfall” Season 5 finale and Showtime’s “The Man Who Fell From Earth,” starring Chiwetel Ejiofo. The full schedule is available in the online Festival Program.

Click here to download PAFF's 2022 Quick Facts and Highlights

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

7,200 miles away from Los Angeles in Ougadodo, Burkina Faso, the idea to showcase Black film and filmmakers in Los Angeles was born. It was 1989, the 20th anniversary of FESPACO also known as The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, the largest film festival in Africa. There, Ayuko Babu, Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Lethan Weapon), and others with the help of then-Chairman of the U.S. Subcommittee on Africa Rep. Mervyn Dymally and Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaoré conceived a plan to bring African cinema to the U.S. Thirty years later, the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), is still going strong and is the largest Black film festival in America.

Ticketing

Festival Passes and individual tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.paff.org.

Festival Sponsors and Partners

The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival's sponsors include major Festival sponsors: Stocker Street Creative, FX Networks, and Glassdoor.

About the Pan African Film & Arts Festival

Established in 1992 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 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. PAFF is one of the largest and most prestigious Black film festivals in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.

For media inquiries please contact press@paff.org.

IN-PERSON
The 30th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival
April 19-May 1, 2022

Cinemark Baldwin Hills 15 | Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza