African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) is thrilled to announce the 31st anniversary of its iconic New York African Film Festival (NYAFF), which runs from May 8 – May 30, 2024. Under the banner, Convergence of Time, NYAFF31 will celebrate with a program of over 90 films from more than 30 countries, with screenings taking place at three collaborating venues: Film at Lincoln Center (May 8-14); Maysles Cinema in Harlem (May 17-19), and Brooklyn Academy of Music (May 24-May 30). Each leg of the festival will feature engaging Q&A sessions with select filmmakers, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the essence of each film and enrich their understanding of its cultural significance. These sessions are meticulously designed to embrace the identity of each film and foster an immersive experience that resonates with our diverse audience.

African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) is pleased to announce the 31st edition of its iconic New York African Film Festival (NYAFF), which runs from May 8 – May 30, 2024. Under the banner, Convergence of Time, NYAFF31 will celebrate a program that showcases over 90 films from more than 30 countries, with screenings and complimentary programs taking place at three collaborating venues: Film at Lincoln Center (May 8-14); Maysles Cinema in Harlem (May 17-19); Brooklyn Academy of Music (May 24-May 30). Each leg of the festival will feature engaging Q&A sessions with invited filmmakers, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the essence of each film and enrich audiences with an understanding of its cultural significance.

Launched in 1993, the NYAFF is one of the first film festivals in the United States to reflect on the myriad ways African and diaspora filmmakers have used the moving image to tell their own complex and nuanced stories. “The 31st New York Film Festival has so much to offer in terms of honoring the origins of homegrown beloved African and diaspora industries, as well as celebrating their references in modern masterpieces”, said NYAFF founder and AFF Executive Director Mahen Bonetti.

In three decades, this mission has expanded to include all corners of the African diaspora and debut presentations of numerous films and directors that have since gained critical acclaim and canonical fame. Program highlights corresponding to the collaborating venues follow below. For the complete schedule of NYAFF31 films and events, please refer to the festival website https://nyaff31.eventive.org/schedule

For more information on the films:  Link to full press release

Film at Lincoln Center (FLC): May 8-14
Tickets are available now at https://www.filmlinc.org/festivals/new-york-african-film-festival-2024/

The Opening Night event will showcase the North American debut of Over the Bridge, Tolu Ajayi’s feature film exploring fraudulent activity in Lagos. The story follows Folarin, a successful investment banker contracted by the government for a high-profile project. When the project goes awry, Folarin embarks on a quest for answers that takes him to a remote fishing village, unraveling the mystery piece by piece.

Among the festival highlights are the North American premiere of Matthew Leutwyler’s Fight Like a Girl, which tells the inspiring true story of a young Congolese woman finding empowerment in an all-women’s boxing club in Goma, led by an ex-child-soldier coach. Additionally, Oyiza Adaba’s biographical documentary, DELA: The Making of El Anatsui, celebrates the life and artistry of Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui, underscoring the significance of Africa’s diverse artistic and cultural legacy.

Amidst the array of short films making their debut at NYAFF, a standout is Harold George’s Making Men. Breaking new ground for the festival, George’s screening will feature a live dance performance by George and his troupe, followed by an engaging discussion.

Maysles Cinema (Harlem): May 19-21, tickets go on sale April 25

The Maysles segment of the festival opens with the U.S premiere of the Brazilian film Solange.  Solange wants her things back! She moved away from the city five years ago and now returns to retrieve her belongings, which she left in boxes at friends’ houses. Over the course of four days, Solange has to face up to frayed friendships and everything she has lost or missed in the lives of the people she once loved. 

Other highlights include the World  premiere of the documentary feature, A Thousand and One Berber Nights by Hisham Aïdi, which explores the 1950s Moroccan young dancer and actor Hassan Ouakrim who becomes the protégé of La Mama Theatre founder Ellen Stewart, performing across America, forming friendships with the likes of jazz virtuosos Ornette Coleman and Randy Weston, and becoming a pioneer in spreading Berber dance and music in North America. There are also two short film programs titled Giants of Africa and Beyond Space, Beyond Time that focus on celebrating the boldness of Africa and its diaspora’s creativity while exploring themes of love, redemption, triumph, and rebellion beyond modern constraints.

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): May 24-May 30

Tickets are available now at https://www.bam.org/filmafrica 

The festival’s grand finale unfolds at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) under the banner of FilmAfrica, joining forces with BAM’s acclaimed DanceAfrica to pay homage to the rich artistry and revolutionary legacy of Cameroon. This segment promises a dynamic celebration, including the captivating Global Africa short program—a journey showcasing the diverse narratives of Africans across the globe and different epochs.

Kicking off the festivities, the Opening Night will dazzle audiences with the newly restored feature of the original 1975 masterpiece Muna Moto, directed by Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa. Prior to the screening, viewers will be treated to The Many Moods of Muna Moto, a thought-provoking short film intertwining perspectives from director Dikongué Pipa and cinema critic-filmmaker Férid Boughérid, offering multifaceted insights into the film’s essence. The weekend will feature a special guest talk with Jean-Pierre Dikongue-Pipa himself, the visionary Cameroonian director and writer behind Muna Moto.

A notable highlight of the evening will be the North American premiere of London Recruits, directed by Gordon Main. This compelling film chronicles the courageous endeavors of young British women and men who embarked on clandestine missions in support of the African National Congress, during the darkest days of apartheid. Produced by Jacintha de Nobrega, Robyn Slovo, Geoff Arbourne, Colin Charles, James Barrett, and Felix Gill, the documentary interweaves first hand testimonies from the volunteers with interviews featuring apartheid-era operatives, alongside captivating contemporary footage.

To kick off the festival, the NYAFF will present a Town Hall at The Africa Center on Thursday, May 2, at 6:00 pm, featuring discussions on experimental motions with artist Christian Nyampeta, photographer Delphine Fawundu, dramatist and historian Taiwo Aloba and filmmaker Arie Esiri. Moderated by cultural anthropologist, curator and scholar, Paulette Young.

For information about attending the NYAFF31 Opening Night Party, contact info@africanfilmny.org.

June 1st: Outdoors screening at The Africa Center

The festival’s grand finale unfolds under the open sky at the Africa Center Pavilion, featuring the screening of two captivating films: Bufis, directed by Mahad Ahmed and Vincenzo Cavallo, and Brain Drain,  directed by Collins Akpapunam. Bufis delves into the aspirations of countless Somalis yearning for a brighter future in the United States. Assad, renowned as the town’s top fixer, crafts a multitude of narratives portraying fictional families fleeing conflict, and when one tale is embraced, Kamal, a repatriated Somali-American, joins forces to orchestrate embassy interviews with the perfect candidates. 

Meanwhile, Brain Drain offers a poignant exploration of the migration of skilled individuals seeking greener pastures abroad. Through the lens of accomplished Nigerian Americans thriving in various fields across the United States, the documentary poignantly captures the profound impact of immigration on both the adopted and native lands. Join us at The Africa Center Pavilion on Saturday, June 1, for this enriching cinematic experience.

The programs of AFF are made possible by the generous support of the  National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, New York Community Trust, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Bradley Family Foundation, Domenico Paulon Foundation, NYC & Company, French Cultural Services, Manhattan Portage, Black Hawk Imports, Essentia Water, South African Consulate General, National Film and Video Foundation, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and Motion Picture Enterprises.

Related Free NYAFF talks and events:

Art & Activism: Experimental Motions Town Hall Event: 
A live interactive town hall event featuring discussions with artists Christian Nyampeta, Delphine Fawundu, Taiwo Aloba and Arie Esiri. Moderated by cultural anthropologist, curator and scholar, Paulette Young.
Thursday, May 2 at 6:00pm:
The Africa Center 

Free Masterclass with Ngozi Onwurah
This year’s Masterclass presented by AFF will feature veteran independent filmmaker Ngozi Onwurah, who will discuss the craft of utilizing cinema as a tool for the unmasking of the dynamics of the socio-economic status quo. The event takes place in the Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center with tickets available through africanfilmny.org.
Saturday, May 11 at 11:30am
Film at Lincoln Center Amphitheater 

A litany for past suns labeled rituals / A star lit any and all possible futures (Anaglyphs)
An art exhibition of the work of Zainab Aliyu that probes the archival silence surrounding Black experiences amidst generations of migration and forced displacement, illuminating the power dynamics inherent in shaping collective memory. By juxtaposing images from the artists familial archive with those from her community that depict similar scenes or events, the artist questions the hegemony of singular narratives and highlights the plurality of lived experiences within Black communities.
Thursday, May 9 – Tuesday, May 14
Film at Lincoln Center Amphitheater 

In Conversation with Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa 
An in depth conversation with a pioneer of African cinema, and Yennenga winner, Jean- Pierre Dikongue Pipa.
Saturday, May 25 at 2:00pm
Brooklyn Academy of Music 

Outdoor Film Screening
Experience an unforgettable evening of music followed by the screening of Bufis, a gripping Kenyan-Somali drama directed by Mahad Ahmed and Vincenzo Cavallo. Before that, immerse yourself in the thought-provoking narrative of Brain Drain, directed by Collins Akpapunam.
Join us for an evening of cultural enrichment and cinematic brilliance.
The Africa Center
Saturday, June 1 at 7:00pm

Special Event: ‘Making Men’ with Discussion + Dance Performance 

Examining the question of masculinity, this dance film zooms in on four individuals in the process of becoming men. As is expected, they proceed unquestioningly into manhood through various stages of their lives, adopting the clearly coded characteristics dictated by society. However, they’re oppressed by a feeling of unease in the very depths of their being, feeling uncertainty but also something else, harder to define…. Shot in the breathtaking landscape of Zimbabwe, Making Men features strong and rhythmical choreography but also special camerawork that intensifies emotions inspired by the movement. This special hour-long event will feature the New York premiere of the 24-minute film Making Men, followed by a post-screening dance/movement illustrations by Making Men choreographer, Harold George and discussion with Harold George and film director Antoine Panier, moderated by BCC’s founder and program curator, Berette S Macaulay.
Co-presented by Black Cinema Collective (BCC)
Saturday, May 11 at 1:30pm
Film at Lincoln Center

Films & Descriptions

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Film at Lincoln Center: May 8 – 14, 2024
Opening Night, May 8 at the Walter Reade Theater – 165 W. 65th Street, New York, NY
May 9 – 14 at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center – 144 W. 65th Street, New York, NY

FLC Opening Night
Over the Bridge
Tolu Ajayi, 2023, Nigeria, 99m
English and Yoruba with English subtitles
North American Premiere

Folarin is an accomplished investment banker with a beautiful wife and a life most people can only dream of. When a high-profile government project his company was hired to manage goes awry, he starts to question everything he’s ever known to be true. After going missing, he discovers himself in a remote fishing village and starts to put together the missing pieces—but will he ever find his way back home? 

After the Long Rains
Damien Hauser, 2023, Switzerland/Kenya, 91m
Swahili with English subtitles
New York Premiere

Ten-year-old Aisha is given a school assignment to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. She soon realizes that everyone is taking over their parents’ businesses and professions, but she has bigger dreams: She wants to go to Europe and become an actress. Her plan is to become a fisher so that she can sail to Europe, but her mother thinks that fishing should be left to men. Despite all this, she meets a fisherman and alcoholic named Hassan, who promises to teach her how to fish.

Preceded by
Timis / Dusk
Awa Moctar Gueye, 2023, Senegal, 16m
Wolof with English subtitles
New York Premiere
Pa Kong-Kong is a mysterious man who lives alone in a deserted, gloomy market in the suburbs of Kajar. Rumor has it he tortures little thieves, runaways, and naughty children. Binta, a curious and courageous girl, decides to confront Pa Kong-Kong in the middle of the night, determined to prove to her friends that girls have the bravery to lead.

La Chapelle 
Jean-Michel Tchissoukou, 1980, Congo, 80m
Lingala and French with English subtitles

In 1930s Congo, director Jean-Michel Tchissoukou’s comedy, ‘La Chapelle,’ humorously portrays the conflicts between African traditions and the Catholic Church during the construction of a chapel. Tensions rise as the village priest clashes with a young teacher, while the villagers navigate the establishment of a school and chapel, frustrating the parish priest.

DELA: The Making of El Anatsui
Oyiza Adaba, 2023, Nigeria, 120m
English, French, and Ewe with English subtitles
North American Premiere

DELA: The Making of El Anatsui is a biographical documentary delving into the life of an extraordinary artist, El Anatsui, the world-renowned sculptor from Ghana. His inner musings find vivid expression in art that defies borders and limitations, reshaping the very concept of sculpture. Oyiza Adaba’s directorial debut triumphantly acknowledges and emphasizes the importance of Africa’s rich artistic and cultural heritage in the pantheon of global contemporary art.
Co-presented by ARTNOIR

Dynamite
Uche Aguh, 2023, Ghana, 60m
English
New York Premiere

Kiki, a songstress managed by her controlling and strong-willed husband Mark, is set to release her latest album when a replacement bassist, Kofi, comes in for a rehearsal with Kiki and her band. Sparks immediately fly, and Kiki is forced to make a difficult decision when she finds herself thrust into this new love affair.

Preceded by
Last Night 
Peter Oti Asamoah, 2023, Ghana, 17m
Twi with English subtitles
North American Premiere

A man’s desire for a beautiful stranger leads him down a dark and dangerous path, where he discovers a terrifying secret lurking beneath the surface. As he searches for the woman who stole his heart, a battle for survival ensues, and the man’s fate hangs in the balance as he fights to uncover the truth about the woman and her secrets. This gripping tale will keep you on the edge of your seat until the shocking finale.

Fight Like a Girl
Matthew Leutwyler, 2023, Rwanda/Democratic Republic of the Congo, 118m
English and Swahili with English subtitles​​
North American Premiere

A young Congolese woman forced to work in an illegal mineral mine escapes her captors and finds a new life for herself after joining a renowned all-women’s boxing club in the border city of Goma. Based on the true story of an East Congo all-women’s boxing club and their ex-child-soldier coach, Fight Like a Girl was shot on location in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

Making Men 
Antoine Panier, 2019, Belgium/Zimbabwe, 24m
English
New York Premiere

Examining the question of masculinity, this dance film zooms in on four individuals in the process of becoming men. As is expected, they proceed unquestioningly into manhood through various stages of their lives, adopting the clearly coded characteristics dictated by society. However, they’re oppressed by a feeling of unease in the very depths of their being, feeling uncertainty but also something else, harder to define…. Shot in the breathtaking landscape of Zimbabwe, Making Men features strong and rhythmical choreography but also special camerawork that intensifies emotions inspired by the movement.

MK: Mandela’s Secret Army
Osvalde Lewat, 2022, South Africa/France, 57m
English, German, and French with English subtitles 
New York Premiere 

MK: Mandela’s Secret Army chronicles the lives of former members of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress. The documentary is an intergenerational reflection on the all-consuming call to take up arms for South Africa’s liberation, heeded by young men and women—some barely in their teens—who gave up their lives and any future to risk death for the dream of a free South Africa. The young guerilla fighters of yesteryear are now aging veterans. How will history remember them? Where are they now, and how have they reconciled a past committed to liberation with a present-day reality that their contribution to a free South Africa has almost been forgotten?

Preceded by
Neighborhood Alert
Ngozi Onwurah, 2024, U.S., 30m
English
North American Premiere
Inspired by a true story, Neighborhood Alert tells the story of a Black mother that is forced to take extraordinary action in order to ensure the safety of her teenage son.

The Rhythm and The Blues
Darryl Pitts, 2024, U.S., 59m
English
New York Premiere

A tale of passion, struggle, and the enduring power of music in an ever-changing world, The Rhythm and The Blues is the true-life story of legendary bluesman Eddie Taylor and his fight for recognition against obscurity, industry corruption, and the British Invasion’s cultural appropriation. Taylor’s battles extend to his family, where an ambitious young wife and idolizing stepson complicate his quest for musical respect. 

Preceded by
Funmi!
Siji Awoyinka, 2024, U.S., 12 m
English 
World Premiere
Funmi! is a visual praise song for a radiant soul on the occasion of his transcendence from man to melody, from brother to memory.

Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense
Yajaira De La Espada, 2023, U.S./Tanzania, 75m
English and Swahili with English subtitles
U.S. Premiere

Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense gives voice to the growing trend of Afro-descendants moving back to the continent of Africa to live. Set in Tanzania, and told through a teacher’s eyes, this documentary showcases the life and empowering legacy of the founding father of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, and the recent presidency of Dr. John Pombe Magufuli.
Co-presented by Cinema Tropical

This Is Lagos
Kenneth Gyang, 2023, Nigeria, 91m
Pidgin and English with English subtitles
New York Premiere

Needing quick cash for studio time, aspiring rapper Stevo works for the psychotic Kojack and his “shoot-rob-run” gang. When their escape from a heist goes wrong, Stevo is separated from the gang. Luckily, he’s the one carrying the loot. In this dark comedy about a musician and his smart city girl, Stevo must navigate the dangers of his criminal past while pursuing his music dreams.

Time Spent with Cats Is Never Wasted
Clive Will, 2021, South Africa, 171m
Xhosa with English subtitles
U.S. Premiere

This stark piece of slow cinema captures one man’s battle with the world around him. Joe, a small-town abattoir worker, leads us on this allegorical journey. His dream to fly has impelled him to construct his own helicopter, a ramshackle assembly of scrap and found objects with no real practical capability aside from standing as a monument to his individuality. When an art buyer offers to purchase the flamboyant creation, it is a mixed blessing that causes a fracas among the people of his community, who unjustifiably demand a stake in the potential spoils. Joe is forced to fight off the avaricious townsfolk or lose all he has worked for. 

Under the Hanging Tree
Perivi Katjavivi, 2023, Namibia, 93m
English, German, Afrikaans, Otjiherero, and Khoekhoegowab with English subtitles
U.S. Premiere

In this first-of-its-kind film that dissects Namibia’s colonial past, Christina Mureti, a hard-boiled police officer from the city, is transferred to a small desert village in Namibia, where she uncovers a series of grisly animal sacrifices perhaps linked to the disappearance of the villagers’ children. Then a German farmer is found hung on the same tree where Christina’s ancestors were hung a century ago during Germany’s colonial war and genocide. It is only when Christina begins to learn about her people’s history and embraces some of its cultural wisdom that she will be able to solve the case. 
Co-presented by Black Film Space

Shorts Program 1: Eternal Souls, Transient Bodies

Total Runtime: 86m
A collection of shorts evoking memories of past ghosts and future yearnings

 

Sometimes It Was Beautiful
Christian Nyampeta, 2018, Sweden/Democratic Republic of the Congo, 3m
English and Swedish with English subtitles

A group of unlikely friends gather in a time-knot to watch and critique films made by Swedish cinematographer Sven Nykvist in the Congo between 1948 and 1952. Their discussion highlights enduring tensions surrounding social transformation, cultural property, and who has the right to representation. 

Mångata
Maja Costa, 2023, Germany/Italy, 16m
English, Italian, and Yoruba with English subtitles
New York Premiere 

As a child, little Alya is the only survivor of a tragic Mediterranean crossing from Africa to Europe. Many years later, as an astronaut on an important lunar mission, Alya loses communication with her base. She is confronted with her past trauma, and now Mångata—“the road to the moon,” which already saved her life once, will help her again.

The Wait
Imran Hamdulay, 2023, South Africa, 15m
English, Xhosa, and Afrikaans with English subtitles
World Premiere

After arriving at a Cape Town police station to report a crime, Mzu finds an elderly man has been overlooked while waiting at the back of the queue. The station is busy and the old man is confused with no one to assist him. Mzu takes it upon himself to see that this man is helped but quickly finds resistance from those ahead in line and the stifling bureaucratic system. The Wait is an allegory of South Africa’s complex society, where a sense of powerlessness and hope exist together at all times.

For Those That Lived There
Shawn Antoine II, 2023, U.S., 7m
English 
New York Premiere

For Those That Lived There weaves a visual tapestry, navigating the poignant impacts of gentrification, the displacement of Black legacies and the emergent migrant narratives. 

The Prophecy
Rehanna Ngom, 2023, Senegal/U.S., 21m
English and Wolof with English subtitles
New York Premiere 

Tabara, a second-generation immigrant from Senegal living in America, suffers from the consequences of a rape, with her trauma manifested in nightmares where a monstrous creature, mutilated above recognition, mocks her. After unsuccessful therapy and advice from her traditional grandmother, Tabara decides to travel to Senegal for the first time to seek treatment from an unorthodox source—an African marabout, a holy man who is believed to have supernatural power.

The Last Bash 
Diego de Jesus, 2023, Brazil, 24m
Portuguese with English subtitles
New York Premiere

Young people gather for a party before going into COVID-19 lockdown. They talk about music, arts, work, and the uncertain future, not knowing when they will be able to meet again.

FLC Centerpiece

Shorts Program 2: Perpetual Connections

Total Runtime: 92m
A program of shorts dedicated to the timelessness of enduring connections

Mirah
Ahmed Samir, 2024, Egypt/Germany, 19m
English, Arabic, and German with English subtitles
World Premiere

Inspired by a true story, Mirah, an Egyptian immigrant living in Germany, finds a unique way to adapt to the fast life of Berlin. Through the fictional story of Mirah and her journey of self-discovery, the film invites audiences to question the social masks we wear to feel safe.

Last Joint
Devin Powell, 2024, U.S., 7m
English
World Premiere

Iman indulges in a last joint before he takes a tolerance break. Once all of the herbs are gone, his phone starts to blow up. Texts from his supplier and from his love interest, Tori, pressure Iman to succumb to his environment and pursue more stress-relieving medicine. Through this journey Iman learns if the collapse of his discipline was worth it.  

Love Taps
Derrick Woodyard, 2023, U.S., 14m
English
New York Premiere

A young boy trying to cope with his parents’ separation gains a new perspective of his father after discovering his affair with another man.

Jeanne
Antoine Paley, 2023, France, 13m
French with English subtitles
New York Premiere

Jeanne Duval, the mixed-race muse and partner of Charles Baudelaire has been forgotten by time and erased by history. But she refuses to remain silenced. In this short we see April 27, 1842: a day in the life of Duval and Baudelaire. As the day goes on, the weight of Charles’s words and needs becomes increasingly difficult for Jeanne to bear.

Papi 
Ashley L. Canfield, 2024, U.S., 23m
English and Spanish with English subtitles
North American Premiere

Hector Jr. tries to navigate the complexities of reconciling his self-identity amidst his father’s COVID-19 crisis.

Black Dreams 
Chiemeka Offor, 2024, U.S., 16m
English
New York Premiere

In a realm of darkness, a young woman harnesses divine visions of God, light, and water to manifest her dreams, unlocking a mesmerizing inner universe of art, beauty, and movement beyond imagination. Black Dreams is a surreal, experimental documentary, an artistic testament to young, Black, queer artists in New York. As they peel back the layers, they unearth their own brilliance, discovering solace and kinship within their community, and a newfound sense that they are never truly alone. Black Dreams is evidence of our magic.

Shorts Program 3: Vessels of Fortitude

Total Runtime: 110m
A tribute to the strength of Africa, honoring how far her people have come. 
Co-presented by The Africa Center
SUN, MAY 12 AT 6:30PM

A Quiet Monday
Dika Ofoma, 2023, Nigeria, 22m
Igbo and English
U.S. Premiere

When the leader of a secessionist group in southeastern Nigeria is jailed, his loyalists mandate a compulsory “sit-at-home” on Mondays in protest. Siblings Kamnonu and Ogbonna face danger when they defy the Monday restrictions.  

Cape Town Royalty Program
Max Fouchee, 2023, South Africa, 7m
English
New York Premiere

An ad presenter has to sell the dream of the South African city Cape Town as a luxurious yet cost-effective new home to wealthy Europeans. Once she realizes her script is problematic, she tries her best to let the prospective audience know about the daily reality of Cape Town’s citizens.

I Promise You Paradise
Morad Mostafa, 2023, Egypt, 25m
Arabic with English subtitles
New York Premiere

Following a violent incident, Eissa, a 17-year-old African migrant in Egypt is in a quest against time to save his loved ones—no matter what it takes.

Bege (Yearning)
Umar Turaki, 2023, Nigeria, 14m
Hausa with English subtitles
North American Premiere 

When Sanda shows up at her front door years after their breakup, Amina plays the perfect host. As the conversation unfolds, they acknowledge the things that time has made plain. But do they have the courage to confront the elephant in the room? Bege (Yearning) shines a light on the oft-unspoken emotional toll that comes about when love falls out of bounds for medical reasons, and examines what happens when the body betrays the heart.

Addis, My Father
Kitoko Diva, 2023, France/U.S., 9m
Amharic and English with English subtitles
U.S. Premiere

A sense of the inevitable fills the silence between Addis and Rahel, a father and daughter, as they work tirelessly in their empty clock and antique repair shop.

Wèrè
Dolapo Marinho, 2023, Nigeria, 24m
Pidgin and Yoruba with English subtitles

A homeless woman relies on the kindness of a stranger to survive. When her lifeline disappears, she is forced to ensure her own survival in a perilous city with devastating consequences.

Where My Memory Began 
Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda, 2023, Sierra Leone, 9m
Krio with English subtitles

Where My Memory Began follows elder Ballu as she tries to remember a 400-year-old cotton tree.

Maysles Cinema: May 17 – 19, 2023
343 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY

Maysles Opening Night
Solange
Nathália Tereza, Tomás Osten, 2023, Brazil, 60m
Portuguese with English subtitles
US Premiere

 Solange wants her things back. She moved away from the city five years ago and now returns to retrieve her belongings, which she left in boxes at friends’ houses.

Preceded by 
Reimagining Queen Nanny of the Maroons
Udemba Mclean, 2023, Jamaica, 32m
English
World Premiere
Reimagining Nanny unveils Queen Nanny’s legacy as a forest shaman, healer, and protector of Jamaica’s biodiversity, bridging African spiritualism with ecological stewardship, while shedding light on her untold role as an anti-colonial freedom fighter and environmental advocate.
Co-presented by Cinema Tropical

A Thousand and One Berber Nights
Hisham Aïdi, 2023, U.S., 54m
English and Arabic with English subtitles
World Premiere

In the late 1950s Hassan Ouakrim was a young dancer and actor in Morocco. Little did he know that he would soon become the protegé of La Mama Theatre founder Ellen Stewart, performing across America, forming friendships with the likes of jazz virtuosos Ornette Coleman and Randy Weston, and becoming a pioneer in spreading Berber dance and music in North America.

Kumva – Which Comes from Silence
Sarah Mallégol, 2023,  France/Rwanda, 108m
Kinyarwanda and French with English subtitles 
US Premiere

They were children at the time of the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda (1994). They are now in their thirties and struggling with childhood memories of desolation and violence. To carry the weight of the past and think of a future we must talk freely. Kumva is about the need to build one’s own memory in order to give flesh to the dead and to build a bridge between the past and the present.

Preceded by
Sometimes It Was Beautiful
Christian Nyampeta, 2018, Sweden/Democratic Republic of the Congo, 37m
English and Swedish with English subtitles
A group of unlikely friends gather in a time-knot to watch and critique films made by Swedish cinematographer Sven Nykvist in the Congo between 1948 and 1952. Their discussion highlights enduring tensions surrounding social transformation, cultural property, and who has the right to representation. 

Le Taxi, Le Cinéma et Moi
Zampaligre Salam, 2023, Burkina Faso, 69m
French with English subtitles
New York Premiere

How did Drissa Touré, a Burkinabé filmmaker equally renowned in his home country and internationally, come to be reduced today to living in financial insecurity, silence and surrounded by total indifference? 

Preceded by 
Interception: Jayne Kennedy, American Sportscaster 
Safiya Songhai, 2023, U.S., 15m
English
When a bronze-skin bombshell rocks the world of Sunday Morning Football, millions tune in… but few know the tumultuous story of Jayne Kennedy, the first Black woman to boldly run interception on the racial lines of American sportscasting.

Ballake Sissoko, Kora Tales
Laurent Benhamou, Lucy Durán, 2023, France/Gambia/Mali, 53m
French and Bambara with English subtitles
US Premiere

For the first time, the story of the kora, one of Africa’s most iconic and virtuosic instruments, is told on film. Ballaké Sissoko, the award-winning musician from Mali, takes us on a unique journey on a quest to learn more about the origins and development of the 21-string harp, through legend, history, tradition and innovation.

Preceded by 
300 hours 
Jabari Brxwne, Robert Provilus, Nicolas Johnson, 2022, U.S., 6m
English
New York Premiere
Inspired by hip-hop and trap, 300 Hours follows Robert as he paints masterpieces in his Binghamton apartment, shot in super 8mm, VHS, and digital formats over a year. With a soundtrack by emerging black artists and a local focus, it’s a testament to black creativity.

Farming While Black 
Mark Decena, 2023, U.S., 75m
English
World Premiere

Farming While Black is a powerful documentary exploring the historical struggles of Black farmers in the US and the modern movement to reclaim ancestral lands. Led by Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm, inspired by pioneers like Karen Washington and Blain Snipstal, the film chronicles their journey to restore justice in agriculture. From a once 14% ownership to now below 2%, they confront racism and discrimination to revitalize sustainable farming and food justice movements.

Preceded by
Bite of Bénin 
Brad Herring, Adé Carrena, 2023, Bénin/U.S., 36m
English and French with English subtitles
New York Premiere
Chef Adé embarks on a poignant journey to her homeland of Bénin, seeking to reconnect with her African roots through food and the women who shaped her. In this touching tale, she discovers that food isn’t just sustenance—it’s a vessel for culture, history, and healing generational wounds

THE HOMES WE CARRY
Brenda Akele Jorde, 2022, Germany/Mozambique/South Africa, 90m
English, German, Portuguese, Zulu with English subtitles

The Homes We Carry is the portrait of a family torn between Germany, Mozambique, and South Africa. At the center is Sarah, an Afro-German mother, who wants her daughter to have the relationships she lacked as a child. 

Preceded by 
Oasis
Bazi Gete, 2024, Israel, 18m
North America Premiere
On her 34th birthday, Ronit, a solitary Ethiopian woman, spends the night with a stranger—a younger, injured trucker who, like her, carries the weight of loneliness.

Black People Don’t Get Depressed
Sara Chitambo-Hatira, 2023, South Africa/Canada/Zambia, 85m
English, Zulu and Bemba with English subtitles
World Premiere

A filmmaker battles depression while exploring a supportive community’s struggles and triumphs across South Africa and Canada. Through poetic visuals and storytelling, the film delves into themes of resilience, survival, and the quest for transcendence amid oppression and generational trauma.

Shorts Program 1: Giants of Africa

Total Runtime: 123m
From proud Afros to leather clad biker moms, this collection of shorts highlights the inimitable boldness of Africa and its diaspora

Hair Care
Fatima Wardy, 2023, U.S., Ivory Coast, 12m
English and French with English subtitles
When a trip to the African hair salon takes an unexpected turn, a young Ivorian-American woman embarks on a whimsical journey through the animated streets of Abidjan to find her hair braider.

Pepo Kali
Lydia Matata, 2024, Kenya, 15m
English and Kiswahili with English subtitles
New York Premiere
Pepo Kali follows Wairimu, a woman in her 50s, as she learns to ride a motorcycle after her daughter’s fatal accident. As she grapples with grief, mastering her daughter’s passion becomes both a solace and a struggle.

Sunu Thiossane: The Making of an African Dream
Mamedjarra Bousso Diop, 2023, Senegal, 28m
English, Wolof, French and Pulaar with English subtitles
New York Premiere
The 10th anniversary documentary of the Sunu Thiossane Youth Development Organization is a captivating journey reflecting a decade of empowering African youth for global influence, emphasizing growth, cultural enlightenment, and community unity.

Crown 
Karisma Jay, Love Nafi, 2023, U.S., 20m
English
New York Premiere
Consumed with ballet, Afro-PUNK, and futuristic style, Nia’s focus isn’t on her hair—unlike her ex-90s prom queen mother, Robyn. When Nia’s hair needs attention for a life-changing audition, Robyn introduces her to the complex world of black hair, leading to a rollercoaster journey towards the perfect stage bun. But when an unexpected mishap threatens Nia’s audition, both mother and daughter discover the true meaning of empowerment.

Nina Fischer – Stephan’s Respectful Gaze
Mudi Yahaya, 2022, Nigeria, 40m
World Premiere
Nina Fischer-Stephan’s Respectful Gaze explores the nexus of photography, architecture, and urban development, delving into the cultural and political implications of colonial and post-independence images of Africa. It sheds light on how these images, strategically displayed, evoke diverse memories at historical intersections.

The Battle of the Giants
Katya Aragão, 2023, São Tomé and Príncipe, 8m
Portuguese with English subtitles
Manu, an Obô Giant Snail, endemic from São Tomé and Príncipe islands is fighting for survival against the intruder Kwame, a West African Giant Land Snail.

Shorts Program 2: Beyond Space, Beyond Time

Total Runtime: 100m
Witness love, redemption, triumph, rebellion, defy the constraints of our modern day world.

Melanie & Kyle
Tiara West, 2023, U.S., 7m
English
US Premiere
Amidst the captivating world of poetry, Melanie and Kyle’s love flourishes. They explore the depth of their emotions through verses that intertwine their souls, revealing a timeless bond of passion, trust, and poetic beauty that transcends their mortal existence.

why some people be mad at me sometimes
Mahlet Cuff, 2024, Canada, 3m
English
World Premiere
A meditation on the misappropriation of Dancehall music while using Black Feminist Citational praxis.

Ivory Coast Initiative
Chiquita Lockley, 2023, U.S./ Ivory Coast, 20m
English
New York Premiere
Follows a cocoa farming family in a remote Ivorian village striving for education amid challenges. With support from US entrepreneur Tanya James and an Ivorian-American businessman, they pursue innovative educational access beyond conventional schools.

The Fly Collectors 
Jeff Arak, 2023, Senegal, 25m
English, French and Wolof with English subtitles
North American Premiere
A group of men in Senegal volunteer as human bait to catch flies carrying a parasite that once blinded hundreds of thousands of people throughout Africa. Following the lead of Africa’s leading medical entomologist, Daniel Boakye, the group of men work towards freeing the Gambia River from the vicious disease

Somewhere Everywhere In The Motherland
Boluwatife Adeniran, 2023, U.S., 6m
English
New York Premiere
A young, pregnant and overworked woman gets a few things off her chest as she prepares to give birth in an undisclosed postcolonial Pan-African country.

300 hours 
Jabari Brxwne, Robert Provilus, Nicolas Johnson, 2022, U.S., 6m
English
New York Premiere
Inspired by hip-hop and trap, 300 Hours follows Robert as he paints masterpieces in his Binghamton apartment, shot in super 8mm, VHS, and digital formats over a year. With a soundtrack by emerging black artists and a local focus, it’s a testament to black creativity.

BOMPOESTE: A Story of Redemption
Vincenté Kabo Baker, 2024, Botswana, 17m
Setswana with English subtitles
New York Premiere
A man is forced to reckon with mistakes from his youth while bedridden with sickness. 

What Exists 
Alberta Kallon, 2023, U.S., 16m
English
World Premiere
When a brainy bride-to-be stalls her wedding ceremony, her loyal groom struggles to regain her love through a game of 20 questions.

Brooklyn Academy of Music: May 24 – May 30, 2024
BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY)

BAM FilmAfrica Opening Night
Muna Moto – Recently Restored
Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa, 1975, Cameroon, 100m
French with English subtitles​​
Ngando and Ndomé share an extremely perfect love. Yet, tradition demands a dowry for Ndomé’s hand that Ngando, an orphan, cannot afford. Forced to ask his uncle for assistance, Ngando finds himself at the mercy of his uncle’s lust and greed. How can Ngando and Ndomé find peace together? Their journey will be challenging and everyone will learn that not everything special can be saved.

Preceded by
The Many Moods of Muna Moto
Mohamed Challouf, 2022, French, Cameroon/Tunisia, 19mins
French with English subtitles
North American Premiere
Crossed perspectives between the director Dikongué Pipa and the Cinema critic and filmmaker Férid Boughérid to tell us the thousand facets of the film Muna Moto, a masterpiece of Cameroonian cinema of the 70s and which received the Fespaco grand prize in 1976.( Etalon de Yennenga), an 18-minute short film which was re-read to accompany the 2022 release of the restored version of Muna Moto in a Criterion Collection DVD box set. 
Co-presented by Akoroko

Colonial Misunderstanding
Jean-Marie Téno, 2004, Cameroon, 78m
English, French and German

Germany’s genocidal war against the Herrero people in Namibia was a precursor to the policies of the Nazi regime. The film shows a bold exploration of Germany’s “African past.” Specifically, its attempts to colonize parts of Africa through religion and trade. It offers a provocative picture of the relatively short, but horrific colonial history of Germany in Africa.

Dent pour Dent
Ottis Ba Mamadou​, 2022, Senegal, 84m
French with English Subtitles

In this comedic drama, Idrissa lives in the suburbs of Dakar, Senegal. As a result of budgetary restrictions imposed by the IMF, then headed by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, he lost his job as a civil servant. Since then, Idrissa has been looking for work, without success. His pride as an African man is all the more affected by the fact that he is now entirely dependent on his wife, Viviane, who somehow manages to support the family through her medical practice. Aminata (Idrissa and Viviane’s daughter) and Moussa, two young students in love with each other, also see their lives disrupted by the economic situation imposed on the country. After yet another humiliation, Idrissa, who holds Strauss-Kahn responsible for his misfortune, decides to go and see a marabout to prepare his revenge…

Banel & Adama
Ramata Toulaye-Sy, 2023, France, Mali, Senegal, 93 m,
Pulaar, French with English subtitles

Banel and Adama are fiercely in love. Longing for a home of their own, they have decided to live apart from their families and that Adama won’t accept his blood duty as future chief. When Adama informs the village council of his intention, the whole community is disrupted. The rain that’s supposed to come doesn’t come. Banel and Adama will learn that where they live, there is no room for passions, let alone chaos.
Co-presented by Be Reel Black Cinema Club

The Bloodettes / Les Saignantes
Jean-Pierre Bekolo, 2005, Cameroon, 92 m
French with English subtitles

After an eight-year absence, maverick director Jean-Pierre Bekolo returns with his magnum opus, Les Saignantes. This superbly photographed, stylishly edited, and tastefully scored film is about two young femme fatales who set out to rid a futuristic country of its corrupt and sex-obsessed powerful men. In this sci-fi-action-horror hybrid, Majolie and Chouchou, navigate a sordid world where sex, money, politics and death perniciously overlap. Young, attractive, fashionable and lethal, they are on a mission to change the destiny of their country. Reveling in its display of excess, committed to aesthetics of cool, Les Saignantes is one of the first science fiction films to come out of Africa.

Co-presented by Nollybabes & Alfreda’s Cinema

La Grotte Sacrée
Cyrille Masso & Daniel Minlo, 2023, Cameroon, 100m
French with English subtitles
New York Premiere

This animation takes place in the heart of the equatorial forest in Africa, where a king is poisoned by one of his subjects. On the orders of the oldest of the notables, an old seer is called for rescue. He suggests to two close aides of the palace to go to the sacred cave in under seven days, to look for an antidote capable of curing. A fight of interest leads to chaos in the kingdom of Mabunos disrupts all expectations.

Le Spectre de Boko Haram
Cyrielle Raingou, 2023, Cameroon / France, 80m
French, Hausa with English subtitles

In the village of Kolofata on the Nigerian border, the Cameroonian military has been dispatched to guard villagers from attacks by the religious terrorist group Boko Haram. In this milieu, filmmaker Cyrielle Raingou follows three young children as they navigate lost innocence while growing up in constant fear. Having sparked international outrage in 2014 with the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls, Boko Haram may have fallen out of mainstream headlines, but the threat they represent—especially to children—is as omnipresent as ever.

Sadrack
Narcisse Wandji, 2023, Cameroon, 94m
French with English subtitles
North American Premiere

Bayo, 70, and his son Franck in Yaoundé navigate Bayo’s increasing memory loss. Franck hires Rachel, a student facing health issues, to help. Despite initial challenges, Rachel forms a special bond with Bayo. As they navigate Bayo’s condition, Franck comes to terms with the diagnosis, and Rachel finds support in their bond.

Nayola
José Miguel Ribeiro, 2022, Portugal/Belgium/France/Netherlands, 83m
Portuguese and Kimbundu with English subtitles

Angola. Three generations of women in a 25-year-long civil war: Lelena (the grandmother), Nayola (the daughter), and Yara (the granddaughter). Past and present interlace. Nayola goes in search of her missing husband at the height of the war. Decades later, the country is finally at peace, but Nayola has not returned. Yara has become a rebellious teenager and a provocative rapper who uses her music to promote social change. Lelena tries to keep Yara in check out of concern that the police will show up and arrest her. One night, a masked intruder breaks into their house, armed with a machete, in an encounter like nothing they could have imagined.
Co-presented by Akoroko

Shimoni
Angela Wanjiku Wamai, 2022, Kenya, 97m
English, Swahili, and Kikuyu with English subtitles

After seven years in prison, 35-year-old Geoffrey (Justin Mirichii) is released into the care of a Catholic priests’ compound in Shimoni, a small and sleepy village in rural Kenya. As we discover, Geoffrey knows this place—all too well—as “the pit.” A revered English teacher before his time inside, he now does farmyard chores, attends church services as required, and maintains a distance from other residents. Not that he ever goes anywhere else; some unnamed fear prevents him from stepping outside the gate. Then a man with a distinctive patch of white hair appears, terrifying Geoffrey so much that he wets himself. Weru (Daniel Njoroge) has haunted Geoffrey’s dreams for decades. Now he can’t face him. Film editor Angela Wanjiku’s gripping directorial debut explores the ways in which memory and emotion seize control of the body, which in turn may speak when words fail.

L’Accord 
Frank Thierry Lea Malle, 2022, Cameroon, 71m
French with English subtitles
North American Premiere

Flora, a girl  living in a dangerous neighborhood, is discovered drugged and raped at a party organized by Cédric, her boyfriend who lives in a residential area. To avoid a scandal, Cédric’s family offers a large sum of money to Flora’s parents for an agreement of confidentiality. 
Co-presented by Villa Albertine

Xalé
Moussa Sène Absa, 2022, Senegal/Ivory Coast, 101m
Wolof with English subtitles

Awa, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, is happily living her teenage years alongside her twin brother, Adama, who dreams of Europe. When their grandmother dies, their aunt Fatou and uncle Atoumane promise to marry in order to preserve the family union. But Fatou does not love Atoumane and the latter, tired of waiting to consummate his marriage, commits an act from which there is no going back. This film is the third in Moussa Sène Absa’s trilogy focused on women.

A Love During the War 
Osvalde Lewat-Hallade, 2005, Cameroon, 63m
English, French

Aziza and her husband were separated when the Congo-Kinshasa war broke out. Six years later, they reunited in Kinshasa, the DRC capital city. They are now rebuilding their family life with their four children. The souvenirs of the horrors suffered by other women in eastern Congo-Kinshasa during the war still hunt journalist Aziza. Despite her apparent happiness, she feels guilty. She wonders what happened to Feza, the little girl she used to care for. Feza aged twelve, is now a mother after several rapes. Aziza needs to know what happened to her. Aziza needs to see her again. She feels obliged to return to this part of the country where women have started denouncing the abuses suffered during the war. 

Africa is Back
Salem Brahimi, Chergui Kharroubi, 2010, Algeria, 94m
French, Arabic and English
North American Premiere

1969. The Panafrican Festival of Algiers celebrated the cultures of Africa and the hopes and struggles for Independence of a continent. 40 years later, the Panafrican Cultural Festival of Algiers is back in the streets of Algiers.

Cameroon Shorts: Peace Work Fatherland

Total Runtime: 93m
A symposium of the classic and contemporary short films from Cameroon. 

Grandma’s Grammar
Jean-Pierre Bekolo
Cameroon / 1996 / 9 mins / Documentary
French with English subtitles
In an informal meeting, the filmmaker receives an unforgettable definition of cinema from the late African film pioneer, Djibril Diop Mambéty.

Mister Foot
Jean-Marie Téno
Cameroon / 1992 / 31 mins / Documentary
French with English subtitles
The story of a young man who needs an uncooperative public servant’s signature to enter college, Mister Foot is a light-hearted look at Cameroon’s national obsession: soccer. During a period of social unrest in 1990, an informal truce was called so that fans on both sides could follow their national team, the Indomitable Lions, in the World Cup tournament.

Mama dan so que sorriso / Mother Just a Smile 
Cyrielle Raingou
Cameroon / 2023 / 18 mins / Documentary
Creole / Portuguese with English subtitles
New York Premiere
A deceased mother is not dead; she lives in the blowing wind, in the rising tide of a full moon night. A story about a mother-daughter relationship transcending space, time and dimension while highlighting black womanhood and struggle in Portugal.

Mboa Matanda
Jules Kalla Eyango
Cameroon / 2023 / 15 mins / Animation
French with English subtitles
US Premiere
Fusing the visual language and kineticism of African themes, traditions, and histories and warrior’s most momentous battle.

You Will Be My Ally 
Rosine Mfetgo Mbakam
Cameroon / 2012/ 20 min / Drama
French with English subtitles
Domé, a 35 year old woman from Gabon is intercepted at the airport in Brussels. There seems to be a problem with her papers. She is subjected to a long interrogation. Will she achieve her goal and get accepted on the Belgian territory?

Shorts Program: Global Africa

Total Runtime: 93m
A collection of stories featuring Africans around the globe, highlighting the oneness of a people throughout time and space

Confirmation 
Nana Duffuor, 2023, Ghana/US, 12m
English, Twi with English subtitles
Amidst rising social and political pressure in Ghana, a God-fearing mother must confront her fear of accepting her son’s sexual identity.

Grace
Johanna Makabi, 2022, France, 14m
French with English subtitles
Eight-year-old Grace hates her neighborhood, and she hates cheerleading. One day, she decides to join her father in space.

He’s Dead Now
Tarek El Sherbeny, 2022, Egypt, 12m
Arabic with English subtitles
Hazem is distraught after his family secrets are made public when his mother decides to expose his late father’s sexual affairs during his funeral rites.

Mother’s Tongue
D. Wilmos Paul, 2022, USA, 16m
English and French with English subtitles
Junior, an African immigrant teenager ashamed of his accent, enrolls in a creative writing club thinking he can make it through the semester without speaking… and then is confronted  with his worst fear.

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The Africa Center, June 1st, 2024
1280 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Bufis
Mahad Ahmed and Vincenzo Cavallo, 2023, Kenya and Germany, 105m
Somali, English, Swahili

Eastleigh Nairobi, Kenya is home to many Somalis who fled the Somali Civil War. When the US embassy opens the green card lottery visa, Assad writes hundreds of stories about imaginary families running away from the war and submits them. When one of the stories is accepted, Kamal, a repatriated Somali-American, helps him to find the right characters for the embassy interviews. The two have sent hundreds of fake families to the US but now their epic scam is about to be discovered. Based on true events, Bufis delivers a humorous and ambitious story about actualizing a dream of a new life.

Preceded by
Brain Drain
Collins Akpapunam, 2023, Nigeria, 35m
New York Premiere
English

Brain drain is defined as the migration of highly skilled individuals from one country to another in search of a better life. The documentary tells the story of immigration and its effects on the host nation and the home of origin of the migrants as told from the lenses of these Nigerian Americans who have excelled in their chosen fields in the United States of America. 

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AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL, INC.
Since 1990, African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) has bridged the divide between postcolonial Africa and the American public through the powerful medium of film and video. AFF’s unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management, but also by a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African film and culture. AFF established the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) in 1993 with Film at Lincoln Center. The New York African Film Festival is presented annually by the African Film Festival, Inc. and Film at Lincoln Center, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music and Maysles Cinema. AFF also produces a series of local, national, and international programs throughout the year. More information about AFF can be found on the web at www.africanfilmny.org. You can follow AFF at @africanfilmfest on Twitter and Instagram.

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
Film at Lincoln Center is dedicated to supporting the art and elevating the craft of cinema and enriching film culture.

Film at Lincoln Center fulfills its mission through the programming of festivals, series, retrospectives, and new releases; the publication of Film Comment; and the presentation of podcasts, talks, special events, and artist initiatives. Since its founding in 1969, this nonprofit organization has brought the celebration of American and international film to the world-renowned Lincoln Center arts complex, making the discussion and appreciation of cinema accessible to a broad audience and ensuring that it remains an essential art form for years to come.

Film at Lincoln Center receives generous, year-round support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information, visit www.filmlinc.org and follow @filmlinc on Twitter and Instagram.

MAYSLES CINEMA
Maysles Cinema, at Maysles Documentary Center (MDC), founded by the late documentary filmmaker and pioneer Albert Maysles (1926-2015) in 2008, is dedicated to the exhibition and discussion of documentary films. The Cinema is committed to a democratic experience, one where filmmakers are asked to attend the screenings of their work, and audiences have the opportunity to actively engage the films, subjects in the films, experts, and each other in post-screening forums. Coupled with its scheduled programming, Maysles encourages the programming participation of local social and cultural organizations to deepen community involvement and provide exposure for under-represented social issues and overlooked artists and their work. For more information, visit maysles.org.

BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC
BAM Rose Cinemas (BRC) opened in 1998 to offer Brooklyn audiences an alternative to the standard multiplex, screening independent films that might otherwise not play in the borough and making BAM the only performing arts center in the country with two mainstage theaters and a multiplex cinema. In July 1999, beginning with a series celebrating the work of Spike Lee, BAMcinématek was born as Brooklyn’s only daily year-round repertory film program. BAMcinématek presents classic films, premieres, festivals, and retrospectives, often with special appearances by filmmakers, actors, and critics. For more information, visit bam.org.

For press inquiries regarding African Film Festival, Inc., please contact:
Cheryl Duncan, Cheryl Duncan & Company Inc., cheryl@cdcprnews.com
African Film Festival, Inc., press@africanfilmny.org

For press inquiries regarding Film at Lincoln Center, please contact:
John Kwiatkowski, Film at Lincoln Center, JKwiatkowski@filmlinc.org
Eva Tooley, Film at Lincoln Center, ETooley@filmlinc.org
Rogers & Cowan PMK, filmatlincolncenterpr@rogersandcowanpmk.com