On February 20th, 2014, AFF participated in the Winter African Film Festival at the Global Kids Headquarters. AFF screened a coming-of-age film, Alaskaland, to a classroom of approximately forty students. The filmmaker of Alaskaland, Chinonye Chukwu, was present for an engaging post-screening discussion. Global Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit educational organization that works to ensure that urban youth have the knowledge, skills, experiences and values they need to succeed in school, participate effectively in the democratic process, and achieve leadership in their communities and on the global stage.

About the Director

Chinonye Chukwu is a Nigerian-born, Alaskan-raised screenwriter, producer and director. A recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Award, Chinonye’s short, The Dance Lesson, premiered at the Ritz Theater of Philadelphia and was later acquired by MindTV for regional network distribution. The film was also a Regional Finalist for the 2010 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Student Academy Awards and an Honorary Mention at the Los Angeles International Film Festival. Chinonye’s other work includes Igbo Kwenu!, a recipient of the PIFVA Subsidy Grant from the independent film community and both the “Best Motion Picture Award” and “Best Screenplay Award” at the 2009 Diamond Screen Festival. In 2012 she completed her first feature narrative, Alaskaland, the story of an estranged Nigerian-American brother and sister who reunite in their Alaskan hometown. Her 2019 death row drama, Clemency, starring Alfre Woodard and Aldis Hodge, which she wrote and directed, received the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2019. She is a director on the TV series, Americanah, based on the novel of the same name by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her 2022, critically acclaimed, biographical drama, Till, based on the true story of Mamie Till-Bradley, received numerous awards and nominations. Learn More

About our In-School Lecture Series

Filmmakers and scholars interact face to face with students for in depth all-around film lessons and conversation. Learn More