Photos: African Film Festival\Twitter
The 29th New York African Film Festival is presented under the banner Visions of Freedom: tuning into diverse and interconnected notions of freedom pertinent to Africa, the diaspora, and the world at large.
This year’s festival presents programs that recall activisms past and usher in new anthems of the future to embrace a united front for liberation and expression. The line-up includes in theater and virtual programs. You can view the full schedule and purchase tickets for Maysles Cinema (save by purchasing the “5 films for $50” pass here), and BAM screenings now.
Scroll down for more info on events and highlights!
THU, MAY 19 AT 7:00PM
“The Last Shelter” by Ousmane Samassékou
NY Premiere
Maysles Cinema
343 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
At the southern edge of the Sahara desert stands The House of Migrants, a safe haven for those on their way to Europe, or those returning home. Here they come to terms with their individual migration stories. How does one feel, or what does one need, when their dreams have been buried in the sand, or when they are waiting to be lived?
Q&A with the director, Ousmane Samassékou follows the screening.
FRI, MAY 20 AT 6:00PM
“El Maestro Laba Sosseh” by Maky Madiba Sylla
NY Premiere
Maysles Cinema
343 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
With the first continental gold record in 1980, prolific singer, Laba Sosseh, became an emblematic figure of Afro-Cuban music in Africa. His career spanned more than 45 years, until his death in 2007. This documentary takes us on a journey ten years later, tracing his ever-present influence.
Q&A with the director, Maky Madiba Sylla follows the screening.
Co-Presented by Cinema Tropical
FRI, MAY 20 AT 8:00PM
Shorts Program: Omnipresence
Maysles Cinema
343 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
Socio-political and cultural themes are explored through stories of migration, resilience, and a speculative envisioning of reparations. Films include This Thing is Not for You by Ifeanyi Awachie; Kasongo (Im)Materiel by Noemie Arazi & Georges Senga; Becoming Black Lawyers by Evangeline M. Mitchell; From the Cave’s Mouth by Jeani Varty; and A Real Dancer Cannot Stand Still by Alice Aterianus-Owanga.
Q&A with Ifeanyi Awachie, Adwoa Duncan-Williams, Noemie Arazi, and Evangeline M. Mitchell follows the screening
SAT, MAY 21 AT 2:00PM
“Thomas Sankara, The Human” by Richard Tiéné
Maysles Cinema
343 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
A rare, homegrown study on the life of the late Burkinabè president and revolutionary, Thomas Sankara, the Human, hands surviving witnesses of the Sankara era the microphone, allowing them to reveal what they have in the depths of their conscience without censorship.
Followed by a Q&A
Co-Presented by The Africa Center
SAT, MAY 21 AT 4:30PM
“Sankara’s Orphans” by Géraldine Berger
Maysles Cinema
343 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
In 1986, under the leadership of President Thomas Sankara, 600 orphans and rural children from Burkina Faso were sent to Cuba with the mission of learning a trade in order to come back and develop their country. Their mission was deflected by the assassination of Sankara in 1987. This documentary mixes recounted memories with archival imagery, giving us a glimpse into the reminiscences of their revolutionary youth.
Followed by a Q&A
Co-Presented by The Africa Center
Since 1990, African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) has bridged the divide between post-colonial Africa and the American public through the medium of film. AFF’s unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management but by a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African and diaspora film and culture. Launched in 1993, the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) is presented annually by African Film Festival, Inc. and Film at Lincoln Center, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music. AFF also produces a series of local, national, and international programs throughout the year.African Film Festival, Inc. 154 West 18th Street, Suite 2A 212-352-1720
