The Pan African Film and Art Festival (PAFF) is well underway at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Countless vendors with a variety of merchandise, special events and films are on display for the community.
Honoring filmmakers of African descent and artists from around the globe, PAFF will continue through February 15 and is expected to draw more than 35,000 people to the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw community.
Here are some of the films that will be play at PAFF 2016:
#Bars4Justice”: Seeking Justice Shorts Series is a documentary showing Thursday, February 11 @ 6:15p; Sat, February 13 @ 10:50p. “#Bars4Justice” tells the story of Hip Hop activist rapper Jasiri X goes to Ferguson to perform at a benefit concert to mark the year anniversary of Mike Brown’s Death. During the concert guests are shocked to hear that yet another black teen had been shot by Ferguson police around the corner from where Mike Brown was killed. Stars: Common, Rosa Clemente, Talib Kweli, Renita Lamkin, Cornel West, Jasiri Smith (AKA JasiriX).
“Across The Tracks”: African American Shorts Series 2 is a narrative short showing on Monday, February 15 @ 12:20p. “Across The Tracks” tells the story of two sisters growing up in 1960s Georgia. One sister is born with lighter skin and when schools integrate, she decides to change her destiny – by passing for white. Tackling issues of identity, colorism, peer pressure and bullying, this film explores the damage that one momentary lapse in judgment can have on an entire life. Stars: Berkeley Clayborne, Brynn Crosby, Carla McCullough, Thursday Farrar, E Roger Mitchel.
“Dubois”: Shorts Series 1 is a narrative short showing Fri, February 12 @ 10:35p. “Dubois” tells the story of a woman who, while recovering from the grief of her husband’s death, visits family on the island of Trinidad. There she finds herself strangely drawn to a mentally ill homeless man she sees wandering the streets, and he to her.A metaphysical, spiritual journey follows, ending in an unnerving discovery. Stars: Eamonn Walker, Indra Ové, Michael Cherrie.
“The Man Who Mends Women – The Wrath Of Hippocrates (L’homme Qui Répare Les Femmes – La Colère D’Hippocrate)” is a documentary feature showing Saturday, February 6 @ 5:05p; Saturday, February 13 @ 11:00a. Winner of the Sakharov Prize 2014, Doctor Mukwege is internationally known as the man who mends thousands of women who have been raped during the 20 years of conflicts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the poorest countries on the planet, despite its extremely rich sub-soil. His endless struggle to put an end to these atrocities and denounce the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators is not welcome. At the end of 2012, the Doctor was the target of another attempt on his life, which he miraculously survived. Threatened with death, this doctor with an exceptional destiny now lives cloistered in his hospital in Bukavu under the protection of the United Nation peacekeepers. But he is no longer alone in his struggle. The women to whom he has restored physical integrity and dignity, stand beside him, true activists for peace, hungry for justice.
“Your Land”: Shorts Series 4 is a narrative short showing Sat, February 6 @ 12:15p; Sun, February 7 @ 8:45p; Wed, February 10 @ 1:20p. “Your Land” is an astonishing, extraordinary film that taps into the mystical and unknown questions on “The Slave Trade.” The origin of the term “Africa/African” and the existence of the “so-called” Africans in the Americas forces it’s audience to take a much deeper look into its history. Stars: Ochuwa Oghie, Mohammed Ali Ojarigi, James Akingbade.
This year, over 100 films will be screened at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza RAVE Cinemas located at 4020 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008. For more info on the Pan African Film and Art Festival, please visit http://www.paff.org/.
