Festival Highlights

Opening Night Ceremony

Join us for a kick-off to the festival with live performances and more on Friday, February 4 at 6pm! In-person events will be held at Hollywood Theatre with limited capacity, and we will also be streaming this event live for virtual audiences. Please visit their website to learn more about Hollywood’s COVID-19 protocols.

Centerpiece Weekend

Centerpiece Weekend takes place on February 18–19 featuring two very special films. Lingui/The Sacred Bonds will only be available in-person at Hollywood Theatre on Friday, February 18 at 6pm. The second centerpiece film, La Nuit Les Rois/ Night of the Kings, will be available at Clinton Street Theater on February 19 at 7pm and available online. Please visit their website to learn more about Clinton Street Theater’s COVID-19 protocols.

Family Fest

On Saturday, Feb 26th at 4:45pm please join the North Portland Library’s Black Cultural Library Advocates after the film for a delightful family activity. Inspired by the compelling acts of playful subversion in Ondjaki’s film adaptation, we will exercise collective storytelling through Exquisite Corpse. This creative effort lets all participants contribute, each person adding on to the end of another’s sentence, as we compose a group story. Our result will be a surreal, imaginative narrative that forgoes boundaries to celebrate defiant agency in children. Adults are welcome to remain, afterward, to continue a  discussion on the context of the film in Angolan history, the power of language, and resources to deepen our dive of understanding. REGISTER HERE.

Closing Night Celebration

A special closing night celebration, featuring the film Min Alesh?, will also have both virtual and in-person options! We will announce this year’s Audience Award winner based on your votes. Our in-person event will be held Saturday, March 5 at 7pm at Clinton Street Theater where you are encouraged to wear your CFAF swag from any year.

After-film Q&A sessions

Join us for live, online Q&A sessions with film directors and other experts. The Q&As will be after evening films on Thursdays through Saturdays at 9pm throughout the festival.

All after-film discussions will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel for later viewing if you miss one.

Let’s Discuss! Community Conversations

Join us for casual conversations about the week’s films through Zoom rooms. Also accessible by phone. Mondays at 7pm throughout the festival.

Register to participate in Community Chats »

Our Global Home Documentary Series

This year’s documentaries share a common thread of the impacts of globalization and climate change with themes such as migration, industrial fishing, mining, and the relationship between indigeneity and diaspora. Throughout these five films, we celebrate the resilience of African and Pan-African people and the commitment to stewarding African culture to continue to be in the right relationship with the land.

African Virtual Marketplace and Restaurant Guide

Support our local vendors by visiting and shopping at our virtual marketplace and restaurant guide! The marketplace will be available on the website throughout the festival.

Dinner and a Movie

Check out our African and Black-owned restaurant guide, available throughout the festival, to find great take-out options to enjoy at home during your film!