{"id":1016,"date":"2011-01-10T08:21:05","date_gmt":"2011-01-10T16:21:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.africanfilmfestival.org\/"},"modified":"2025-02-25T13:21:41","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T21:21:41","slug":"highlights","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/festival\/highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"Festival Highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Opening Night Ceremony<\/h3>\n

Be part of an unforgettable Opening Night on Friday, January 31<\/strong>, at the Hollywood Theatre<\/strong> at 6:30pm (doors 6pm)! The evening begins with a spectacular live performance, setting the stage for the highly anticipated screening of Everybody Loves Touda<\/em> <\/a>by acclaimed Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch. Stick around after the film for an engaging Q&A session with special guests.<\/p>\n

Special Advance Screening<\/h3>\n

\"FilmWe enter Thursday, February 6 <\/strong>for an extraordinary night of African cinema and cultural celebration at the Tomorrow Theater, <\/strong>3530 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202. We\u2019re thrilled to partner once again with PAM CUT for an advance screening of On Becoming a Guinea Fowl<\/em> <\/a>by the visionary Zambian director Rungano Nyoni.<\/p>\n

The evening goes beyond the screen \u2013 immerse yourself in interactive activities and Portland-based experience with Polaroids by Paiz<\/a>. Stay for a thought-provoking 30-minute conversation with cultural experts and community leaders, who will unpack the film\u2019s powerful themes. Doors open 6pm.<\/p>\n

Centerpiece Weekend<\/h3>\n

\"FilmCenterpiece Weekend takes place February 14\u201315, featuring the artistry of acclaimed Senegalese filmmaker Moussa S\u00e8ne Absa<\/strong>. On Friday, February 14<\/strong>, join us at the Hollywood Theatre<\/strong> at 6:30pm (doors 6pm), for Xal\u00e9<\/em>,<\/a> a powerful film accompanied by an intimate Q&A with the director. Move into our retrospective series on Saturday, February 15<\/strong>, at PCC Cascade Moriarty Auditorium with the screenings of Tableau Ferraille<\/em><\/a> at 2pm and Madame Brouette<\/em><\/a> at 7pm, with a Q&A session with the director.<\/p>\n

Family Fest<\/h3>\n

Bring the whole family to our Family Film Fest & Activities, in collaboration with Multnomah County Library at PCC Cascade Saturday, February 22 at <\/strong>2pm<\/strong> with the screening of Hajjan<\/a> \u2013 <\/em>both an adventure story and a moving account of the deep bond that can develop between human and animal.<\/p>\n

Life and Times Documentaries<\/h3>\n

\"Group\"Audiences will discover profound stories of resilience, cultural identity, and social transformation through these powerful documentaries. From Raoul Peck’s Ernest Cole: Lost and Found<\/em><\/a>, they will uncover the legacy of a trailblazing photographer who courageously documented apartheid-era South Africa. Sherief Elkatsha’s Far From the Nile<\/em> <\/a>reveals how music becomes a unifying force, bridging diverse cultures connected by the Nile River. In Bobi Wine: The People\u2019s President<\/em> <\/a>by Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp, viewers witness the inspiring journey of a Ugandan musician-turned-activist fighting for justice and democracy. Finally, Mati Diop’s Dahomey<\/em><\/a> immerses audiences in the rich heritage and struggles of a historical kingdom, exploring themes of memory, power, and identity. Together, these films offer insight into the human spirit’s ability to rise, unite, and transform.<\/p>\n

Women Filmmakers Week, Marketplace Day, and Closing Night Celebration<\/h3>\n

February 27 \u2013 March 1<\/strong> will feature films by an emerging force of women filmmakers, within African cinema. Explore the vibrant Marketplace Day,<\/strong> featuring African and Black-owned vendors, stunning crafts, artwork, and more at PCC Cascade on Saturday, March 1, from 2-6pm<\/strong>. Plus, don\u2019t miss the special\u00a0documentary\u00a0short film (ahead of it\u2019s broadcast on\u00a0American Masters<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0on\u00a0PBS<\/strong>, spring 2025)\u00a0House of Aama: Threads of Legacy<\/em>, directed by\u00a0Jamal Ademola<\/a><\/strong>, and dance lesson from\u00a0Amel Tafsout<\/a><\/strong> during the marketplace.<\/p>\n

Then, enjoy our Closing Night celebration on Saturday, March 1 at 6:30pm <\/strong>with a performance by Randa Z, the screening of Under the Fig Trees<\/em><\/a> (Tunisia) by filmmaker Erige Sehiri, and talkback session Q&A.<\/p>\n

CFAF Special Curated African Films with Kanopy<\/h3>\n

Discover more films during our festival. Thanks to our partnership with *Multnomah County Library<\/strong>,\u00a0 you can enjoy a curated films list via Kanopy<\/strong>. Free for anyone with a library card and a streaming device. View available film list selections<\/a> and get more details about stream viewing.<\/a><\/p>\n

*If Multnomah County Library doesn\u2019t serve your area, check with your local library to see if our curated list of films is available on their streaming platform.<\/em><\/p>\n

Talkback Sessions<\/h3>\n

Join us after each evening\u2019s feature film throughout the festival for meaningful conversations and connections as we share and reflect on our film-viewing experiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Opening Night Ceremony Be part of an unforgettable Opening Night on Friday, January 31, at the Hollywood Theatre at 6:30pm (doors 6pm)! The evening begins with a spectacular live performance, setting the stage for the highly anticipated screening of Everybody Loves Touda by acclaimed Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch. Stick around after the film for an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":3382,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1016","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1016"}],"version-history":[{"count":111,"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3001,"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1016\/revisions\/3001"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africanfilmfestival.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}