2024 AFAF Selections
The African film and Art Festival seeks to celebrate, educate and and promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding between the diverse communities that call Providence home. We hope you can join us to celebrate, promote, and enrich traditional music, arts and films from Africa and around the world so that they may be enjoyed and cherished for generations to come!
2024 African Film and Art Festival
PROVIDENCE, RI, September 04, 2024: Back for its fifth year, PVD World Music’s Annual African Film and Arts Festival returns to Providence for five days from September 18 to 22, 2024, shining a spotlight on contemporary films and filmmakers from Africa and the African Diaspora. As with every year, the festival will showcase rarely-seen films and highlight important indigenous music histories and traditions in locations around Providence in partnership with local champion organizations. It will also include traditional African music and dance performances and offer opportunities to learn more about the vibrant arts of the African continent.
The African film and Art Festival seeks to celebrate, educate and and promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding between the diverse communities that call Providence home. We hope you can join us to celebrate, promote, and enrich traditional music, arts and films from Africa and around the world so that they may be enjoyed and cherished for generations to come!
The 5th African Film and Arts Festival is made possible by the generous support from our partners, collaborators and sponsors:
CURATORIAL TEAM
Laura Twagirayezu
Kayleen Vicente
Norissa Hemendes
Jetrie Ndikumwenayo
Chance Kinyange Boas
FESTIVAL PARTNER AND SPONSORS
Rhode Island Council for the Arts
Rhode Island Council for the Humanities
Providence Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism
Providence Public Library
195 District Park
Social Enterprise Greenhouse
Courtland Club
The Fleet Library at Rhode Island School of Design
Ruth J Simmons Center for Slavery and Justice at Brown University
Africa Initiative at Watson Institute at Brown University
Department of Africana Studies at Brown University
SMALL MIGHTY TEAM. BIG COMMUNITY DREAM!
This event was made possible through tireless work of the PVD World Music 2024 team:
OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
Chance Kinyange Boas, Founder and Executive Director
Padini Nirmal, Director of Strategy, Community and Research
Dominique Sindayiganza, Photographer and Advisor
Ian Lyle, Production Assistant
Norissa Hemedes
Ange Zelie Karondo
Jetrie Ndikumwenayo
Likeyi Nihoreho
Michael Zhang
For more information contact info@pvdworldmusic.com or visit pvdworldmusic.com
AFAF2024
SCREENING SCHEDULE
AFAF2024 takes place at various locations throughout Rhode Island bringing African Film and Art to the communities.
DAY 1. OPENING NIGHT
The Africa Initiative at the Watson Institute is proud to support and cordially invites you to the Opening Night of the 5th Annual African Film and Arts Festival on the evening of September 18th, 2024. The five-day festival is organized by PVD World Music and further information about the full schedule of events can be found here.
The Opening Night kicks off at 5:30 pm in The Agora, Stephen Robert ’62 Hall, 280 Brook Street and will include live music and African cuisine. The evening will culminate with the screening of renowned Cameroonian filmmaker Jean-Pierre Bekolo’s “Miraculous Weapons.” Bekolo will be present and join us for a Q&A session after the film moderated by Melaine Fer. PLEASE JOIN US!
DAY 2. OPEN AIR CINEMA
Update Sept 19, 2024: On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the African Film Festival will continue with three screenings at the
the RISD Museum Metcalf Auditorium
Time: 12:15 PM
Location: RISD Museum Metcalf Auditorium, 20 North Main St, Providence, RI 02903
We will be screening the award winning OMEN, a film directed by Baloji (DR Congo/ Belgium) followed by screen African Shorts Films at starting with Eish w Malh: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture (Dir. Mariam Moawia, Egypt, 2024) and Dawn (Dir. Gary Telly JEANNOT).
Unfortunately the second screening at 195 is cancelled due to the Rain. Zikina Music Band will be reschedule to October 24th at the 195 District Park. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Tickets: Free Donations are highly encouraged.
DAY 3. CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS OF AFRICAN FILM AND ART
On Friday, September 20, 2024, our film festival will feature a diverse array of three events:
FIRST SCREENING at Providence Public Library
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Providence Public Library, 150 Empire St, Providence, RI 02903
We will kick off the day with a screening of Shimoni (Dir. Angela Wanjiku Wamai, Kenya 2022).
SECOND SCREENING: 5th Anniversary Celebration of 5 years of African Film and Art
Time: Door 5:00 PM Screening 6:15PM
Location: Church Hill House, 155 Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906
Join us for a special celebration marking the 5th anniversary of the African Film and Art Festibal. We are honored to welcome distinguished filmmaker Haile Gerima, who will be in attendance for a screening of his acclaimed film Sankofa. A Q&A panel discussion with Haile Gerima and Professor Máyọ̀wá Ajíbádé will follow the screening.
This event is sponsored by the Brown University Department of Africana Studies Rites and Reasons and The Ruth Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.
AFTER PARTY AT COURTLAND CLUB
Time: 10:00 PM
Location: Courtland Club, 51 Courtland Street, Providence, RI 02909
Friday celebration will conclude the evening with our annual After Party, featuring live music from Afronaut Transmission and a special DJ set by Umamaroon, a Rwandese DJ from New York City.
Tickets: Free Donations are highly encouraged. Registration required.
DAY 5. CLOSING CEREMONY / NEW MILESTONE!
Location: 393 Broad Street Providence, RI 02903
Event Starting Time: 3:30 PM
The closing ceremonies for the 5th Annual Festival will take place on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at the Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island, 393 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907.
Time: 3:30 PM
We will start with the screening of shorts films from our submission from 3:30 PM. We will conclude the festival with Tanzanian award winning film The Empty Grave Directed by Cece Mlay and Agnes Lisa Wegner.
CLOSING CEREMONY AFRICAN SHORT FILMS
Location: 393 Broad Street Providence, RI 02903
Screening Time : 3:30 PM
SHORT FILMS SELECTIONS
Umlindelo / The Vigil
South Africa
Ma ŋaye ka Masaala a se ka Wɔmɛti (From God To Man)
Sierra Leone
The Medallion
United Kingdom
SƐBƐN
Mali
Bottles
Morocco
Because I'm a WOMAN
Senegal
We are Griots
France
Three mums
Ireland
Tickets: Free Donations are highly encouraged. Registration required.
CLOSING DAY AFRICAN ANCESTRAL MUSIC TRIBUTE
Location: 393 Broad Street Providence, RI 02903
Performance Time : 6:00 PM
Join us for the closing ceremony. We close with performance by Burundian multi instrumentalist and singer/composer Steven Sogo. He will perform traditional Inanga music from Burundi and the Great Lakes of Africa.
We offer this closing as a tribute honoring the refugee families from the Great Lakes who immigrated to Rhode Island beginning in the early 2000s. Many people in this community, especially youth born here or in refugee camps have been denied the opportunity to listen to, learn from and share their precolonial music traditions, owing to ongoing conflicts and colonial harm. It will be a first for many to enjoy live performances of important ancestral instruments such as the Inanga, Umuduri, and Ikembe. Additionally, the closing day will be a great opportunity for African refugee youth to watch a film made by a filmmaker from their shared homelands.
Tickets are free, and donations are highly encouraged.
The 5th Annual African Film and Art Festival is a production of PVD World Music Institute with generous support from many individuals like you. We would like to thank you for joining us to celebrate African Film and Art here in Rhode Island. We hope you can join us again next year.
Thank you very much!
PVD World Music Team