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Providence African Film & Arts Festival
September 18 @ 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm
pvdworldmusic.com
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!
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. PLEASE JOIN US!
DAY 2. OPEN AIR CINEMA
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the African Film Festival will continue with two exciting events:
Screening at RISD Museum Metcalf Auditorium
Time: 12:00 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).
SECOND SCREENING: Open Air Outdoor Movie at 195 District Park
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: 195 District Park, 120 Peck St, Providence, RI 02903
Begin the evening with an Ancestral Music tribute featuring the Zikina Music Band. At sunset, we will screen African Shorts Films at 7:15 PM starting with Eish w Malh: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture (Dir. Mariam Moawia, Egypt, 2024) and Dawn (Dir. Gary Telly JEANNOT).
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: 6:00 PM
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.
3. 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 4. COMMUNITY, CULTURE, MUSIC AND CINEMA!
On Saturday,Sep 21, 2024 The African Film and Arts Festival will take place at the Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island, 393 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907. We will have events that celebrate, honor and educate about African musical heritages through free movies, music and dance!
We will also have live music outdoors featuring distinct musical traditions from Africa and African Diaspora. Classic Vibe Reggae will perform at 3:30 PM to celebrate reggae music. We have invited Burundian singer and band leader Africa Nova to join us to celebrate the local African community by honoring the music of the people of Burundi from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Alongside the music, we will screen three films indoor and outdoor from 3:00 PM to 7:15 PM. We will begin at 3:00 PM with a screening of Lucky ( by Kumi Kumi Obuoabisa, Ghana), followed by The River by Ethiopian filmmaker Herrana Addisu at 5:00 PM and The Bride by Rwandese filmmaker and visual artist Myriam Uwiragiye Birara at 7:15 PM.
DAY 5. CLOSING CEREMONY / NEW MILESTONE!
The closing ceremonies for the 5th Annual African Film 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 to 9:00 PM
We will start with the screening of shorts films from our submission from 3:30 PM starting with We are Griots by Filmmaker Demba Konate. We will conclude the festival with Tanzanian award winning film The Empty Grave Directed by Cece Mlay and Agnes Lisa Wegner.
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
