First
up: The Los Angeles premiere of the striking South African film noir “Of Good
Report,” directed by Jahmil
X.T. Qubeka. In a bold move, the festival will showcase the third feature by
Qubeka, which deals with the taboo subject of an obsessive teacher-pupil affair.
Festivities will kick off with a
star-studded Opening Night Gala at 6:30 p.m. on
Thursday, February 6, 2014 at the
new Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills 15 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los
Angeles.
This
year, PAFF has selected a total of 172 films,
representing 46 countries -- that is, 37 documentaries, 23 short documentaries,
55 narrative features, and 57 narrative shorts as well as 11 webseries in the
new category of new media. The festival will hand out prizes for Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Narrative Short, Best Narrative Feature, Best First Feature Film, and Best Web
Series as well as audience favorite awards at the close of the
festival.
PAFF
will take its movie goers
on a cinematic journey with screenings from around the world – including such
countries as Argentina, Brazil, Bahamas, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, France,
Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and of course,
the United States. PAFF hopes these films with global appeal will open the minds
of its audiences, and transport them to lands far away and back home again … without ever packing a suitcase.
Here’s
a quick look at the lineup of some the festival’s mega marquee screenings:
MEGA MAIN
ATTRACTIONS
Opening Night
Los Angeles Premiere
·
“Of Good Report” (South Africa/101
minutes/2013) | February 6,
2014 –
directed
by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka. Parker, a shy and mysterious high school teacher, arrives
at his new assignment in a rural school. While he is earnest in his passion for
teaching, his extra-curricular attentions are drawn to a gorgeous young girl.
When he realizes she is a student at his very school -- and forbidden fruit --
he grows increasingly obsessed with her. When the girl goes missing, a female
detective comes snooping around, fueling Parker’s unstable, even dangerous,
behavior. It’s a modern-day classic, a film noir that will in time prove to be a
milestone in Pan African films. Mothusi Magano (Parker) and
Petronella Tshum (Nolitha) co-stars along with Thobi Mkhwanazi , Nomhlé
Nkyonyeni , Tshamano Sebe.
Super-sized Centerpiece Presentation
World Premiere*
·
“About Last Night”
(US/2013)
|
February 11, 2014 -- directed by
Steve
Pink.
A
very hip re-imagining of the classic sophisticated romantic comedy, this
contemporary version closely follows new love for two couples as they journey
from the bar to the bedroom, and are eventually put to the test in the real
world. The cast includes Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, Joy Bryant,
Christopher McDonald and Paula Patton.
Closing Night World Premiere
·
“Blackbird” (US/102 minutes/2013) | February 16,
2014 -- directed by Patrick-Ian Polk.
Based
on the novel by Larry Duplechan, this film is a powerful coming-of-age story
about 17-year-old Randy Rousseau. A
devout high school choir boy, Randy is struggling to come to terms with his
sexuality in a small, religiously-conservative Mississippi town he calls home.
Randy juggles his role as star of the church choir while facing the everyday
trials of life as a high school misfit. Complicating matters, his little sister
has gone missing and his parents have subsequently split up, leaving him to care
for his heartbroken mother, Claire. When Claire discovers the shocking secret
her son has been hiding, she blames him for the disappearance of his sister.
Randy's father, Lance, who has been keeping a watchful eye on his broken family,
steps in to give his son a hand as he struggles to make the difficult transition
into manhood.
The cast includes Oscar-winner Mo’Nique (“Precious”) and
veteran actor Isaiah Washington, fresh off his critically-acclaimed and Gotham
Award-nominated performance in “Blue Caprice.”
*Note:
With the exception of the super-sized
centerpiece presentation, all
PAFF screenings and panels will take place at the new Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills
at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. (The theatre is situated
on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Marlton Avenue and Crenshaw
Boulevard) For more information about the official selections of the Pan African
Film Festival, visit the festival’s website at: http://www.paff.org/paff-2014-films-selected/
PAFF,
America's
largest and most prestigious Black film festival, will take place
February 6-17, 2014 at
the new Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills 15 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw
Plaza. (The theatre is
situated on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Marlton Avenue and
Crenshaw Boulevard)
PAFF is the grant recipient of the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. The festival thanks the generous support of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and RAVE Cinemas. For more information, visit www.PAFF.org.
ABOUT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM
FESTIVAL
Gearing up
for its 22nd anniversary, the Pan African Film and Arts Festival
(PAFF), is America's largest and most prestigious Black film festival. Each
year, it screens more than 150 films made by and/or
about people of African descent from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean,
South America, the South Pacific, Latin America, Europe and Canada. PAFF holds
the distinction of being the largest Black History Month event in the
country.
PAFF
was founded in 1992 by
award-winning actor Danny Glover (“The Color Purple,” “Lethal Weapon” movie
franchise), Emmy Award-winning actress Ja’Net DuBois (best known for her role as
Willona in the tv series, “Good
Times”) and executive director, Ayuko Babu, an international legal, cultural and
political consultant who specializes in African Affairs. PAFF is a non-profit corporation
dedicated to the promotion of ethnic and racial respect and tolerance through
the exhibit of films, art and creative
expression.
The goal
of PAFF is to present and showcase
the broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce
positive images, help to destroy negative stereotypes and depict an expanded
vision of the Black experience. PAFF believes film and art can lead to better
understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures,
races, and lifestyles, while at the same time, serve as a vehicle to initiate
dialogue on the important issues of our times.
For
more information, please visit www.PAFF.org or call (310)
337-4737.
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