For Immediate Release
September
23, 2014
The Pan African Film Festival Announces
Call for Submissions
America’s Largest, Most Prestigious Black Film Festival Elevates Its Tradition of Enrichment
LOS ANGELES – The call for submissions is open for the
23rd Annual Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), February 12 – 22, 2015,
the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in the U.S. PAFF
spans 11 days, and attracts 40,000+ industry and public attendees, and
schedules screenings of more
than 150 films from around the globe such as countries the United
States, Austria, England, Bermuda, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Brazil,
Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Nigeria, and Angola. American exposure
generates at-home press and even award recognition for
international films. The diversity of PAFF is represented by its core
value of Pan-Africanism in every feature selected and its community
programming including an extensive fine art show
ArtFest and surrounding schools Black History Month curriculum.
“Through the years, our guiding principle of
‘Pan-Africanism’ as a movement remains to unify and provide a platform
for the meaningful stories of all people of African descent worldwide –
African American, Caribbean, European, Latin American,
South Pacific, and Aboriginal” said Asantewa Olatunji, the director of programming for PAFF.
PAFF broadens the horizon of the film market and opens the minds of its audiences. In recent years, the reception to “Django Unchained,” “The Help,” and “12 Years a Slave”
by both Black and crossover filmgoers were
culturally explosive, huge box office wins and proved to Hollywood and
the world that films about the Black experience were not only relevant,
but also profitable.
”Any film from anywhere with a synopsis from Africa and the Diaspora is eligible,” said
Ayuko Babu, executive director and a founder of PAFF. “The
perspective must be realistic and reflect the Black experience. Our time
is now, our stories are prime, and support of authenticity is vital,”
said Babu.
ELIGIBILITY:
PAFF accepts submissions for films and videos made
by and/or about people of African descent. Filmmaker(s) need not be of
African or African American descent. Films should preferably depict
positive and realistic images and can be of any
genre -- drama, comedy, horror, adventure, animation, romance, science
fiction, experimental, etc. Features and shorts both narrative and
documentary may be submitted. The film festival will accept a single
submission of a work in progress; however, the final
version of the film must be completed no later than December 1, 2014.
Submissions must be made online through the PAFF website,
www.paff.org. Click onto the “Submit to PAFF 2015” button.
SUBMISSION:
Regular Submission:
Aug. 19 – Oct. 19
Features $45 | Shorts $30
Late Submission:
Oct. 20 – Nov. 19
Features $75 | Shorts $55
For complete details on rules, restrictions, fees, deadlines, and online application, visit
www.paff.org. Official selections
begin December 3, 2014 with “roll-out” notification; final announcement
will be posted to the website no later than January 5, 2015.
COMPETITION:
The PAFF competition categories are:
Best Narrative Feature
Best Narrative Short
Best Documentary
Best Director
First Feature
Audience Favorite Awards for Narrative Feature
Audience Favorite Awards for Favorite Documentary
Films in competition must be copyrighted no earlier than 2014. With the exception of
Audience Favorite Awards, all films are judged by industry
professionals, selected by PAFF. In addition to competition awards,
other programming and festival special prizes will be awarded.
ABOUT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
The Pan African Film
and Arts Festival (PAFF) is America's largest, and most prestigious
Black film and arts 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 United States.
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.
Share in the movement:
Official Site:
http://www.paff.org/
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/PAFF1992
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/paffnow
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/paffnow
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