Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF Los Angeles)

Overview

The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) is the largest Black film festival in the world. Founded in 1992 and held annually in February at the Rave Cinemas in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles -- in the heart of one of America's most historically significant Black communities -- the festival presents the most comprehensive showcase of African American and African diaspora cinema available anywhere.

PAFF was founded by filmmakers to address the severe underrepresentation of Black stories and Black filmmakers in mainstream American film culture. Thirty years later, it has become the most important platform for Black cinema in the world, presenting over 170 films from over 40 countries annually.

The festival's February timing during Black History Month and its Los Angeles location in the entertainment industry's backyard give it unique cultural and industry resonance. Studio executives, producers, and distributors attend alongside the large South Los Angeles community audience.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Competition -- competitive films from the African diaspora
• African Film Program -- films from the African continent
• Documentary Competition -- nonfiction features
• Short Film Competition -- competitive short programs
• Arts Exhibition -- visual art alongside the film program

What Filmmakers Should Know

PAFF accepts open submissions. For Black and African diaspora filmmakers, the festival provides the most important dedicated platform available. The Los Angeles location creates strong industry connections, with distribution deals regularly resulting from PAFF screenings.

Major Awards

• Best Film -- jury prize
• Best Documentary
• Audience Award

Festival History

PAFF was founded in 1992 and has grown into the world's most important Black cinema festival over three decades.

See Also

For African American cinema, see Urban World Film Festival. For African cinema, see FESPACO Ouagadougou.