AFRICAN VOICES CINEMA SERIES debuts
at AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi

The African Voices Cinema Series at AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi, is designed to amplify the diverse voices of the African continent through the creative work of directors, producers and writers from the African Diaspora, who were also born in Africa, and who play the ultimate role in communicating the culture, politics, and the vision of a people through film.

With the introduction of African Voices, AFI FEST intends to build on its 20-year legacy of presenting international cinema to the film community. It is our aim to create an opportunity for African filmmakers to present their work on a global scale, while providing African filmmakers with access to industry resources in a structured environment. Additionally, it is our hope that providing such a platform will serve as a vehicle to introduce the American film community to the wealth of Africa's emerging and untapped creative talent while simultaneously providing a voice to the issues and challenges of Africa's developing regions.

This year's Festival will showcase the work of six films that represent African directors, producers, and writers from Algeria, Britain, Egypt, France, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.

For more information about the African Voices Cinema Series, please contact the Producer, Sharifa Johka at 310.701.3399 or sjohka@AFI.com.