Opening Night Gala with Danny Glover

AFI Silver is proud to host the 3rd annual New African Films Festival, December 7 through 11. The vibrancy of African filmmaking from all corners of the continent will be on display, including Washington, DC, premieres of Abderrahmane Sissako's BAMAKO; ABENI from Nigeria; and the award-winning INDIGÈNES (DAYS OF GLORY). The festival is presented by AFI, TransAfrica Forum, and afrikafé, and made possible by the generous support of BET J.

TransAfrica Forum is an organization that seeks to maintain foreign policy accountability in the African World through seminars, conferences, community awareness projects and training programs. www.transafricaforum.org

BET J offers a multitude of programs on jazz, which include American, international and experimental jazz musicians and groups. www.bet.com/BETJ

afrikafé is a professional networking organization for Africans and friends of Africa. Its mission is to provide members with opportunities to meet and connect with each other, share ideas, information and resources, and become informed of job opportunities and interesting projects. www.afrikafe.com

Washington, DC Premiere
BAMAKO

IN PERSON: Danny Glover
Performances by African Drummer Baba Ngwa and
Spoken-word Artist Omekongo Dibinga

$75 for African cuisine reception catered by Red Calabash, screening and panel discussion;
$35 Screening and panel discussion only

Abderrahmane Sissako grew up in a mud house in Bamako, Mali's capital city. Now one of Africa's most celebrated filmmakers, he returns to his modest family home to stage a mock trial of the World Bank and the IMF. As witnesses present their stories of the injustices wrought by globalization and policies imposed from afar, the film builds to a spirit of burning, righteous anger. Co-produced by Danny Glover, who makes a wonderfully surprising cameo appearance.

DIR/SCR/PROD Abderrahmane Sissako; PROD Denis Freyd. Mali/US/France, 2006, 115 min. In French and Bamara with English subtitles. NOT RATED.

Thursday, December 7
Reception: 6:30
Screening: 7:45

Washington, DC Premiere
INDIGÉNES (DAYS OF GLORY)
Ensemble cast WINNER Best Actor Award at Cannes 2006

From the mountains of Morocco to the battlefields of France and Italy, DAYS OF GLORY follows the journey and psychology of four North African soldiers as they fight on the side of their colonizer, France, against Germany during World War II. Standout performances by the four leads won this ensemble cast a collective Best Actor honor at the 2006 Cannes film festival. Screening courtesy of The Weinstein Company.

DIR/SCR Rachid Bouchareb; SCR Olivier Lorelle; PROD Jean Brehat. France/ Moroco/Algeria/Belgium, 2006, color, 120 min. In French and Arabic with English Subtitles. NOT RATED.

US Premiere
ABENI

Director Tunde Kelani is acknowledged to be at the forefront of Nigerian films. Abeni is a beautiful young woman from a wealthy family. Akanni is a handsome young man who has managed to rise from his family's poverty. They were sweethearts as children, though Akanni's father worked for Abeni's family until Akanni's irresponsible act leads to the relocation of Akanni's entire family.

DIR/PROD Tunde Kelani; SCR François Okioh and Yinka Ogun. Nigeria/Benin, 2006, color, 105 min. In French and Yoruba with English subtitles. NOT RATED.

Washington, DC Premiere
THE GOVERNOR'S NEW CLOTHES

The Hans Christian Andersen tale, The Emperor's New Clothes [1835], has now been adapted into a musical set in an African village. Director Ngangura, whose previous promise shone in PIéCES D'IDENTITÉ and LA VIE EST BELLE, crafts an accessible cultural and political narrative. While set in an African village, this Ngangura musical reaches for something more.

DIR/SCR Mweze D. Ngangura. Belgium/Democratic Republic of Congo, 2004, color, 86 min. In French with English subtitles. NOT RATED.

Washington, DC Premiere
DRUM

WINNER Grand Prize at FESPACO 2005
Starring Taye Diggs
Screening with MEOKGO AND THE STICKFIGHTER (SEKALLI LE MEOKGO)

The ever-versatile Taye Diggs stars in this true-life story as Henry Nxumalo, a magazine writer for the trend-setting magazine Drum in 1950s Sophiatown, Johannesburg. As apartheid begins to strengthen its hold, Nxumalo is unable to stand the injustices and goes undercover to reveal the inhumane conditions of the new system.

DIR Zola Maseko; SCR Jason Filardi; PROD Dumisani Dlamini, Zachary Matz, Matt Milich, Chris Sievernich and Rudolf Wichmann. South Africa/US, 2004, color, 94 min. In English, Afrikaans and German with English subtitles. NOT RATED.

DC Premiere
MEOKGO AND THE STICKFIGHTER (SEKALLI LE MEOKGO)

A fable that draws equally on Mozart's The Magic Flute and the power of magic in traditional African cultures, with visual flair that would befit a Sergio Leone western.

DIR/SCR/PROD Teboho Mahlatsi; South Africa/Austria, 2006, color, 19 min. In Sotho with English subtitles. NOT RATED.

THE GREAT BAZAAR

Screened with BE KUNKO

In the suburb of an African city, 12-year-old Paito sells fritters outside his house. One day, a band of young robbers takes his money. He decides he's not going to go home until he recovers what he lost. With this in mind, he heads out for the big city on the same train as the thieves. Looking for work, he begins to live in a market square that at night becomes a dormitory for homeless vendors.

DIR LICINIO AZEVEDO; Mozambique, 2005, color, 58 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. NOT RATED.

BE KUNKO (EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM)

BE KUNKO depicts the spiral of violence that a group of teenagers fall into as they struggle to survive day-to-day at a Guinean refugee camp in the capital of Conakry. Little by little, we discover the teenagers' daily lives. John and Tom go from burglary to armed robbery, whilst Satou and Dady end up in prostitution.

DIR/SCR/PROD Cheick Fantamady Camara; Guinea, 2004, color, 30 min. In Creole, French and Malinke with English subtitles. NOT RATED.

DC Premiere
SOME KIND OF FUNNY PORTO RICAN?: A CAPE VERDEAN AMERICAN STORY

IN PERSON: director Claire Andrade-Watkins

SOME KIND OF FUNNY PORTO RICAN is the untold tragedy and scandal of what happened to a vibrant community of immigrants from the Cape Verde Islands in the Fox Point section of Providence, Rhode Island who were forcibly displaced by urban renewal.

DIR/SCR/PROD Claire Andrade-Watkins; USA/Cape Verde, 2006, color, 83 min. NOT RATED.

DC Premiere
MO & ME

IN PERSON: Salim Amin, producer and son of Mohamed "Mo" Amin

This documentary captures the 30-year career of photojournalist Mohamed "Mo" Amin. Amin covered nearly every major event in Africa, including the Ethiopian famine that inspired a global conscience. Braving torture, surviving bombs and bullets, and even the loss of his left arm, he emerged as the most decorated news cameraman of all.

DIR/SCR Roger Mills and Murad Rayani; PROD Salim Amin. Kenya, 2006, color, 95 min. NOT RATED.

DC Premiere
WHO'S AFRAID OF NGUGI?

IN PERSON: director Manthia Diawara (Sunday only)

This documentary follows acclaimed author Ngugi wa Thiong'o as he and his political activist wife Njeri journey back to Kenya after years of exile. As they are welcomed home by joyous and hopeful crowds, they also must cope with those who still find their revolutionary words and deeds threatening.

DIR Manthia Diawara; PROD Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda; Kenya/USA, 2006, color, 83 min. In English, Swahili and Gikuyu with English subtitles. NOT RATED.