PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL 2019
That’s a Wrap for the 27th Annual Pan African Film Festival. As West Coast Correspondent for Sonya’s Spotlight, I had a great time taking in as many films as possible and interviewed actors, writers, producers, directors and more on the Red Carpet! Enjoy a few of my Photos & Video Coverage below.
The 27th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival celebrated its long-standing legacy as the largest Black film festival in America by announced a slate of over 190 new black films, and an exhibition of over 100 fine artists and unique crafts. The festival commenced Black History Month and the start of the festival with an exclusive opening night screening of Aretha Franklin’s rare concert documentary, Amazing Grace, at the Director’s Guild of America on Thursday, February 7. The festival continued through Monday, February 18 at the Cinemark Rave 15 Theatres (3650 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd) and the adjacent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. The Pan African Film & Arts festival has cemented its story as a hub for breakthrough and award-winning films and filmmakers from the US and around the world, featuring a staggering 2019 slate of 36 World Premieres and 99 Los Angeles or US Premieres.
By Kita Harrison Golden
Kita Harrison Golden covers the Pan African Film Festival
The 27th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival celebrated its long-standing legacy as the largest Black film festival in America by announced a slate of over 190 new black films, and an exhibition of over 100 fine artists and unique crafts. The festival commenced Black History Month and the start of the festival with an exclusive opening night screening of Aretha Franklin’s rare concert documentary, Amazing Grace, at the Director’s Guild of America on Thursday, February 7. The festival continued through Monday, February 18 at the Cinemark Rave 15 Theatres (3650 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd) and the adjacent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. The Pan African Film & Arts festival has cemented its story as a hub for breakthrough and award-winning films and filmmakers from the US and around the world, featuring a staggering 2019 slate of 36 World Premieres and 99 Los Angeles or US Premieres.
Actor Jimmy Jean-Louis
Singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, Ray Parker Jr.
Actor, Dancer, Director Darrin Dewitt Henson with his Mom
The 27th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival 2019 Slate Includes:
Stars Common, Sherri Shepherd and Dante Brown (lead actor) hosted a red carpet screening of the short film HATS at the 27th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival on February 18. Shortly after, multi-platinum rapper and actorAlvin ‘Xzibit’ Joiner hosted the Los Angeles premiere of his upcoming film BROKEN GROUND starring James “Jayo Felony” Savage. America’s largest international black film festival screened over 190 films, and exhibited over 100 fine artists and unique crafts at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza from February 7 to February 18.
Common, Shepherd and Brown, along with filmmaker Sadé Clacken Joseph, hosted a Q&A moderated by Jasmine Simpkins of Hip Hollywood to discuss the short-film HATS. In the film, a young black, aspiring baseball player (Dante Brown) struggles to find his place between his predominantly white high school and the gang-infested streets of South Central where he lives.
The festival wrapped out with it’s final red carpet premiere, as Xzibit brought an entourage out to support his directorial debut film, BROKEN GROUND. The film tells the story of James Savage, a once prominent west-coast rapper on a search for answers after being set-up and imprisoned derails his promising career. The screening was followed by a Q&A moderated by Big Boy of Real 92.3, and other guests included DJ Battlecat and Comedian Alex Thomas.
