The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) has announced the winners of this year’s cinematic competition.America’s largest and most prestigious international Black film festival, PAFF took place February 7-18, 2013 at the Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills 15 in Los Angeles, showcasing 154 films from 34 countries, including Europe.
The Festival, founded in 1992 by award-winning actor Danny Glover (“The Color Purple,” “Lethal Weapon” franchise), Emmy Award-winning actress Ja’Net DuBois ( “Good Times”) and executive director, Ayuko Babu, celebrates the best in diasporic African cinema.
At the 21st PAFF, judges handed out prizes for Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Narrative Short, Best Narrative Feature, Best First Feature Film, and while no one film swept the awards, offerings from the United States and the Caribbean proved to be festival favorites.
Haiti’s “Stones in the Sun,” directed by Patricia Benoit took the top prize for Best Feature Narrative and Canadian director Sudz Sutherland (“Home Again,”) won the Festival Choice Award — presented by PAFF and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts/LA (BAFTA/LA).
Here is a complete list of PAFF winners:
BEST FEATURE NARRATIVE
“Stones in the Sun” (Haiti/US), directed by Patricia Benoit
Special Jury Recognition | Feature Narrative
“Things Never Said” (US), directed by Charles Murray
BEST DIRECTOR | FIRST FEATURE
David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga, director of “Nairobi Half Life” (Germany/Kenya)
Special Jury Recognition | Director, First Feature
Ya’Ke, director of “Wolf” (US)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
“Free Angela & All Political Prisoners” (US/France), directed by Shola Lynch
Special Jury Recognition | Documentary
“Mugabe: Villain or Hero?” (UK), directed by Roy Agyemang
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT
“Our Rhineland” (US), directed by Faren Humes
Special Jury Recognition | Short Narrative:
“The Collegians” (US), directed by Bryan B.A. Lewis
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
“Foot Soldiers: Class of 1964” (US), directed by Alvelyn Sanders
Special Jury Recognition | Short Documentary:
“Africa: The Beat” (Tanzania/Spain), directed by the Samaki Wanne Collective
FESTIVAL PROGRAMMERS’ AWARD
“Babe’s and Ricky’s Inn” (US), directed by Ramin Niami
FESTIVAL FOUNDERS’ AWARD
“Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp” (US), directed by Jorge Hinojosa
CAPRI CAPITAL PARTNERS AWARD
“Songs of Redemption” (Jamaica), directed by Amanda Sans and Miquel Galofré
AUDIENCE AWARD | DOCUMENTARY
“Charles Lloyd: Arrows into Infinity” (US), directed by Dorothy Darr and Jeffery Morse
AUDIENCE AWARD | SHORT DOCUMENTARY
“Foot Soldiers: Class of 1964” (US), directed by Alvelyn Sanders
AUDIENCE AWARD | NARRATIVE FEATURE
“Against the Grain” (US), directed by Elias Mael
AUDIENCE AWARD | SHORT NARRATIVE
“Island Song” (US/Virgin Islands), directed by David Massey
PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL-BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS/LA (BAFTA/LA) FESTIVAL CHOICE PRIZE
“Home Again” (Canada), directed by Sudz Sutherland
The Pan African Film & Arts Festival is an official event of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa’s celebration of African American Heritage Month.
ABOUT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
Celebrating its 21st anniversary, the Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF), is America’s largest and most prestigious Black film 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 country.
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.
For more information, please visit www.paff.org