As I reflect on the past 12 days, I realize how full I am right now this moment. The culture of authentic clothing and fashion designers and artists, and painters and producers and film makers....the hundreds of wonderful people I have met from around the world...though extremely tired, I HAVE BEEN ENRICHED AND ENLIGHTENED..touched on so many levels and truly supported and encouraged from so many people from all walks of lyfe!
I want to thank Mr. Roscoe Lee Owens for introducing me to this wonderful festival. I want to deeply thank Mr. Babu and his entire great staff and volunteers. As a new comer into the Los Angeles area (Urban Lyfestyles Magazine), your arms were open. Thank you for all the great people you have introduced me to. You have widen the perspective I am taking "Lyfestyles" and have elevated the exposure and the branding as the doors of opportunity continues to swing open.
17TH ANNUAL PAN AFRICAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL FILM COMPETITION WINNERS
2009 FESTIVAL FEATURED FILMS FROM 42 COUNTRIES
"Skin" Starring Sophie Okonedo the True Story of White Woman Born Looking Black During Apartheid in South Africa Favorite Among Jury and Audiences
The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) announced today the winners of its annual film competition. A favorite among PAFF jurors and audiences was the South Africa/UK film "Skin" starring Sophie Okonedo. Based on a true story, a genetic abnormality caused Sandra Laing (Sophie Okonedo), born of white parents in apartheid South Africa, to look like a black person. Tormented and unaccepted by white society though classified as white, she falls in love with a Black man and moves to a township, alienating her parents. The real Sandra Laing flew to Los Angeles from South Africa to attend the screening of "Skin" at the PAFF. Other top honors went to the US film "Prince of Broadway" for Best Narrative Feature, France's "Cuba: An African Odyssey" for Best Documentary Feature, and the Bahamas' "Rain" for Best Director-First Feature.
Jury Prizes were awarded in the following categories: Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Narrative Short, Best Narrative Feature, and Best Director-First Feature. In addition to the Jury Prizes, the PAFF audience cast ballots for their favorite documentary and narrative films, as well as the PAFF Director's Award and Programmer's Award. Film nominations are selected by a jury of industry professionals, with the exception of the audience favorite awards, which are based on the results of ballots cast by festival filmgoers. Screenings for the 2009 PAFF Jury of all films receiving nominations took place February 5-16, 2009 at the Culver Plaza Theatres. The 2009 PAFF Awards were announced on Monday, February 16 at the annual PAFF Filmmaker Awards Brunch at the Culver Hotel in Culver City.
"With over thirty world and U.S. premieres, this year's lineup is a remarkable representation of the African cinematic landscape from the United States and across the globe," commented Sharifa Johka, PAFF senior programming consultant. "Los Angeles has a large international population and I am so excited to bring this diverse and exciting program to this community."
17th PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL FILM COMPETITION WINNERS
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE "Prince of Broadway" US Honorable Mention "Happy Sad" Trinidad/Tobago
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE "Cuba, An African Odyssey" France Honorable Mention "The End of Poverty?" US
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT "Kwame" US Honorable Mention "Warrior Queen" Ghana
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT "Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre" US Honorable Mention "Faubourg Treme': The Untold Story of Black New Orleans" US
BEST FIRST FEATURE - DIRECTOR "Rain" Bahamas
JURY FAVORITE "Skin" US
17th PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL FILM AUDIENCE FAVORITE WINNERS
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE "Skin" US
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE "Nubian Spirit: The African Legacy of the Nile Valley" Sudan/UK
17th PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL DIRECTOR'S AWARD
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE "Sugar" US
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE "Milking the Rhino" US
17th PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAMMER'S AWARD
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE "Standing N Truth" US
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE "Run Baby Run" Ghana
The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) was founded in 1992 as a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of cultural and racial tolerance and understanding through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression. It is the PAFFs goal to present and showcase a broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes. The 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.
The PAFF Fashion Show is one of the leading fashion shows dedicated to covering the hottest designer collections, beauty trends and lifestyles geared towards the contemporary African and African-American.
Each year PAFF showcases fashion collections from international designers whose flamboyantly aesthetic designs are full of chic and witty details, approach sexiness from both sides of the spectrum and the creations of many more that draw their inspiration from Africa.
The fashion show was produced by Karimu, Ngoma, and Deveaux and proved to once again, SHUT THE BALDWIN HILLS MALL DOWN!
“Strategies for Success: Make Your Own Success” The Pan African Film Festival and partner Macy's hosted a forum on strategies for success. Discussions covered the attitudes, habits and behaviors that are common among all successful people at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Macy’s 1st Floor
Moderated By:
Chris Spencer Actor, Producer, Writer, & Comedian
Featuring Panelists:
Hill Harper - Actor, Author, Producer CSI:NY, This Is Not A Test
Yvette Lee Bowser - Writer-Executive Producer Living Single, For Your Love, Half & Half
Tatyana Ali - Actress, Singer, Activist Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Naturi Naughton - Singer, Actress Notorious, 3LW
Patrick Martin CEO, Youngblood Timepieces
& Special Guest
Paul Youngblood Creative Officer of Youngblood Timepieces
photos from paff
This audience packed forum was insightful to all that attended as this well rounded panel of actors, actresses, ceos, producers, writers..ALL have the same thread in life...TO STAY FOCUS AND NEVER ACCEPT "NO"!
Audience was encouraged to ask questions and after the discussion, could personally meet and talk to the speakers.
Dir: Anthony Fabian 2008 | South Africa/UK | 107 min
This movie was so awesome...the directing, the acting, the scenematography, the story line.. I cried throughout the true story as I watched similar tales from my life. Me, being born half white and half black, living in a white neighborhood that then turned to a black neighborhood at a time when Cher came out with the song "Halfbreed"!
It makes one wonder what life and family is all about. What should we be fighting for? How long do we allow our personal pride and eagle to keep walls of division between those we state we care about?
Skin was heart breaking! To see a woman alienated from her mom, her family, almost her children yet even more moving was to actually meet the woman Sandra in person and to find out that today, she still has not been reunited with her brothers.
~~~ SKIN, based on a true story, a genetic abnormality caused Sandra, born of white parents in apartheid South Africa, to look like a black person. Tormented and unaccepted by white society though classified as white, she falls in love with a Black man and moves to a township, alienating her parents.
Stars Sophie Okonedo.
CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE AND CHECK OUT YOUR GIRLS LOGOS ON THE RED CARPET~~ :)
THE PAN AFRICAN FILM AND ARTS FESTIVAL---A LOOK AT THE FESTIVAL'S ART MARKET
The past 12 days I have been back and forth between the Baldwin Hills Mall, where my Lyfestyles display promoted and marketed clients products and services as well at to distribute Urban Lyfestyles Magazine in complimentary giftbags; to the various sites in Culver City or Hollywood for the viewing of the films,the red carpet interviews or the great after parties!
The Baldwin Hills Mall proved to be a great experience of meeting wonderful people from all over the world as well as the local residence of Los Angeles. This truly was a family atmoshere of working and supporting one another as each vendor shares uniquely distinctive pieces of authentic workmanship.
Monday, Feb. 16th is the last day to come out and to see some of the most warm hearted hard working creative people I have ever met. If you can not be at PAFF at all, here is a video that was shot of various artist at the Baldwin hills mall...
photos by foxx photography
The Pan African Film and Arts Festival's Art Market is a major juried exhibit of Black fine art and quality crafts featuring the work of over 100 different artists and artisans. The artistic works range in scope from oil paintings, watercolors, sculpture, mixed media, pen and ink drawings, glass painting and carvings to jewelry art and woven apparel. The exhibit will be presented to the public free of charge.
The PAFF continues to be the largest Black film festival in America, as well as a world-class art exhibition showcasing work from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, the South Pacific and Canada to illustrate the diversity and complexity of people of African descent.
The Art Market is curated by Ghana's Allohn Agbenya.
Location: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 3650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Los Angeles,CA 90008
Hours: Sat: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sun: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon: 10 a.m. 9 p.m.
PAFF Participating Artists
The following is the list of this year's participating artists in PAFF's Art Market taking place February 5-16, 2009 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.
Obasogie Aimiuwu is the 2009 PAFF Featured Artist and will on exhibit February 5-16, 2009 at the PAFF Art Market.
FINE ART Adesoge Olalekan Adegun Adewumi Isaac Adekunde Agboola Oni Olamide Artchuma Chuma Okoli Aziz Diagne Buchi Upjohn Charles Bibbs Coulours of tomorrow Art Studio (Feb. 5-9) Djibril N'Doye DSY Fine Art/ Artistic Treasures By Diana Shannon Young Eluonyechie Orolua Mike Jay's Art-Jeffery Stephenson Martino Dorce-Original Haitian Watercolors Merryl Jaye (Feb. 10-16) Owupetu Cornelius Olalemi Ray's Touch Sami Bentil Thomas Spears Inc. Zimbabwe Gallery- Shona Art Zebi Designs (Feb. 10-16)
CRAFTS Arts Africains Baba Blanklets /Wondala Int'l Batik (Feb. 5-9) Bilafrik Craft & Mat Enterprise Harambee Mktg & Karimu Designs 4U Ida's Elegance Julien Dothard Imports /Crafts Sable Images, Inc. Saibo African Imports Shaka Camara & Musa Kora Wild Strawberry & Muddy Wheel Studio Zimbabwe Gallery- Shona Art
FASHION Ahneva Ahneva Aziz Fashions /Fashion Bilafrik Craft & Mat Enterprise Champagne & Grits Studio (Feb. 5-9) Damali (Feb. 10-16) G-Baby Harambee Mktg & Karimu Designs 4U KB Fabrics Sconi Wear Shaka Camara & Musa Kora Sika Dwimfo Simply Greta-Greta Wallace Sultry Touch Collection Simply Greta-Greta Wallace Sultry Touch Collection
JEWELRY Akouavi Fashions (Prestive d'Afrique) All By Hand Another Phase by Karen Roache Bilafrik Craft & Mat Enterprise Ida's Elegance Jendayi Collection-Monnae Michaell or Wazir Salaam Sika Dwimfo Third Generation Jewelers Uncommon Sense Wild Strawberry & Muddy Wheel Studio ~paff media
Monday, February 9, 2009 (Films begin at 1 p.m., Art Market opens at 10 a.m.)
Location: Culver Plaza Theatre, 9919 Washington Blvd.Los Angeles (unless otherwise noted)
Art Market 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Location: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3650 MLK Jr. Los Angeles, CA 90008
The Pan African Film and Arts Festival's Art Market is a major juried exhibit of Black fine art and quality crafts featuring the work of over 100 different artists and artisans. The artistic works range in scope from oil paintings, watercolors, sculpture, mixed media, pen and ink drawings, glass painting and carvings to jewelry art and woven apparel. The exhibit will be presented to the public free of charge.
The PAFF continues to be the largest Black film festival in America, as well as a world-class art exhibition showcasing work from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, the South Pacific and Canada to illustrate the diversity and complexity of people of African descent. The Art Market is curated by Ghana's Allohn Agbenya.
The PAFF Art Market will take place each day from Thursday, February 5 through Monday, February 16, 2009. The PAFF Art Mart continues to remain free and open to the public.
Senior Connections 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Giving honor to the elders among us, each weekday during the PAFF from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., seniors aged 62 and older are invited to come and watch films for free!
Panel: "A Conversation with Gina Prince-Bythewood and Terilyn A. Shropshire" 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Gina Prince-Bythewood's primary credits as a director include the films Disappearing Acts and Love & Basketball, produced by Spike Lee and starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan, which won her the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay.
Terilyn A. Shropshire is an award-winning motion picture and television editor. She is the daughter of the late Thomas B. Shropshire, a corporate executive. Her big break as a motion picture editor came when she was hired to cut Eve's Bayou, the auspicious feature directing debut of actress Kasi Lemmons. The film went on to become the highest grossing independent film of 1997, and it received numerous awards including Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards. Shropshire has received an Eddie Award from the American Cinema Editors and has been nominated for an Emmy Award. She has been elected as a member of the American Cinema Editors.
17th year, largest Black History Month event in U.S., event takes place February 5-16 Showcases Black independent cinema and fine art Main venues: Culver City Plaza Theatre and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 42 countries represented in film selection, over quarter of a million attendees throughout 12-day festival, over 140 films selected for 2009 festival Founded by Danny Glover, Ja'Net Dubois, and Ayuko Babu
Tuesday, February 10, 2005 Preview
Art Market, StudentFest, Senior Connections, Film Screenings, Black Lesbian Filmmakers Party
Opening night at the Pan African Film Festival was a festival of color, culture, celebrities, press, actors, producers and a taste of Africa!
As the Red Carpet rolled out, one by one celebrities celebrated the opening night of the 17th Pan African Film Festival.
Jerusalema was a great film but a little too dark for the opening night~ Almost like an African's version of Singleton's "Boys In The Hood", this true story of drugs, crime and the constant struggle of survival was well written and the actors were great. I just thought the opening night should have began with a film that themed multi-culturalism, unity, world peace, nation united or something.. This is probably because we Americans see so much of this type of protrayal that I was looking for another dimension of our lives shown on the screen from a perspective of another country.
The question answer section surprised me because well the audience thought the movie was great, the majority of the people that asked the questions thought that the movie did not have any positiveness or a good role model of a chararacter. I thought the movie was great and the exact protrayal of that particular lifestyle..it just should have been shown as the second or third film featured!
"Lyfestyles" Tv was in the house is will soon be releasing video of the interviews produced by Ed Magik.
today is setup...at the baldwin hills mall where the film festival takes place.. tomorrow is the opening day for the art festival and tomorrow night is the red carpet vip opening gala for the film festival..
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