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The 33rd Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival will take place in Los Angeles February 4-23, 2025 at The Culver Theater, Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD and the Westfield Culver City Shopping Center.
The largest event of its kind, PAFF enjoys a wide range of diverse local, national, and international press coverage each year.
To be added to our media list, click here.
Before reaching out to the Press Office, please explore our Pressroom below.
in the media
FAQ
We appreciate your interest in covering the 33rd Pan African Film & Arts Festival, taking place February 4-17, 2025, in Los Angeles. Media registration closes on January 10, 2025. Applications submitted between January 11 and January 24 will be considered late and reviewed at the Festival’s discretion. Any submissions received after January 24 will be evaluated on a rolling basis.
Festival Media Credentials vs. Red Carpet Access
PAFF Festival Media Credentials are strictly for media professionals covering the festival throughout its duration. However, all red carpet events require a separate credentialing process, independent of festival media credentials. Make sure you’re on our media list for the latest and you can always check our red carpet calendar.
If you’re interested in festival coverage, you can apply for festival media credentials, but access to specific red carpet events is not included. Due to limited space, media must sign up separately to cover each red carpet.
Additionally, press covering PAFF red carpet events are invited to capture red carpet arrivals but will not have access to the event itself. Be sure to plan accordingly!
PAFF supports working media in their coverage of the Festival. To obtain credentials for the Festival you must be an accredited, active member of the media.
If you have received an email saying that you have been approved for PAFF media credentials you can pick them up Monday, February 10 through Friday, February 14 between noon and 5 p.m. on the 2nd floor mezzanine of The Culver Theater. Please bring a valid government issued photo I.D. (passport, driver license, etc.).
These are the only dates and times media credentials will be distributed.
“Severance” Actor Tramell Tillman Honored with Pan African Film & Arts Festival’s “Rising Star Award” At The 2025 Filmmaker Awards Brunch Presented By Apple TV+ (Photo)
February 18, 2025
Pan African Film & Arts Festival Announces Winners of 2025 Film Festival at Awards Brunch Presented by Apple TV+ (Photo)
February 17, 2025
PAFF’s Filmmaker Awards Brunch, Presented by Apple TV+, to Honor “Severance” Actor Tramell Tillman with “Star on the Rise” Award
February 13, 2025
PAFF Spotlight Screening: Mount Mutombo at The Culver Theater Tue, Feb. 11
February 10, 2025
PAFF Announces Centerpiece Screening of
To My Rescue It Was the S1Ws: A Public Enemy Story
February 10, 2025
Women Take Center Stage at 2025 Pan African Film Festival: Spotlight on The Bucket Wish and More
February 7, 2025
Jonathan Majors’ ‘Magazine Dreams’ Opens 33rd Pan African Film & Arts Festival
February 5, 2025
“Magazine Dreams” to Open 33rd Pan African Film & Arts Festival
January 30, 2025
Press Release | Red Carpet Press Credentials | Film Assets
PAFF Announces Cancellation of 2025 ArtFest Amidst Challenges Caused by Recent Fires
January 28, 2025
PAFF Announces 2025 Film Guide
January 23, 2025
PAFF Issues Call for Volunteers for 2025
December 20, 2024
PAFF Announces Expansion into Culver City for 2025
December 17, 2024
Deadline to Submit for 2025 Pan African Film & Arts Festival Draws Near
July 29, 2024
The Pan African Film & Arts Festival Announces 2025 Dates and Call For Submissions
April 15, 2024
Statement from Ayuko Babu, Co-Founder of the Pan African Film & Arts Festival on the Passing of Louis Gossett Jr.
March 31, 2024
Pan African Film & Arts Festival Wraps Up 32nd Annual In-Person Event, Announces Virtual Encore Festival
February 22, 2024
Black Stories, Black Experiences, and Black Filmmakers Are Centered at the 2024 Pan African Film & Arts Festival Filmmaker Awards
February 19, 2024
‘Outlaw Posse’ Rides Onto the Red Carpet: Mario Van Peebles’ Latest Film Premieres at Pan African Film & Arts Festival
February 19, 2024
Bill Duke to Receive Ja’Net DuBois Lifetime Achievement Award from PAFF
February 14, 2024
PAFF Announces Theodros Teshome Kebede’s Ethiopian War Film “For the Love of the Motherland” as Centerpiece
February 13, 2024
Stars Come Out for World Premiere of Music Comedy ‘A Hip Hop Story’
February 8, 2024
Weekly Events (LAist)
Best Dressed Celebrities of the Week (Socialite Life)
Kyla Pratt Serves Natural Glam At The 33rd Pan African Film Festival (Hello Beautiful)
Stars turnout for film festival opening (Wave)
Pan African Film Festival returns (Our Weekly)
Pan African Film and Arts Festival Returns for 2025 with Global Black Storytelling (Westside Today)
Here’s a sneak peek into this year’s Pan-African Film & Arts Festival (NBC4)
Pan African Film and Arts Festival runs Feb. 4-17 (CBS2/KCAL9)
Black History Month Pan African Film Festival 2025 (KTLA5)
Jonathan Majors Hosts ‘Magazine Dreams’ Screening At 2025 Pan African Arts And Film Festival (VIBE)
Meagan Good Wraps Up in Jessica Rich Stiletto Sandals for Fiancé Jonathan Majors’ ‘Magazine Dreams’ Screening (yahoo! entertainment)
Tue., Feb. 4
Opening Night Gala
Red Carpet Check-In 5:30PM
The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
Fri., Feb. 7
PAFF Spokenword Fest
6:30PM – Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD, 4020 Marlton Ave.
Sat., Feb. 8
2PM – Black Immigrants: Telling Our Stories & Visioning Futures, Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD, 4020 Marlton Ave.
3PM – PAFF Institute – Young Hollywood: How Social Media Inspires Gen Z to Dream Beyond, The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
4PM – PAFF Book Signing for Afrocentric Style: A Celebration of Blackness & Identity in Pop Culture by Shirley Neal, Malik Books, Westfield Culver City, 6000 Sepulveda Blvd.
Mon., Feb. 10
10AM – PAFF Studentfest Special Guest Idris Elba, Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD, 4020 Marlton Ave.
7PM – The Bucket Wish Screening, The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
7PM – PAFF Book Signing for Derrick Barnes author of Like Lava in My Veins, Malik Books, Westfield Culver City, 6000 Sepulveda Blvd.
Tue., Feb. 11
8PM – PAFF Filmmaker Party, St. Felix Hollywood, 1602 N Cahuenga Blvd,
Spotlight Screening: Mount Mutumbo
Red Carpet at 7:45PM
The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
Wed., Feb 12
Centerpiece: And To My Rescue, It Was the S1Ws (A Public Enemy Story)
Red Carpet Check-In 5:00PM, Red Carpet Start 5:30PM
The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
Click here to RSVP for red carpet coverage. Please note: Media access does not include the screening
Thu., Feb. 13
Spotlight Screening: Soul of A Sista (BET+)
Red Carpet at 8:30PM
The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
Sat., Feb. 15
4PM – PAFF Book Signing for Kim Watson’s Trespass: Portraits of Unhoused Life, Love, and Understanding, Malik Books, Westfield Culver City, 6000 Sepulveda Blvd.
Spotlight Screening: Fighting to Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story (BET+)
Red Carpet at 5:30PM
The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
Sun., Feb. 16
Closing Night: My Dead Friend Zoe
Red Carpet Check-In 4:45PM, Red Carpet Start 5:15PM
The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
Mon. Feb. 17
11AM – Filmmaker Awards Brunch, Palm Sophia, 5965 Washington Blvd.
5PM – PAFF Institute No Filter, No Apology: Black & Queer in Hollywood, The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd.
Download PAFF’s 2025 Quick Facts and talking points.
Dates: February 4-17, 2025
Year: 33rd Annual
Opening Night Gala: February 4, 2025 (The Culver Theater)
Centerpiece: February 12, 2025 (The Culver Theater)
Closing Night Gala: February 16, 2025 (The Culver Theater)
Filmmaker’s Awards Brunch: February 17, 2025
ArtFest: Cancelled
StudentFest: February 10-14, 2025 at the Baldwin Hills Cinemark & XD
Senior Connections: February 10-14, 2025 at the Baldwin Hills Cinemark & XD
Download 2025 Film Guide
2025 Film Schedule
Film Stats
2025 Submissions: Over 688
2025 Accepted Films: 150
Countries of Submission: 34
Languages: 19
World Premieres: 30
US Premieres: 16
West Coast Premieres: 36
Los Angeles Premieres: 16
Documentaries: 46
Narratives: 100
Features: 46
Shorts: 100
Self-Identifying Female Filmmakers: 51
Self-Identifying Queer Filmmakers: 10
Presenters and other talent participants are chosen through a rigorous internal process that incorporates numerous criteria.
If you represent an appropriate client, you may submit them for them consideration by completing the form below. Submission of the application does not guarantee acceptance. You will be notified via email if your client is accepted to attend one of PAFF’s prestigious red-carpet events.
Please do not submit your client more than once.
Submit your talent here.
Please send all talent submissions and talent related inquiries from publicists and managers to talent [at] paff [dot] org.
PAFF’s 2025 Credentialed Media list is available here.
Please note that this list is constantly updated throughout the festival with late additions.
Please send all media related inquiries to press [at] paff [dot] org.
Please do not send talent submissions to our press office. Please send all talent submissions and talent related inquiries from publicists and managers to talent [at] paff [dot] org.
To be added to our media list, click here.
PAFF PROGRAMMER'S PICKS
2022
May 31, 2022 – PAFF Call For Entries for 31st Festival
May 2, 2022 – PAFF Announces 2022 Jury and Programmers’ Awards
April 26, 2022 | The Dream Whisperer Set to Premiere at the Pan African Film & Arts Festival
April 26, 2022 | Media Advisory: Centerpiece – John Singleton Short Film Competition
April 25, 2022 | Cast of Critically-Acclaimed Film South Central to Reunite for Screening on 30th Anniversary of 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest
April 25, 2022 |Ledisi, Snowfall, Tabitha Brown, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Tina Knowles Lawson & More Kick Off First Week of PAFF
April 23, 2022 | Tabitha Brown, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Tina Knowles Lawson & More During 1st Weekend of Pan African Film & Arts Festival
April 22, 2022 | The New Showtime® Original Series, The Man Who Fell to Earth Will Preview the First Two Episodes at PAFF
April 21, 2022 | Snowfall Season 5 Finale Photos
April 20, 2022 | Opening Night Photos
April 18, 2022 | Media Advisory: Opening Night
April 12, 2022 | PAFF Announces Competition Selections
April 12, 2022 | PAFF & IKEA Present ‘All Artists Have A Seat at the Table’
April 6, 2022 | PAFF Announces 2022 Line-Up
March 29, 2022 | PAFF Announces the World Premiere of “Remember Me” The Mahalia Jackson Story As Opening Night Selection
March 9, 2022 | Voices of Black Women Get Lift From Virtual Film Series
January 7, 2022 | 30th Pan African Film Festival Postponed to April 19
2021
December 6, 2021 | Danny Glover Announced as Celebrity Ambassador for PAFF’s 30th Anniversary
March 9, 2021 | Angela Davis, Lee Daniels, Genius: Aretha, Queen Latifah, Nika King, and More Featured During Second Week of Pan African Film Festival
March 1, 2021 | The Pan African Film Festival Kicks Off 14-Day Virtual Festival with David Oyelowo’s “The Water Man”
February 26, 2021 | Pan African Film Festival Kicks Off Online and On-Demand Sunday Feb. 28
February 14, 2021 | Late Filmmaker’s Documentary on the LAPD and the Black Panther Party to Screen at the Pan African Film Festival
February 12, 2021 | David Oyelowo’s ‘The Water Man’ Selected to Open 29th Pan African Film Festival
February 5, 2021 | The 29th Pan African Film Festival Announces Competition Selections
February 3, 2021 | Pan African Film Festival Press Screenings
February 2, 2021 | Nation’s Largest Black History Month Event Kicks Off with Screening of Judas and the Black Messiah
January 28, 2021 | Pan African Film Festival Statement on the Death of Cicely Tyson
January 22, 2021 | Pan African Film Festival Announces Virtual Lineup for 2021
2020
March 5, 2020 | In Pursuit of Pan African Ideals: On Film, In Fact
Jackson (Mississippi) Advocate (an important African American newspaper)
March 5, 2020 Death of Ja’Net DuBois Leaves Void Among Hollywood’s Black Achievers Jackson (Mississippi) Advocate (an important African American newspaper)
February 27, 2020 | The Pan African Film Festival Announces the Winners of the John Singleton Short Film Competition
February 25, 2020 | The Pan African Film Festival Wraps, Screening a Record Breaking 225 Films, Representing 52 Counties in 26 Languages! Winners Announced!
February 19, 2020 | Co-founders of the Pan African Film Festival, Award-winning Actor Danny Glover and Ayuko Babu Release Statement on the Death of Ja’Net DuBois
February 18, 2020 | The Pan African Film Festival Set to Screen a Record Breaking 225 Films, Representing 52 Counties in 26 Languages!
February 3, 2020 | Denial of Nigeria’s Oscar Nominee Is “Just Awful!” – AMAA’S Head Juror, Asantewa Olatunji LEADERSHIP, Nigeria’s Most Influential Newspaper
January 27, 2020 | YouTube, the Pan African Film Festival and The Africa Narrative Announce Winners for I Am Africa Short Film Competition, Spotlighting Filmmakers in Sub-Saharan Africa