America’s Largest Black Film Festival Opens Submissions May 1
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF), today announced that the 33rd edition of the festival will take place from February 4-17, 2025, in Los Angeles. For over three decades, PAFF has presented and showcased a broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes of Africans and African-Americans. Since 1992, PAFF has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression. Today, PAFF is the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action short films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.
Submissions for the 2025 Festival open May 1. The early submission period closes on May 31, 2024, and the official submission closing date is July 31, 2024. Additional information about deadlines, submission rules, regulations, and eligibility is available here.
“Each year we invite filmmakers from across the African diaspora to share their stories, ignite conversations, and inspire audiences worldwide,” explained Executive Director Oduduwa Olatunji. “PAFF is a place where their voices matter and their perspectives are invaluable. At PAFF, Black filmmakers are not just a part of a DEI experiment, Black creatives aren’t supporting characters to their own work–they are the leading stars. That’s the environment and reputation PAFF has spent 33 years cultivating and we’re proud to be a catalyst for change, using the power of filmmaking to inspire, educate, and unite communities.”
PAFF 2024, which took place February 6-19, featured over 200 films from 54 countries, in 28 languages, including 68 World and 25 North American premieres. Of the films selected for the Festival, 49% were helmed by female, queer or non-binary filmmakers.
For more updates on the 2025 Pan African Film & Arts Festival, follow @PAFFNow on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, or visit paff.org and sign up for the PAFF newsletter.
About The Pan African Film and Arts Festival
For over three decades, PAFF has presented and showcased a broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes of Africans and African-Americans. Since 1992, PAFF has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression. Today, PAFF is one of the largest and most prestigious Black film festivals in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animated and live-action shortfilms, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.
Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA Councilmember Curren Price, LA Councilmember Heather Hutt, LA County Department of Arts and Culture, the LA County COVID-19 Arts Relief Fund administered by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture, Senator Steve Bradford, and Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas.
The 2024 PAFF is possible through the generous support of sponsors including Color Creative, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Stocker Street Creative, Disney, Andscape, BET+, Paramount Pictures, National Geographic, Black Alliance for Justice Immigration, Cal State University, Los Angeles.
