New York African Diaspora International Film Festival

New York African Diaspora International Film Festival
Saturday, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:00pm
Teachers College, Columbia University
525 West 120th Street
212-864-1760

Schedule:

1:00PM Sara Gomez: An Afro-Cuban Filmmaker

Sara Gomez, An Afro-Cuban Filmmaker is a rich, multilayered documentary about Afro-Cuban director Sarah Gomez. Born in 1943, she studied literature, piano, and Afro-Cuban ethnography before becoming the first female Cuban filmmaker. A woman of great intelligence, independence and generosity, she was a revolutionary filmmaker with intersecting concerns about the Afro-Cuban community and the value of its cultural traditions, women's issues, and the treatment of the marginalized sectors of society. Through archival footage of her works and interviews with her children and husband Germinal Hernandez, cast members of her best-known film De Cierta Manera / One Way or the Other as well as colleagues and friends, we get closer to a filmmaker who invented new landscapes and brought together opposite worlds. Directed by Alessandra Muller, 2005, 76 minutes, Documentary, Cuba/Switzerland, Spanish (with English subtitles)

3:00PM Foreign Body

In the turbulent aftermath of the Tunisian revolution, young Samia flees her homeland. She braves hostile seas in her crossing to France, but once there, she finds that her struggles have only just begun. With no friends, no family, and—most crucially—no immigration papers, Samia has to figure out how to make a life and a living in a foreign land. She meets Imed, a young man who is a friend of her Islamist brother. She soon finds employment with the elegant Leila - masterfully played by the veteran Palestian actress Hiam Abbass. But her presence in Leila's middle-class household triggers a shift in its dynamics.

5:00PM Big Little Women

In Egypt, three generations of women rebel against patriarchal prohibitions. Directed by Nadia Fares, 2022, 86 minutes, Documentary, Egypt, Arabic, English, French (with English subtitles)

7:00PM The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks

Beyond her historic role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, this comprehensive documentary dives into the life of Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks and sheds light on her extensive organizing, radical politics, and lifelong dedication to activism. Directed by Johanna Hamilton, Yoruba Richen, 2022, 96 minutes, Documentary, USA, English

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