New York African Film Festival

Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) and African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) will partner to present the 32nd edition of the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF). NYAFF features more than 30 contemporary and classic films from Africa and its diaspora screening at FLC May 7 through May 13, with 100 films in total as the festival continues at other esteemed New York City cultural venues throughout the month of May, with many filmmakers in attendance for post-screening QandAs. Since its inception in 1993, the festival has been at the forefront of showcasing African and diaspora filmmakers' unique storytelling through the moving image.

This year's theme, "Fluid Horizons: A Shifting Lens on a Hopeful World," honors the resilience of African youth and the forebearers who paved the way for them. As cinema was an integral part of the African continent's struggle for independence and the triumph of its liberation, this edition of the festival celebrates the African youth who have turned to their cameras to document their experiences and the influence of those who came before them. With a multitude of genres ranging from comedies to experimental films, the 32nd New York African Film Festival offers a multidimensional take on African culture, history, and cinema.

Schedule of Events:

3:00 pm: Shorts Program 1: Notions of Home

This program of diaspora short films from around the globe includes Ahmed Samir's Grandma, Hans Augustave's Nwa (Black), Adesola Thomas's Sister Salad Days, Devin Powell's Where Are You From?, Shawn Antoine II's Green Bay, Rhys Aaron Lewis's Run Like We, and Francis Y. Brown's Blinded by the Lights.

6:00 pm: Furu

This powerful social drama from director Fatou Cisse, daughter of legendary Malian filmmaker Souleymane Cisse, explores the impact of forced marriage on young women in Mali. The film follows Tou, who is pressured to marry an older man after becoming pregnant, and Ami, who resists village pressure to wed in favor of her independence. Through these parallel stories, Furu examines the complex and often painful choices young women face when their futures are shaped by tradition rather than personal agency. The film confronts the enduring practice of forced marriage and its psychological consequences, offering a poignant and urgent reflection on gender, autonomy, and resistance within a patriarchal society. Preceded by a clip from Cisse's 2022 documentary A Daughter's Tribute to Her Father, an intimate portrayal of the life and career of Souleymane Cisse.

8:30 pm: Rising Up at Night

As the Congo constructs Africa's largest power station, Kinshasa and its inhabitants are trapped in literal darkness, waiting and struggling to get access to electric light while also dealing with extensive flooding and preparing to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Nelson Makengo's first feature documentary, which premiered at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival Panorama, is a vivid portrait of Kinshasa's residents-their hopes, disappointments, religious faith, and resilience. Makengo's subtle, fragmented storytelling captures a population reinventing itself while immersed in the beauty of Kinshasa's nights.

Click here to Buy Tickets