(C) 2013 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may
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2013 Pan African Film Festival
By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
The 2013 PAFF (Pan
African Film Festival)
Was Bigger Then Ever!
Photos
per PAFF
 |
| PAFF founders L-R: Danny Glover, Ja'Net DuBois, Bro. Babu |
The 2013 version of the PAFF (Pan African
Film Festival) was a resounding, smash success – again! The twelve day event
saw packed theater screenings followed by Q&A with the film makers and
cast. Opening night began with a star-studded, red carpet premier of the movie
“Vipaka” starring Oscar winner Forrest Whitaker, Anthony Mackie, Sanaa Lathan,
Mike Epps and Nicole Ari Parker at the famed Director’s Guild of America in
Hollywood.
 |
| Meagan and DeVon Franklin |
Highlighted features included discussion panels with the major film
industry players such as Hollywood power couple DeVon Franklin, VP of
Production, Sony Pictures and his wife actress Meagan (Good) Franklin star of
the hit NBC drama “Deception” and Reginald Hudlin, producer of the mega box
office, Oscar winning smash “Django Unchained” to name only a couple of many.
There was also the PAFF Fashion Show, a Children’s Festival, free screenings
for Seniors, an Artfest with exhibitors selling authentic African wares, a
Spoken Word Fest, Student Fest and a Comedy Show.
 |
| Lyn Whitfield |
PAFF collaborated with AAFCA (The African
American film Critics Association) to hold a special gala at the beautiful
Taglyan Complex in Hollywood honoring Ambassador Filippe Savadogo with the Pan
African Cinema Visionary Award. Other honorees included the ever, lovely and
sexy actress Lynn Whitfield, The Lifetime Achievement Award; Nicole Beharie,
The Beah Richards Award; Christian Lara, The Pioneer Filmmaker Award and Omari
Hardwick, The Canada Lee Award. The documentary of the famed LA blues bar
titled “Babe’s and Ricky’s Inn” not only saw sold out screenings but had a red
carpet opening with a live blues jam after party where many of the local blues
legions dropped in.
Closing night may have been the biggest of them all with a red carpet opening for the documentary “Free Angela & All Political Prisoners. Ms Davis herself graced the red carpet along with Jada-Pickett Smith and the film’s director Shola Lynch. Needless to say this created a camera flash, lighting storm. The crowd of onlookers were pushing, shoving and jockeying for position to get a peek at the social activist icon.
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| (R) Jada Pinkett Smith (L) Dr. Angela Davis |
When asked what she hopes the film’s message would deliver, Davis responded, “I
really want young girls when they see this film to feel empowered. I want them
to understand that they can do whatever they set out to do especially if they
are involved in collectives and communities of struggle”. Was there any particular thing that stood out about the project? Smith reflected, “When Ms.
Davis looked over to me at the Toronto Film Festival and I was sitting next to
her and we were watching the film and she said to me ‘I never knew how they got
me’ and I looked at her and I just couldn’t believe it. It just validated for
me even more how important it was to have this story told, because even the
woman who we are telling this story about didn’t know her whole story. And I’ll
tell you something else. We’ve heard about Angela Davis and we all think we
know her but we don’t, we don’t and that’s what makes this piece even more
important.” Pinkett
Smith along with Overbrook Entertainment, Shawn “JAY Z” Carter, and BET
Networks joined forces on the production of the documentary. "Free Angela
and All Political Prisoners," directed by Lynch will hit theatres on April
5, 2013 in selected markets.
© 2013 Rych
McCain Media/Syndication tm
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