Black Voices

Ayo Akingbade’s short film Tower XYZ is part of curator Amir George’s special program Remnants of a Dream on Saturday at 3pm.

The 57th AAFF is pleased to present many special programs that explore and celebrate black history. On Friday, March 29, at 1pm in the Michigan Theater Screening Room, festival juror Akosua Adoma Owusu will present Triple Consciousness: Films by Akosua Adoma Owusu. Owusu’s documentary essay and experimental film work makes varied use of archival material, direct animation, and staged scenes as it examines the construction of historical memory and cultural identity. Her films address a collision of identities – and the triple consciousness, or third identity – of the African immigrant in the U.S., transitioning between avant-garde cinema, fine art, and African tradition. This presentation is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, March 30, at 1:15pm in the Michigan Theater Main Auditorium, New Panther: A Call for Action by Sage Love and Nola Asantewaa will be screened as a part of Films in Competition 11. The documentary follows a collective focused on creating a thriving Afrikan community rooted in self-determination, collective action, and economics. The film's mission is to cause a culture shift by eradicating stereotypes and bringing to light injustice within the community. Tickets are available here.

Also on Saturday, at 3pm, the special program Remnants of a Dream will be presented in the Michigan Theater Screening Room. Our memory can be a rekindling of the moments that shook us most – a pool party gone wrong, a summer on the brink, a disaster within the days of youth, our ancestral struggles, and our own desires. Curated by Amir George, this recollection of global black experiences is directed toward paths of healing. Tickets are available here.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is proud to feature black voices in a variety of ways at the 57th.

We look forward to seeing you at these events!