Africa through the African lens!

(Black PR Wire) The 10th Annual Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) will be held at the Historic Hoover Theatre in San Jose from Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 6, 2019. The annual showcase includes a mix of feature films, shorts, documentaries and animations from seasoned and emerging African filmmakers.

SVAFF celebrates its tenth anniversary with a brilliant line-up of 85 films from 35 countries, all sharing the true stories, hopes and dreams of Africa and its diaspora. This year’s Opening Night Feature Film and making its North America premiere is Veronica’s Wish, directed by 26 year-old Nisha Kalema, Uganda’s multiple award-winning actress in a self-starring role. Other notable selections include: Indigo by the Moroccan director, Selma Bargach, brilliant animation Love Maker from Togo, political satire Jomako – Black Democracy from Zambia, Bakoso – Afrobeats de Cuba from Cuba, Baba Sifon from Reunion, Peau de Chagrin from Congo DRC, etc., Over 50% of the films will be World or North America premieres and 43 of the 85 films in competition are by female directors. A special featured event is the “Global African Women in Film" panel on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at 2:00PM.

“I am excited about the quality, range of genres and diversity of voices represented in the films we have selected,” said Chike C. Nwoffiah, Festival Director of the SVAFF. “It is an honor to offer the San Francisco Bay Area community an unfiltered access to the richness, diversity and vitality of Africa’s creative expressions and provide a forum for cultural exchange.”

The festival has become a destination event and draws an avid international following, of distinguished transcontinental visitors, entrepreneurs, tech executives, cinema buffs, academics, civic officials, celebrities and community supporters. The festival has played host to Ambassadors and Senior government officials from South Africa, Rwanda, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, France, etc. as well as celebrities like Danny Glover and Isaiah Washington. Dignitaries in attendance last year included Randy Spendlove (President of Motion Picture Music at Paramount Pictures), Susan L. Taylor (Former Editor of Essence Magazine), Kayode Laro (Consul-General of Nigeria in Atlanta), etc.

The Honorable Rev. Dr. Cynthia Mother Pratt, former Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas is this year’s Guest of Honor and will receive the festival’s 2019 Cultural Icon Award.

The festival begins on Friday, October 4 with a press conference at 12 noon, a VIP/Red Carpet Reception and Opening Ceremony at 5:30pm; followed by a parade of flags, live performances and screening of the Opening Night Feature Film. The festival continues throughout the weekend with more film screenings, fashion show, filmmaker talks, panel discussions, community forums, African food and market, etc. The press conference will be held at San Jose City Hall Plaza, 200 E Santa Clara Street, San Jose; other events will be at Historic Hoover Theatre, 1635 Park Avenue, San Jose.

For the full Silicon Valley African Film Festival listing, including screening times and film descriptions, visit www.svaff.org, call 408-886-0049 or email office@svaff.org.
*Artist interviews, press photographs, and film trailers are available upon request.