More about the New York African Film Festival:

The goal of the NYAFF is “To use African cinema to promote and increase knowledge and understanding of African arts, literature and culture.

To develop a non-African audience for African films.

To expand the opportunities for the distribution of African films in the United States and abroad.

Over the last twenty years ago, AFF has honored its mission by creating diverse programs that aid and empower audiences and filmmakers alike, including our annual New York African Film Festival, which is co-presented with Film Society of Lincoln Center and Brooklyn Academy of Music, our co-curated local, national and international African film and multi-media programs for a variety of cultural, academic and art institutions. Offering year-round programming, AFF showcases new and classic films to thousands, through such programs as the African Film Festival National Traveling Series that visits 13 cities across the United States, and the international program done in collaboration with partners in Brazil, Jamaica, Australia, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Furthermore, AFF also runs a series of Community-based screenings in which AFF partners with local cultural organizations to present films in a community setting, such as in New York City Parks. In addition to the aforementioned programming, AFF also has several ongoing projects under the umbrella of educational programming, which includes in-school film presentations and discussions at The East Harlem School at Exodus House and a special screening of African films for AFF’s Young Adults Education Program, which brings together New York City middle and high school students each year to a special matinee program during the annual New York African Film Festival.”

-New York African Film Festival website

(www.africanfilmny.org)

Best Diaspora Nominees
Ties That Bind
Julia & Joyce
Cultures of Resistance
Fambol Tok
Nuttin Bafflin
Salay

Best Director Nominees
S. Epatha Merkerson and Rockell C. Metcalf: Contradictions of Fair Hope
Dir. Leila Djansi: Ties That Bind
Henderson Maddox: Unspoken Word 
Ali Kamanda: Salay
Matt Dunnerstick: The Custom Mary
Dui Jarrod: Lesson Before Love
Perdell Richardson: The Scam

“Even though SALAY did not win,” Director Ali Kamanda said, “I’m just so humbled by the response this film has been getting here at the San Diego Black Film Festival. The other nominated films were excellent and I feel so blessed to have been recognized among them.”

The film screened on January 28th, 2012 at the Reading Gaslamp Theater as a “Big 8″ film, considered one of the top films in the festival.

Ali Kamanda and producing partner, Jorge Angelo Redmond

]]> http://salaythefilm.com/2012/01/30/salay-nominated-for-two-awards-at-san-diego-black-film-festival/feed/ 0 bikostudios IMG_1556 http://salaythefilm.com/2012/01/11/salay-selected-as-big-8-film-in-the-san-diego-black-film-festival/ http://salaythefilm.com/2012/01/11/salay-selected-as-big-8-film-in-the-san-diego-black-film-festival/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:36:43 +0000 bikostudios http://salaythefilm.com/?p=180 ]]> Amidst the 100 films that were selected for the San Diego Black Film Festival this year we are proud announce that SALAY was named a “Big 8 Film”. Big 8 Films are SDBFF’s pick of what they believe will be the 8 biggest films of the festival in terms of strength, and subject matter. According to their website, ” if a film makes this list, you can rest assured of its powerful subject matter, film quality and blockbuster feel.” To read more about the Big 8, click here.

SALAY will screen on Saturday, January 28th at 6:00p, followed by a Q&A session with director Ali Kamanda and an awards dinner. Tickets for the screening, as well as the awards dinner, are available on the SDBFF website, and can be purchased here.

Date and time of screening will be announced on the SDBFF website by January 2, 2012.

Independent filmmaker Ali Kamanda of BIKO Studios, has won a prestigious Award of Excellence for Social Justice from the Best Shorts Competition. The award was given for Kamanda’s compelling short film, SALAY, which was shot in rural Sierra Leone with local actors to illuminate the difficult choices women are often forced to make to advance their opportunities in life. SALAY features Abibatu Shaw as Salay, a young woman grieving the loss of her mother, who feels the desire to direct her own life despite the pull of local traditions. Despite an intense rainy season and numerous production setbacks, filmmaker Ali Kamanda persevered to complete this moving portrayal of the dynamic between male and female relations.

“On behalf of everyone involved in the making of this film, I am so grateful and deeply honored for having received the award for Social Justice because the purpose of the film is to reignite the dialogue within my country about the conditions that can enable human traffickers to prey on innocent young women”, says SALAY writer, producer, director Ali Kamanda. “Hopefully this film helps shed light on such an important issue that continues to plague many developing countries.”

The Best Shorts Competition recognizes film professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to pofound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film industry. Information about the Best Shorts Competition and a list of recent winners can be found at www.bestshorts.net.

In winning Best Shorts laurels, BIKO Studios joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award. Thomas Baker, Ph.D., who chairs the Best Shorts Competition, had this to say about the latest winners, “Best Shorts laurels are not easy to win. Entries are received from around the world. The Best Shorts Competition helps set the standard for craft and creativity. the judges were leased with the exceptionally high quality of entries. The goal of the Best Shorts Competition is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”