Pan African Film Festival

In plain English

Founded in 1992 in Los Angeles, the Pan African Film Festival is the largest Black film festival in the United States, screening narrative features, documentaries, and shorts from Africa and the African diaspora. It runs each February during Black History Month at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw, giving it cultural resonance and a built-in, passionate audience. Filmmakers telling Black stories from anywhere in the world—Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, or the US—should strongly consider submitting here.

Best for these genres

Filmmaker tips

1. Lean into the cultural and thematic specificity of your film in your submission materials—PAFF selects on authenticity and storytelling rooted in the Black experience, not polish alone
2. Submit early via FilmFreeway; the festival draws hundreds of international submissions and early entries get more careful consideration before slots fill
3. If selected, plan to attend in person—the Q&A culture is strong here and audience engagement can lead to meaningful press coverage from Black-focused media outlets that specifically cover the festival

Notable alumni films

• Beasts of No Nation (early US exposure)
• The Burial of Kojo
• The Forgiven
• Kinyarwanda
• Pumzi

Submission details

Typical deadline

November

Festival month

February

Short submission fee

$30

Feature submission fee

$55

Compare with similar festivals