From February 5-16, the 23rd Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) returned to Los Angeles. Dedicated to promoting racial tolerance through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression, this PAFF presented 150 new films and the works of over 100 fine artists and craft persons to showcase the diversity and complexity of people of African descent from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America, Europe, the South Pacific and Canada.
On February 13, the PAFF filmmakers were invited to a brunch in the atrium of DGA headquarters. The brunch opened with an overview by DGA Contracts and Committee Coordinator Gabriel Kahsay, who welcomed the PAFF filmmakers and introduced the DGA members present. Then PAFF Executive Director Ayuko Babu spoke about the festival and gave the attendees valuable information about how to best take advantage of the opportunities it provides. DGA African American Steering Committee Co-Chairs Jeff Byrd, Oz Scott and Carl Seaton spoke about the advantages of Guild membership and detailed some of the DGA’s diversity efforts aimed at leveling the playing field behind the camera. After the DGA presentation, the PAFF filmmakers were invited to introduce themselves and speak briefly about their various projects in the festival, which included DGA members Rudolf Buitendach (Where the Road Runs Out) and Ian Gabriel (Four Corners).
The DGA has served as a sponsor of the festival for more than a decade. For more information about PAFF visit their website at http://www.paff.org.