Pan African Film and Arts Fest announces new dates in LA

PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2005 DATES FOR THIRTEENTH ANNUAL CELEBRATION

Nations Largest Black History Month Event Returns to Magic Johnson Theaters
in Los Angeles February 10-21 to Showcase the Best in Independent Black Cinema

The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) announced the dates for PAFF's Thirteenth Annual Celebration. The PAFF will be held Thursday, February 10 through Monday, February 21 at the Magic Johnson Theatres, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and throughout Los Angeles, California.

Under the direction of the PAFF executive director Ayuko Babu, the 2005 PAFF
program will showcase a diverse selection of Black films inclusive of
features, shorts, documentaries as well as studio/network releases. The
PAFF is dedicated to the promotion of cultural and racial tolerance and
understanding through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression.
The PAFF will feature panel discussions, industry workshops and seminars in
addition to its film showcases.

PAFF programmers will select from over 1,000 international and domestic
submissions to participate in its 2005 festival. Titles of selected films
will be posted on the PAFF website beginning January 3, 2005. The festival
has three competitive film sections: Feature Films, Short Films and
Documentary Films. Awards are presented to films in all competitive
sections. Festival awards include Best Narrative Feature, Best First Time
Feature Director, Best Documentary, Eugene "Doboy" Williams Best Short
Award, Jury Prize, Festival Prize and the Blockbuster Entertainment Award
for Audience Favorite.

The PAFF also presents each year special programming highlighting French
language films, children's films, gay films and hip-hop films.

"Last year's festival demonstrated the incomparable class of PAFF as the
leading film festival for Black filmmakers and an international film
showcase, " said Babu. "Through displaying positive images of Blacks in
film, we look forward to continuing our tradition of excellence in giving
Black filmmakers from around the world a voice."

The PAFF also presents one of America's largest fine art shows featuring
prominent and emerging Black artists and fine craftspeople. Produced by
renowned international artist Allohn Agbenya, the PAFF ArtMarket will host a
major exhibit of fine art and unique crafts featuring the works of over 60
fine artists and artisans from around the world. The artistic works range
in scope from oils, watercolors, sculptures, mixed media, reverse-glass
paintings and pen and ink drawings to sophisticated one-of-a-kind jewelry
art, designer apparel and home furnishings. The exhibit will be presented
to the public free of charge at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, with fine
art on the 1st level, and jewelry, unique crafts and wearable art on the 2nd
level. Past featured artists include Ernie Barnes, Varnette Honeywood,
Gilbert Young, Charles Bibbs and the creator of Kwanzaa stamp, Synthia Saint
James. Artist applications are being accepted.

The PAFF SpokenWord Fest features a slate of international, national and
local poets, writers and performance artists as they present their latest
works to an enthusiastic audience and is produced by HBO Def Poetry Jam's
Shihan. Past performers include Oscar Brown Jr., Medusa, J. Anthony Brown
and Amiri Baraka.

The PAFF also holds special activities for young people in its two-day
Children's Festival and six-day StudentFest, a special program of films
designed for upper grammar, middle and high-school students.

The PAFF is supported by Hollywood's leading black actors and filmmakers
including: Jaime Foxx, Mo'nique, Ja'net Dubois, Danny Glover, Denzel
Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Lynn Whitfield, Damon Wayans, Sanaa Lathan,
Stan Lathan, Wesley Snipes, Forest Whitaker, Kasi Lemmons, Vondie
Curtis-Hall, Blair Underwood, Alfre Woodard, Eriq LaSalle, Angela Bassett,
Diahann Carroll, Ernie Hudson, Hill Harper, Michael Beach, CCH Pounder,
Neema Barnette, Debbie Allen, Sharif Atkins, Penny Johnson Gerald, Carl
Lumbly, Taj Mahal, Euzhan Palcy, Sydney Tamia Poitier, Sinbad, Lorraine
Toussaint and Malcolm Jamal Warner.

The Pan African Film and Arts Festival was founded in 1992 as a non-profit
corporation dedicated to the promotion of cultural and racial tolerance and
understanding through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression.
It is the PAFF's goal to present and showcase a broad spectrum of Black
creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help
to destroy negative stereotypes. The PAFF believes film and art can lead to
better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse
cultures, races, and lifestyles, while at the same time, serve as a vehicle
to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.

Each year the PAFF presents over one hundred (100) quality films from the
United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, the South
Pacific and Canada, all showcasing the diversity and complexity of people of
African descent. In addition to America's largest fine art shows featuring
prominent and emerging black artists and fine crafts people and local,
national and international poets, musicians and storytellers.

The PAFF attracts an audience of over 40,000 people to the films and over
150,000 attendees to the arts show. The PAFF is recognized throughout the
world as America's premiere Black film festival.

Past sponsors of the PAFF include: Target (Presenting), HBO, Blockbuster
Inc., Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Magic Johnson Theatres, Consulate
General of France, Directors Guild of America, KABC Channel 7, Kodak Motion
Picture Film, KPFK 90.7 FM, Magic Johnson Theatres, SAG Indie, Samitaur
Constructs, Sempra Energy, SONY Pictures, Starbucks Coffee, Union Bank of
California, Urban Coffee Opportunities, Writers Guild of America and the Los
Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.

In addition to its signature event in Los Angeles, the PAFFs sister festival
in Atlanta is presented by Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. in association
with the National Black Arts Festival every July.