May Film Festivals at FLC

Two film festivals will land at Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) this month, both touching on important themes of culture and freedom, one of which explores stories from Africa and the other highlighting global activism.

From Thursday, May 12 to Tuesday, May 17, the 29th New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) will take place at FLC, with screenings in FLC theaters and select virtual screenings. The festival’s films cover a range of themes including diverse and interconnected ideas of freedom relevant to Africa, the African diaspora, and the world at large, recalling activism of the past and more. Click here to view the schedule of films presented in this year’s festival. All-Access Passes are $59, Virtual 4-Film Bundle passes are $20, and you can buy individual tickets to screenings. You can use the code FREDA for $5 off tickets in FLC theaters and the code VISIONS for $3 off virtual screenings. 

In addition to screenings, there will be a master class by veteran Ethiopian filmmaker, Haile Gerima, on Saturday, May 14, at 11:30am in the Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center; a Town Hall at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium on Wednesday, May 11 at 7:30pm, featuring African and diaspora artists displaying and discussing work that explores the festival’s theme; and, an interactive digital art exhibition, featuring work by the artist Zainab Aliyu, will run in the Amphitheater during the festival. Click here for more details about NYAFF.

For the first time in two years, the Human Rights Watch Festival will be back with a full program of in-person screenings at Film at Lincoln Center from Friday, May 20 through Thursday, May 26. The festival will feature in-depth discussions with filmmakers, film participants, activists and Human Rights Watch researchers. This year’s edition highlights activism and features courageous individuals around the world standing up to powerful forces and demanding change. Click here to view the schedule. The festival will continue to offer the opportunity to watch all 10 new films online with a full digital edition of the film festival.

Photo credit: still from Freda dir. Gessica Généus