Maine African Film Festival Gets Two Thumbs Up
The 2nd annual Maine African Film Festival (MAFF) was held in Portland April 6th-10th. The festival is a celebration of the people and culture of Africa and helps bridge the gaps between the people of Africa and those of Maine.
In its second year, the non-profit festival screened 15 films at the Nickelodeon Cinemas, including full length features, documentaries, and shorts. All MAFF movies and associated events are open to the general public, and most of the films shown were selected through the New York African Film Festival’s Traveling Series.
An opening night art reception at Mayo Street Arts kick started the film festival and featured African artist, Lemi Ghariokwu, the inventor of “Lagos Afro Pop Art.” Ghariokwu is best known for his original album cover images for the Nigerian musician Fela Kuti and has designed over 2,000 covers, including those for Bob Marley, E.T. Mensah, and Osita Osadebe. During his visit to Maine, Ghariokwu conducted art workshops for children living in Kennedy Park as well students attending Maine College of Art and USM. Ghariokwu’s painting Anoda Sistem, created in 2002, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
The MAFF is the first African Film Festival in Maine and uses movies to:
- Develop knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the people of Africa and their cultures.
- Promote cultural literacy, tolerance, and diversity.
- Build our community by bringing people together to view African-themed films and discuss issues of personal, local, and global significance.
- Provide ongoing cultural education by allocating a percentage of total revenue to fund the MAFF Museum Tour program benefitting children in underserved and rural communities throughout Southern Maine.
Though relatively unknown, Nigeria is the third leading producer of films in the world, behind the U.S. and India. Estimates have “Nollywood” valued at over $500 million with the industry growing annually. With hope, MAFF will continue to grow as result.
The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein is a proud supporter of the Maine African Film Festival. With an ever increasing diverse and ethnic population in Maine, we are happy to help support the many cultures and traditions that have been transported so far from their home. According to the World Affairs Council of Maine, Portland and Lewiston are two of the largest resettlement cities in the U.S. with refugees from Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia.
Congratulations to the Maine African Film Festival on another successful showcase. We look forward to next year’s third annual extravaganza and know it will be another “two thumbs up” spectacular.
For more information on the Maine African Film Festival please visit: www.tmaff.org.
