Silicon Valley African Film Festival Wows with Star-Studded Lineup in San Jose

This year, the Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) honored four cinema legends—Julie Dash (USA), Dr. John Kani, OIS, OBE (South Africa), Souleymane Cissé (Mali), and Richard Mofe-Damijo (Nigeria)—at its opening and closing night ceremonies. The festival kicked things off on October 11 at San Jose’s Historic Hoover Theater, and closed out the festivities on October 13 at the Montgomery Theater. The Cultural Icon Award is SVAFF’s highest accolade, reserved for individuals who have uplifted the image of Africa and its diaspora through creative expressions. 

This year, SVAFF proudly introduced the African Film Summit, in partnership with San Jose State University, convening global academics, filmmakers and industry leaders for an engaging dialogue on African cinema. From film screenings to panels with visiting filmmakers, fashion shows, workshops, an African market and more, SVAFF offers an important window into the real Africa and the invaluable cultural contributions of its diaspora.