January 30, 2019
Page 9
Mississippi
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Beaverton
A young girl, Shula, is accused of witchcraft after a trivial mishap in ‘I am Not a Witch,’ the debut film from Zambian-born director Rungano Nyoni and one of the 30
feature, documentary and short films featured during Black History Month at the Cascade Festival of African Films.
Lens on Hope and Change
Cascade Festival of
African Films opens Friday
The Cascade Festival of African Films turns 29
this winter and many of this year’s screenings are
centered on hope and change.
On Friday, Feb. 1, the festival kicks off with “Yo-
meddine” by Egyptian director Abu Bakr Shawky
with the filmmaker attending 6:30 p.m. and 9:30
p.m. showings at the Hollywood Theater in north-
east Portland. Recently named by Forbes magazine
as one of the top five Arab directors, Shawky will be
on hand for question-and-answer sessions following
both screenings.
This life-affirming film will launch five weeks of
more than 30 feature, documentary and short films
by established and emerging African directors from
18 countries. All Cascade Festival of African Films
screenings are free and open to the public.
The festival’s opening weekend will also kick off a
new international partnership with the Luxor African
Film Festival in support of emerging African direc-
tors. For the partnership’s inaugural year, the festi-
val will showcase a series of short films by emerging
Arab film director Abu Bakr Shawky
directors from diverse countries who are alumni of
Luxor’s short film workshop. The screenings are at 2
p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2.
There is a film for everyone, ranging from a Su-
danese comedy centered on a love triangle between
a boy, a girl, and his gun in “Akasha,” to an epic
kaleidoscope of modern Morocco in “Razzia.” In
addition, attendees can view “Five Fingers for Mar-
seilles,” a Western set in the beautiful landscapes of
South Africa. Unless otherwise noted, all films will
be screened in the Moriarty Auditorium at Portland
Community College’s Cascade Campus, 705 N. Kill-
ingsworth St.
“Many of this year’s films are centered on hope,”
said Tracy Francis, who is the film festival’s director.
“Hope for a more empathetic humanity in ‘Yomed-
dine.’ Hope for healing of children and communities
through creativity and imagination in ‘Supa Moda’
and ‘Liyanna.’ Hope that women are able to take
charge of their own bodies and communities in ‘Beau-
ty and the Dogs,’ ‘Rafiki,’ and ‘Marie-Madeleine.’ I
hope you will leave the theatre moved and inspired to
make change in your community and our world.”
For a full schedule of the films and visiting film-
makers, visit africanfilmfestival.org.