Still from "Goundafa, the Cursed Song" by Ali Benjelloun
"A Litany for Survival" by Ada Gay Griffin and Michelle Parkerson
Still fro "Shadow of Greed" by Akay Mason
The Harlem-based African Diaspora International Film Festival presents award-winning fiction and documentary films from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and USA
Through stories spanning multiple continents, the festival explores how individuals and communities challenge oppression, preserve historical memory, and pursue justice and liberation.
”— ADIFF DCWASHINGTON , DC, UNITED STATES, July 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF), which is based in Harlem, comes back to Washington, D.C. for its nineteenth year from August 14 through 16, 2026. Taking place at George Washington University, the festival showcases award-winning narrative and documentary films originating from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and North America. These works examine human rights, democracy, colonial legacies, cultural identity, and contemporary social issues.
Through narratives that cross multiple continents, the festival investigates ways in which individuals and communities resist oppression, safeguard historical memory, and strive for justice and liberation.
Leadership, Resistance, and Cultural Change: Featured Voices
The festival begins on Friday, August 14, with A Better Way: James Lawson, Architect of Nonviolence, a documentary that profiles the mastermind behind America's nonviolent Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called Lawson "the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world," and he helped shape generations of activists while continuing to inspire social justice movements today.
The festival also highlights the contributions of Black women to culture, scholarship, the arts, and social justice. This includes Audre Lorde: A Litany for Survival, a portrait of the influential poet and activist whose work reshaped discussions around race, gender, sexuality, and social justice. The lineup also features A Life in Art: Through the Eye of Dr. Leslie King Hammond, honoring the distinguished art historian, curator, educator, and artist. After the screening, Dr. Leslie King Hammond will participate in a live conversation about her life, work, and legacy.
The weekend wraps up on Sunday, August 16, with a special benefit encore screening of A Better Way: James Lawson, Architect of Nonviolence, followed by a discussion moderated by Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Howard University. Half of the ticket revenue from the closing event will go toward supporting filmmaker Karen Hayes in securing archival footage licensing for the documentary.
Special Presentation: The Last Meal Debuts on KweliTV
ADIFF DC has joined forces with KweliTV to mark the streaming launch of The Last Meal, the award-winning Haitian-Canadian feature directed by Maryse Legagneur. Presented as KweliTV Presents Movies & Mimosas, the festival screening celebrates the film's debut on the streaming platform while giving Washington audiences the chance to experience it together on the big screen.
The story follows an estranged father and daughter who reconnect through the traditional Haitian dishes of his childhood while confronting the legacy of dictatorship, exile, and family silence.
Festival Highlights
The festival presents acclaimed independent films that explore contemporary global issues through stories from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States.
Contemporary Africa includes The Shadow of Greed, a Nigerian political thriller about corruption and the effects of Chinese investment in Africa; Goundafa, in which an Amazigh community in Morocco faces growing religious intolerance; and The Song of the Riffles, a powerful drama that examines the human cost of armed conflict and child soldier recruitment in Burkina Faso.
Colonialism, Literature & History pairs A Radical Duet, which imagines a meeting between pioneering Nigerian educator, feminist, and anti-colonial activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Jamaican novelist and cultural theorist Sylvia Wynter, with On the Traces of “Cruel City” by Mongo Beti, a documentary revisiting the landmark work of the renowned Cameroonian novelist. Together, the films show how literature, political thought, and artistic expression continue to shape conversations about freedom and decolonization.
Jamaican Tales: Stories of History, Music, and Resistance presents three short films that explore Jamaica's history, environment, and cultural traditions. From the legacy of National Hero Paul Bogle to contemporary struggles over public access to the island's coastline and the preservation of African-derived musical traditions, the program celebrates the richness and resilience of Jamaican cultural life.
Representing contemporary American independent cinema, Outdoor School is based on the true story of a 12-year-old boy experiencing homelessness while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy at school. Rooted in Portland's Black community, this coming-of-age drama explores childhood resilience, the search for belonging, and the transformative power of nature and community.
FESTIVAL INFORMATION
• What: 19th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival – Washington, D.C.
• When: August 14–16, 2026
• Where: George Washington University Student Center, 800 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052
Ticket and Pass Information
• VIP Pass / Festival Pass: $140 / $99
• Opening Night (August 14): $30 General Admission | $45 VIP (includes catered reception at Bindaas)
• Regular screenings: $15 General Admission | $13 Students & Seniors
• KweliTV Presents Movies & Mimosas: The Last Meal — $15 (film and mimosas)
• Closing Night Fundraiser (August 16): $40 (includes catered reception, benefit screening, and Q&A)
Tickets, festival passes, and the complete schedule are available at: adiff-dc.eventive.org
Festival information: www.nyadiff.org
ABOUT ADIFF
Founded in Harlem in 1993, the African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting independent films that explore the global experiences of people of African descent and other communities of color. The Washington, D.C. edition is presented in collaboration with the Africa World Now Project and Friends of Ukanwa Johnson, with media support from WPFW and special programming presented in partnership with KweliTV.
MEDIA CONTACT
Fanta Toure | African Diaspora International Film Festival | Office: 212-864-1760 | outreach@NYADFF.org
Diarah N'Daw-Spech
African Diaspora International Film Festival
+1 2128641760
email us here
