The 34th African Diaspora International Film Festival in New York pairs Academy Award submissions from Morocco and Rwanda with a deep lineup that explores economic change, justice, and cultural identity.
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Two Oscar-contending films from Africa headline a sprawling New York festival program that also examines China’s growing footprint on the continent and the legacy of apartheid-era justice. The 34th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF NY 2026) runs from November 27 through December 13 at Teachers College, Columbia University; Cinema Village; The Forum at Columbia University; and online across the United States.
Among the most anticipated premieres is the gala screening of Strawberries (La Más Dulce), directed by Laïla Marrakchi, which is Morocco’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2027 Academy Awards. The festival also offers a free community screening of “Ben’imana,” Rwanda’s official submission for the same Oscar category — a drama set in 2012 that traces the arduous road to reconciliation nearly two decades after the genocide against the Tutsi.
Featuring Oscar submissions from Morocco and Rwanda, contemporary stories of economic transformation, justice and cultural identity, and African cinema classics
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The festival’s Moroccan cinema strand reflects that country’s rising international profile. “Goundafa, the Cursed Song” follows the arrival of a conservative imam in the High Atlas Mountains who challenges Amazigh musical traditions. “Heir to the Secrets / L’Héritier des secrets” (Canada/Morocco) sends a man on a journey into his family’s past after a letter from Montreal. In “Tazzeka” (Morocco/France), a young man raised by his grandmother pursues his culinary dreams in Paris, confronting the harsh realities of undocumented life.
Two films zero in on China’s economic engagement with Africa. “The Shadow of Greed” (Nigeria) centers on a Chinese project manager overseeing a highway development in southwestern Nigeria who gets caught in a web of corruption and local resistance. “A Taste of Our Land” (Rwanda) dramatizes a confrontation when an elderly man discovers a gold nugget on land now operated by a Chinese mining company.
The festival brings together emerging voices, acclaimed filmmakers, and classics of African cinema.”— ADIFF New York 2026
A dedicated “Justice and Democracy in Africa” section examines postcolonial nation-building. Alongside “Ben’Imana,” the lineup includes “The Foolishness of God: A Forgiveness Journey with Desmond Tutu” (United States/South Africa), a 15-year documentary portrait of the archbishop’s reflections on reconciliation. “Kinshasa Makambo” (Democratic Republic of the Congo/France) follows three young activists risking everything for democratic change. “She Had a Dream” (Tunisia/France) profiles Ghofrane, a young Black Tunisian woman who enters politics to fight racism and discrimination.
Four African films are competing for the ADIFF Public Award for Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color, an audience-voted prize. The nominees are “Ben’Imana” (Rwanda), “Laundry / Uhlanjululo” (South Africa/Switzerland), “Marxism and Period Pains” (South Africa), and “Strawberries” (Morocco).
Classic works also anchor the program. Ousmane Sembène’s groundbreaking 1966 film “Black Girl” (Senegal/France) tells the story of a young Senegalese woman working for a French family, confronting colonialism and personal dignity. Other restorations include “Bezness” (Tunisia, 1992), “Kukurantumi: Road to Accra” (Ghana, 1983), and “Shaihu Umar” (Nigeria, 1976).
General admission tickets are $15, with discounted tickets for seniors (65+) and students with valid ID at $13. VIP and gala screenings with receptions range from $30 to $50. Festival passes and virtual screening options are also available. For the complete program, screening times, tickets, and passes, visit www.nyadiff.org.
Founded in Harlem in 1993, the African Diaspora International Film Festival has spent more than three decades presenting films that broaden perspectives on the global Black experience. The 34th Annual New York ADIFF is made possible with support from ArtMattan Films, the New York City Council for the Arts, West Harlem Development Corporation, New York City Tourism + Conventions, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), and the Office of Community Affairs and the George Clement Bond Center for African Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Why it matters: At a time when African cinema is earning unprecedented global recognition — underscored by two Oscar submissions — ADIFF NY 2026 offers U.S. audiences a rare, curated window into the continent’s diverse storytelling traditions. The festival’s focus on economic transformation and postcolonial justice speaks directly to the most urgent conversations about global development and cultural sovereignty.
