AFI Film Fest (Black Film Picks)

The AFI Film Fest presented by Audi opens tonight with a gala screening of Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar. One of the neat things about this festival are the smaller indie films that come from the U.S. and around the world. Two noteworthy films emerging from the the black cinema sphere are Restless City and Kinyarwanda.

Restless City tells the story of an Africa immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City where music is his passion, life is a hustle, and falling in love is his greatest risk.

I've seen Restless City and it's exactly what black cinema needs. I'll talk more about the film later but it's a definite must-watch. It screens on Friday, Nov 4th at 4:45pm and Saturday at 4:15pm.

Kinyarwanda is the second film promoted by Ava DuVernay's AFFRM company which brought us I Will Follow (that played at last year's AFI Fest). I haven't seen this one yet but it looks promising. Kinyarwanda screens on Saturday, Nov. 5th at 1:15pm and Monday at 7pm. 

During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, as the country became a slaughterhouse, mosques became places of refuge where Muslims and Christians, Hutus and Tutsis came together to protect each other. Inspired by true stories KINYARWANDA interweaves six tales that provide a complex and real depiction of life and human resilience in the face of unimaginable danger.

The AFI Fest presented by Audi runs November 3rd - 10th in Hollywood. For more info visit www.afi.com/afifest