ADIFF NY 2026 to showcase African films on culture, justice and change

The 34th African Diaspora International Film Festival runs Nov. 27-Dec. 13 in New York City and online, with Oscar submissions from Morocco and Rwanda, new films on economic transformation and democracy, and a slate of African cinema classics. The program spans Teachers College, Columbia University, Cinema Village and The Forum at Columbia University.

Why it matters: - ADIFF NY 2026 is positioning African cinema as both a cultural showcase and a lens on issues shaping the continent, from migration and identity to justice, democracy and economic change. - The festival’s lineup includes Morocco’s and Rwanda’s official Oscar submissions, giving audiences early access to two contenders for the 2027 Academy Awards. - The program also pairs new work with restored classics, extending the festival’s reach across generations of African filmmaking.

What happened: - The 34th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival runs from Nov. 27 through Dec. 13, 2026. - Screenings will take place at Teachers College, Columbia University; Cinema Village; The Forum at Columbia University; and online throughout the United States. - The festival’s highlights include Strawberries, Morocco’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2027 Academy Awards, and Ben'Imana, Rwanda’s official submission for the same category. - ADIFF is also screening films across curated strands on Moroccan cinema, China and Africa, justice and democracy, women filmmakers, and African cinema classics.

The details: - The Moroccan lineup centers on cultural heritage, identity and migration. - Strawberries, directed by Laïla Marrakchi, is the gala screening and Morocco’s Oscar submission. - Goundafa, the Cursed Song is set in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, where a conservative imam disrupts village life and challenges Amazigh musical traditions. - Heir to the Secrets follows a man who receives a letter from Montreal and uncovers family history tied to identity, memory and belonging. - Tazzeka follows a young man from a Moroccan village to Paris, where his cooking ambitions collide with migration and undocumented life. - The China and Africa section looks at the human side of economic development. - The Shadow of Greed follows a Chinese project manager on a highway project in southwestern Nigeria as corruption, ambition and local resistance collide. - A Taste of Our Land centers on an elderly man who discovers a gold nugget on land occupied by a Chinese-operated mining company, triggering a dispute over ownership and prosperity. - The Justice and Democracy in Africa section focuses on postcolonial nation-building and political struggle. - Ben'Imana, a free community screening, is set in Rwanda in 2012, nearly two decades after the genocide against the Tutsi, and follows a difficult path toward justice, reconciliation and healing. - The Foolishness of God: A Forgiveness Journey with Desmond Tutu was filmed over 15 years and explores forgiveness, justice and reconciliation through Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s reflections. - Kinshasa Makambo follows three young activists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as they risk everything for democratic change. - She Had a Dream centers on Ghofrane, a young Black Tunisian woman who enters politics to fight racism and discrimination. - The ADIFF Public Award for Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color includes Ben'Imana, Laundry / Uhlanjululo, Marxism and Period Pains and Strawberries. - The African cinema classics lineup includes Black Girl, Bezness, Kukurantumi: Road to Accra and a restored version of Shaihu Umar. - Black Girl, Ousmane Sembène’s first feature, examines colonialism, identity and personal dignity through the story of a young Senegalese woman working for a French family. - Bezness offers a portrait of tourism, cultural encounters and relationships between North Africa and Europe. - Kukurantumi: Road to Accra focuses on family relationships, generational differences and social change in Ghana. - Shaihu Umar revisits West African traditions and the legacy of slavery through a historical drama. - General admission tickets cost $15. - Seniors 65 and older and students with valid ID pay $13. - VIP and gala screenings with receptions range from $30 to $50. - Festival passes and virtual screening options are also available. - The full program, screening times, tickets and passes are available at the festival website.

Between the lines: - ADIFF is using the festival to highlight African stories that connect local histories with global themes such as labor, migration, politics and cultural memory. - The inclusion of a woman-directed competition and classic restorations suggests the festival is balancing present-day voices with film heritage. - The lineup also reflects how African cinema is increasingly circulating through international awards pathways, especially through Oscar submissions.

What's next: - Audiences can buy tickets, browse the full schedule and access virtual screenings ahead of the Nov. 27 opening. - Festival organizers are also making press screeners, film images and filmmaker interviews available upon request. - The festival will continue through Dec. 13 across in-person venues and online access.