Pan African Film and Arts Festival in LA

If you're in Los Angeles, the Pan African Film and Arts Festival is taking place this weekend and into next week.

Today there's a Studentfest (in the morning), an Art Market that runs until 9 pm, and a Seniors Connection gathering that'll be held in the afternoon. This evening, however, is the highlight, beginning with a tribute ceremony at 7 pm, at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (4718 Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles), which will hosted by CCH Pounder.

Actor and director Glynn Turman (Cooley High, The Wire, A Different World) is slated to receive the 2010 Pan African Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award; director F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job, A Man Apart) will receive the Pioneer Award;  Tatyani Ali (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Love That Girl) will receive the Beah Richards Award; actor Nate Parker (The Secret Life of Bees, The Great Debaters, Blood Done Sign My Name) will receive the Canada Lee Award; Nollywood superstar Nigerian filmmaker and founder of the influential African Academy of Motion Pictures Peace Anyiam-Fiberesima will receive the PAFF/African Channel Visionary Award; and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas will receive the Community Service Award, which will be presented by PAFF Co-Founders Ayuko Babu and former Good Times staple Ja'Net Dubois.

Following the ceremony there'll be an 8 pm Spoken Word performance.

This year's featured films include the following, and will play at Culver Plaza Theaters, 9919 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles (films begin screening at 10 am each morning):

3 Faces of Evelyn Bullets Over Brownsville Calling My Children Carnival of Kwen, The Charity Cinderella, Wolves & One Prince Charming Cries at Night Darfur Day Without Mines, A Entertainer's Eulogy Father Christmas Doesn't Come Here Fitlha (Hidden Places) For the Best and For the Onion! (Pour Le Meilleur et Pour l'Oignon!) GO-BAMA between Hope & Dreams Good Intentions Haiti: The Sleeping Giant History of Independence, A Hurricane Season Johnny B. Homeless Limits of Control, The Nose Candy Omar Saved From Cheating Operation Small Axe Paper Mouse Pastor Stuart Performance Pride of Lions Pro-Black Sheep Someone Heard My Cry Soul Diaspora Stoning of Soraya M., The The Good Fight: James Farmer Remembers the Civil Rights Movement Toumast: Guitars and Kalashnikovs Undisclosed Vietnam: American Holocaust Weakness Where Are You Going Moshé? (Finemachiyamoché) Why Us? Left Behind and Dying