From Our Festival Director

I welcome you to our 13th Annual Silicon Valley African Film Festival and invite you to this shared journey across the vast richness of the African Continent and its diaspora in a historic showcase of feature films, shorts and animations from Africa’s seasoned and emerging filmmakers.

This year, we celebrate 13 years of connecting Communities, Cultures and Continents with an in-person festival featuring a brilliant line-up of 102 films from 33 countries, all sharing the true stories, hopes and dreams of Africa and its diaspora. Over 50% of the films in our festival are World or North America premieres.

I am excited about the quality, range of genres and diversity of voices represented in the films we have selected. From Botswana to Brazil, Cameroon to Canada, Ghana to Guyana, Uganda to United States, our 2022 festival centers authentic stories and voices of seasoned and emerging creatives from the African continent and its diaspora.

As we continue the slow but steady come back from the global pandemic, we have designed a festival weekend program that will engage, delight, inspire, provoke and challenge our audience. Our spaces will engage audiences in thought-provoking dialogue, and offer film lovers and artists unique social and artistic visions from around the African continent and its diaspora. It is an honor to offer our community an unfiltered access to the richness, diversity and vitality of Africa’s creative expressions and provide a forum for cultural exchange.

The Silicon Valley African Film Festival has become a destination event that draws an avid international following, of distinguished transcontinental visitors, entrepreneurs, tech executives, cinema buffs, academics, civic officials, celebrities and community supporters. I welcome our Guest of Honor and 2022 Cultural Icon Award recipient Jimmy Jean-Louis and his manager, veteran Hollywood Producer, Steven Adams, to Silicon Valley. Thanks for honoring us with your presence and giving the world the gift of your talent as an actor, producer and philanthropist. You make Mama Africa proud and we wish you continued success!

Our journey from the first year to today has been long but steady as the community rallied and became the wind beneath our wings. I thank our sponsors, donors, staff, advisors, volunteers and festival attendees without whom this festival will not be possible. Special thanks to our filmmakers for sharing their talent and enriching us with their stories.

God bless!

Chike C. Nwoffiah Founding Director, Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF)

Svaff 2022 Team

2022 Cultural Icon Award Recipient:

Jimmy Jean-Louis

Actor, producer and philanthropist

Personal Assistant to Jimmy Jean-Louis:

Chinedu G3 Nwoffiah

Industry Guest:

Steven Adams, Alta Global Media

Libation Ceremony:

Idowu Akinleye

Performing Artists:

Oriki Arts San Jose

Fashion Show:

Amatula Designs by Amatula Jacobs

Vendor Coordination: Shaka Bogolani

Welfare:

Jumoke Akinsola, Jum’s Kitchen

Audio Visuals: Ken Davis, K-Style Productions

Transportation: Gregg Blackmon | Chasity Shelby

Event Photography & Videography: Jamii Enterprises

Opening Night Photography: Katie Ravas, Drew Altizer Photography (Sponsored by Silicon Valley Office of Protocol)

Production Manager: Karl Welch

Filmmakers Liaison Manager: Frazer Wodage

Media / Public Relations: Dami Oyefeso, Agile PR

Government Affairs and Protocol: Deanna Tryon, Silicon Valley Office of Protocol

Program Booklet Design: Gabriel C. Nwoffiah, Rhesus Media Group

T-shirts design & print: T-Shirts for the Heart & Soul