Silicon Valley African Film Festival to Honor Cultural Icons
San Jose, CA – August 22, 2024 (USANews.com) – The Silicon Valley African Film Festival will honor Julie Dash (USA), Dr. John Kani (South Africa), Souleymane Cissé (Mali), and Richard Mofe-Damijo (Nigeria) with Cultural Icon Awards. The ceremony and a fireside chat with the honorees will occur on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at Montgomery Theater in San Jose, California. Julie Dash, a filmmaker, author, and educator, is the first African American woman to have a wide theatrical release in the United States with Daughters of the Dust (1991). Dash is currently a Diana King Endowed Professor at Spelman College. Dr. John Kani OIS, OBE portrayed King T’Chaka in Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Black Panther (2018), as well as Rafiki in The Lion King (2019). Off-screen, Dr. Kani co-wrote and starred in Athol Fugard’s anti-apartheid play Sizwe Banzi is Dead (1972), earning a Tony Award and global recognition. Souleymane Cissé, one of Africa’s most respected filmmakers, earned the Jury Prize at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival for his film Yeelen—the first African film to win a prize at Cannes. In 2023, Cissé received the Carrosse d’Or award at Cannes for his innovative filmmaking. Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) is a foremost Nigerian actor. He starred in 30 Days in Atlanta (2014), which broke Nigerian box office records, and in The Black Book (2023), hailed as the “biggest film out of Nollywood,” reaching No.3 on the worldwide Netflix charts. The Cultural Icon Award is SVAFF’s highest accolade, reserved for individuals who have relentlessly uplifted the image of Africa and its diaspora through creative expressions. Now in its 15th year, SVAFF celebrates the rich stories of the African diaspora and has become a cultural destination event. From film screenings to panels, fashion shows, workshops, an African market, and more, SVAFF offers an exquisite window into the real African diaspora. All selected filmmakers were notified on August 15. Find the official selections here! This year, SVAFF proudly introduces the African Film Summit, in partnership with San Jose State University, convening global academics, filmmakers, and industry leaders for an engaging dialogue on African cinema. Join us for an unforgettable celebration of African culture and creativity. Tickets are available here. For more information, please visit www.svaff.org.###