Shorts Program: A Way of Life
113min
Powerful illustrations of being true to oneself, understanding one’s history, and envisioning our place in the future.

Who is Ida?
Ken Kobre, Malawi/USA, 2020, 28m
Inspired by how a stranger’s generosity enabled her to attend university, Ida Puliwa created a charitable foundation in Malawi, naming it Othakarhaka which means “passing on the kindness.” Ida’s impact can be felt through her original ideas and organized efforts to assist the elderly, plant trees to counter deforestation, and promote the education of orphans and girls escaping forced marriage.

Rebirth
Chenay Barnes, USA, 2019, 2m
Adorned in intricately woven white garments as she looks upon an expansive body of water, a woman conveys her experience of renewal by detailing her shedding of an exploitative past and embracing her powerful new awareness of self and legacy.

Mthunzi
Tebogo Malebogo, South Africa, 2019, 9m
Inspired by the director’s own experience, Mthunzi is the story of a young man who, on his way home from the store, notices a woman having seizures in her driveway. When her niece asks Mthunzi to help bring her aunt inside, the complex social fabric of South Africa is felt as his act of kindness is met with tension.

Conversations with Millennials
Madu Dube, South Africa, 2019, 30m
The first episode in a four part documentary series on Black Consciousness as defined by late South African activist Bantu Stephen Biko introduces us to seven Johannesburg millennials as they dissect and analyse the ideology from their varied points of view.

Cyclist
Melih Aslan, South Africa/Turkey, 2019, 21m
In the crime-ridden South African township of Khayelitsha, 18 year old Avuyile reflects on how his passion for bicycles helped him turn away from a path of violence and drugs. Calling it his “rehab”, cycling enables Avuyile to imagine a life beyond Khayelitsha as he enters his first marathon race.

Table Stakes
Khai Thu Nguyen, USA, 2019, 23m
Two friends who met in film school and co-founded the San Francisco based independent comic book company Fracture Comics share their determination to create space for themselves and place people of color at the forefront of their work as they navigate the challenges of the industry.

This screening is a part of the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF)