19th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival Returns To Washington, DC Celebrating Award-winning Global Cinema

The Harlem-based African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) returns to Washington, D.C. for its 19th edition from August 14–16, 2026. Held at George Washington University, the festival presents award-winning fiction and documentary films from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and NORTH AMERICA that explore human rights, democracy, colonial legacies, cultural identity, and contemporary social issues. Through stories spanning multiple continents, the festival explores how individuals and communities challenge oppression, preserve historical memory, and pursue justice and liberation.

Voices of Leadership, Resistance, and Cultural Change

The festival opens on Friday, August 14, with A Better Way: James Lawson, Architect of Nonviolence, a documentary profiling the strategist behind America’s nonviolent Civil Rights Movement. Described by Dr. Martin Luther KING Jr. as ‘the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world,’ Lawson helped shape generations of activists and continues to influence movements for social justice today.

The festival also celebrates the contributions of Black women to culture, scholarship, the arts, and social justice. This includes Audre Lorde: A Litany for Survival, a portrait of the influential poet and activist whose work reshaped conversations about race, gender, sexuality, and social justice. The program also includes A Life in Art: Through the Eye of Dr. Leslie KING Hammond, honoring the renowned art historian, curator, educator, and artist. Following the screening, Dr. Leslie KING Hammond will join audiences for a live conversation about her life, work, and legacy.

The weekend concludes on Sunday, August 16, with a special benefit encore presentation of A Better Way: James Lawson, Architect of Nonviolence, followed by a discussion moderated by Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Howard University. Fifty percent of ticket proceeds from the closing event will support filmmaker Karen Hayes in completing the documentary’s archival footage licensing.

Special Presentation: The Last Meal Launches on KweliTV

ADIFF DC has partnered with KweliTV to celebrate the streaming launch of The Last Meal, the award-winning Haitian-Canadian feature directed by Maryse Legagneur. Presented as KweliTV Presents Movies & Mimosas, the festival screening marks the film’s debut on the streaming platform while offering Washington audiences the opportunity to experience it together on the big screen.

The film follows an estranged father and daughter who reconnect through the traditional Haitian dishes of his childhood while confronting the legacy of dictatorship, exile, and family silence.

Festival Highlights

The festival presents acclaimed independent films that examine contemporary global issues through stories from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States.

Contemporary Africa includes The Shadow of Greed, a Nigerian political thriller exploring corruption and the impact of Chinese investment in Africa; Goundafa, in which an Amazigh community in Morocco confronts growing religious intolerance; and The Song of the Riffles, a powerful drama examining the human cost of armed conflict and child soldier recruitment in Burkina Faso.

Colonialism, Literature & History pairs A Radical Duet, imagining a meeting between pioneering Nigerian educator, feminist, and anti-colonial activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Jamaican novelist and cultural theorist Sylvia Wynter, with On the Traces of ‘Cruel City,’ a documentary revisiting the landmark work of the renowned Cameroonian novelist Mongo Beti. Together, the films demonstrate how literature, political thought, and artistic expression continue to shape conversations about freedom and decolonization.

Jamaican Tales: Stories of History, Music, and Resistance presents three short films exploring Jamaica’s history, environment, and cultural traditions. From the legacy of National Hero Paul Bogle to contemporary struggles over public access to the island’s coastline and the preservation of African-derived musical traditions, the program celebrates the richness and resilience of Jamaican cultural life.

Representing contemporary American independent cinema, Outdoor School is based on the true story of a 12-year-old boy experiencing homelessness while struggling to maintain a sense of normalcy at school. Rooted in Portland’s Black community, the coming-of-age drama explores childhood resilience, the search for belonging, and the transformative power of nature and community.

Festival Information

What: 19th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival – Washington, D.C.

When: August 14–16, 2026

Where: George Washington University Student Center, 800 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052

Ticket and Pass Information

VIP Pass / Festival Pass: $140 / $99

Opening Night (August 14): $30 General Admission | $45 VIP (includes catered reception at Bindaas)

Regular screenings: $15 General Admission | $13 Students & Seniors

KweliTV Presents Movies & Mimosas: The Last Meal — $15 (film and mimosas)

Closing Night Fundraiser (August 16): $40 (includes catered reception, benefit screening, and Q&A)

Tickets, festival passes, and the complete schedule are available at adiff-dc.eventive.org. Festival information: www.nyadiff.org

About ADIFF

Founded in Harlem in 1993, the African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting independent films that explore the global experiences of people of African descent and other communities of color. The Washington, D.C. edition is presented in collaboration with the Africa World Now Project, with media support from WPFW and special programming presented in partnership with KweliTV.