34th African Diaspora International Film Festival Opens with World Premiere of John Johnson Reporting

More than 70 films, three national Oscar submissions, acclaimed international cinema, and special programs celebrating the diversity of the African Diaspora.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The 34th African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) returns November 27–December 13, 2026, with an ambitious selection of more than 70 films from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and the United States. The festival opens with the world premiere of “John Johnson Reporting”, directed by Brian Calfano and narrated by Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg. The program also features three national Oscar submissions, acclaimed international productions, and compelling discoveries from across the African Diaspora.

Screenings take place at Teachers College, Columbia University, Cinema Village, and The Forum at Columbia University, with a virtual selection available nationwide.

For more than three decades, ADIFF has introduced New York audiences to a diverse selection of American and international cinema, including independent films and acclaimed productions often overlooked by mainstream distribution, creating opportunities for cultural discovery and dialogue.

A WORLD PREMIERE, OSCAR CONTENDERS, AND INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERIES

The festival’s Opening Night Gala on November 28 features the world premiere of John Johnson Reporting, directed by Brian Calfano and narrated by Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg. The documentary examines the career of the pioneering New York television journalist whose work helped transform local news coverage and expand the representation of African American communities in broadcast journalism. The screening will be followed by a special conversation with John Johnson and the filmmakers, moderated by David Ushery, award-winning anchor at NBC 4 New York.

Three films submitted by their respective countries for consideration in the 2027 Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category are featured in this year’s lineup: Morocco’s “Strawberries”, presented at a December 2 gala; Rwanda’s “Ben’ Imana”, screening December 7; and the Dominican Republic’s “Melodrama”, presented December 12.

Among the festival’s most anticipated selections is “Marie Madeleine”, directed by Haitian filmmaker Gessica Généus. Following screenings at Cannes and Toronto and a Gold Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival, the drama arrives at ADIFF for screenings December 5 and 6. The film has also been acquired for U.S. distribution by ArtMattan Films.

From Trinidad and Tobago, “The Ghost of Hing King Estate”, the final feature film by legendary filmmaker Sir Horace Ové, a pioneer of Black British cinema, makes its U.S. premiere on December 12 as the gala presentation of the festival’s Spotlight on Trinidad & Tobago. Actor Michael Cherrie will attend for a post-screening conversation. The Brazilian documentary “Aqui Não Entra Luz” (No Sunshine In Here) serves as the December 4 Centerpiece presentation, followed by a filmmaker conversation and reception.

The festival’s special events also include the December 11 “Finding Your Laughter Gala”, combining cinema, live comedy, and a reception, and the December 13 Closing Night New York premiere of Montmartre, starring Jesse Williams and Ito Aghayere.

CINEMA ACROSS CULTURES AND CONTINENTS

Beyond individual premieres, ADIFF’s themed programs explore the connections between cinema, history, identity, and contemporary life.

Cuisine, Culture & Cinema explores the relationship between food, migration, family, and cultural memory, featuring films such as Tazzeka, The Last Meal, and Soul Food Junkies.

Moroccan cinema has made significant inroads on the international stage. Films such as “Strawberries”, “The Heir of Secrets”, and “Goundafa” exemplify the creativity, imagination, and distinctive storytelling of Moroccan filmmakers.

BEYOND THE SCREEN: AUDIENCE AWARDS, COMMUNITY ACCESS, AND VIRTUAL CINEMA

The festival moviegoers will vote for the ADIFF Public Award for Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color, that feature 7 films including “Only Rebels Win”, featuring acclaimed actress Hiam Abbass; “Strawberries” and “Ben’ Imana”, both national Oscar submissions; and Karen Hayes’ remarkable documentary about Archbishop Desmond Tutu, “The Foolishness of God”, among others.

In ADIFF School Program, children will enjoy free screenings of “The Great Debaters”, “Kirikou and the Sorceress”, and “Kipkemboi (The Wall Street Boy)”, while the Senior Program will feature a free screening of Sidney Poitier’s “A Warm December” at The Forum at Columbia University, sponsored by the West Harlem Development Corporation.

ADIFF will also offer a Mini Virtual Festival from November 27 to December 13, featuring 11 films available for streaming across the United States and its territories.

The 34th ADIFF is supported by cultural and community partners including ArtMattan Films, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Tourism + Conventions, the West Harlem Development Corporation, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), and participating Teachers College departments and programs.

TICKETS AND FESTIVAL INFORMATION

Individual screening tickets are $15. All-Access Passes are $300, and Fan Passes and Virtual Festival Passes are $60. Special gala events and receptions may have separate ticket options.

Dates: November 27–December 13, 2026

Venues: Teachers College, Columbia University; Cinema Village; The Forum at Columbia University; and online

Full Program and Tickets: www.nyadiff.org

ABOUT ADIFF

Founded in 1993 by Reinaldo Barroso-Spech and Diarah N’Daw-Spech, the African Diaspora International Film Festival is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to presenting films that explore the human experience of people of color, with particular emphasis on people of African descent and Indigenous communities. Through its international programming, ADIFF promotes cultural discovery, dialogue, and a broader understanding of the world through cinema.

Press Contact: outreach@nyadiff.org

Diarah N’Daw-Spech
African Diaspora International Film Festival
+1 212-864-1760
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John Johnson Reporting