Common, Sherri Shepherd, Xzibit Premiere Films in LA on Pan African Film & Arts Festival Final Day

Photo Credit: PAFF - Pan African Film & Arts Festival

Stars Common, Sherri Shepherd and Dante Brown (lead actor) hosted a red carpet screening of the short film HATS at the 27th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival on February 18. Shortly after, multi-platinum rapper and actor Alvin ‘Xzibit’ Joiner hosted the Los Angeles premiere of his upcoming film BROKEN GROUND starring James “Jayo Felony” Savage. America’s largest international black film festival screened over 190 films, and exhibited over 100 fine artists and unique crafts at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza from February 7 to February 18.

Common, Shepherd and Brown, along with filmmaker Sadé Clacken Joseph, hosted a Q&A moderated by Jasmine Simpkins of Hip Hollywood to discuss the short-film HATS. In the film, a young black, aspiring baseball player (Dante Brown) struggles to find his place between his predominantly white high school and the gang-infested streets of South Central where he lives.

The festival wrapped out with it’s final red carpet premiere, as Xzibit brought an entourage out to support his directorial debut film, BROKEN GROUND. The film tells the story of James Savage, a once prominent west-coast rapper on a search for answers after being set-up and imprisoned derails his promising career. The screening was followed by a Q&A moderated by Big Boy of Real 92.3, and other guests included DJ Battlecat and Comedian Alex Thomas.

“Hats” Short Film Premiere

“Broken Ground” Premiere

Photo Credit: PAFF – Pan African Film & Arts Festival

ABOUT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL

Established in 1992, the Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – has remained dedicated to showcasing a broad spectrum of Black creative works; particularly, those that reinforce positive images and help to advance cultures, races and lifestyles. PAFF also serves as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our time and aides in the promotion of cultural understanding between peoples of African descent.

Now in its 27th year, the 12-day PAFF experience will feature  100+ fine artists and 150+ new films from over 40 countries within five continents and in 26 languages. This annual  exhibition of film, art, culture and creative expression is the largest Black film festival and the largest Black History Month celebration in the U.S. PAFF attracts a diverse global audience hailing from the  United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, South America and the South Pacific, which translates into over 90K art fest attendees, 40K film enthusiasts and 5000 students, annually.

The 27th Annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival is directed by Hollywood veterans Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Proud Mary), Ja’Net DuBois (Good Times) and  Ayuko Babu (Executive Director), and will take place Thursday, February 7 – Monday, February 18 at the Cinemark Rave 15 Theatres/Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza (3650 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd) in Los Angeles, California.   For more details and ticket information, visit www.PAFF.org.