The 34th African Diaspora International Film Festival returns November 27–December 13, 2026 in New York City, opening with the world premiere of John Johnson Reporting, directed by Brian Calfano and narrated by Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg.
The documentary John Johnson Reporting 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 festival’s program features more than 70 films from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and the United States, including three national Oscar submissions: Morocco’s Strawberries, Rwanda’s Ben’ Imana, and the Dominican Republic’s Melodrama.
Among the other festival’s selections is The Ghost of Hing King Estate, from Trinidad and Tobago, and the final feature film by legendary filmmaker Sir Horace Ové, a pioneer of Black British cinema, makes its U.S. premiere as the gala presentation of the festival’s Spotlight on Trinidad & Tobago. 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 Finding Your Laughter Gala, combining cinema, live comedy, and a reception, and the Closing Night New York premiere of Montmartre, starring Jesse Williams and Ito Aghayere.
The 2026 African Diaspora International Film Festival takes place November 27–December 13, 2026, at Teachers College, Columbia University; Cinema Village; and The Forum at Columbia University, with select films available virtually nationwide.
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