African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF)’s flagship program, the annual New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) is curated around a timely theme, and presented in collaboration with Film at Lincoln Center, Maysles Cinema, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAMcinématek. During the festival, which runs for 3 weeks in the spring, approximately forty to fifty classic and contemporary films are screened, including rarely seen archival works. Films are followed by discussions with the filmmakers and/or other film experts, as well as workshops and public talks.
The NYAFF has been attended by African film pioneers such as Ousmane Sembène and Safi Faye, and other notable figures such as Miriam Makeba, Abderrahmane Sissako, Wanuri Kahiu, Lupita Nyong'o, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, Alain Gomis, Harry Belafonte, David Hammons, Xenobia Bailey, Matt Dillon, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray, Angelique Kidjo, among many others.