Celebrating 100 years of ANC! - March 17 & 18 Film Series and Panel

March 6, 2012 - PRLog -- Celebrating 100 Years of ANC
Film Series and Panel Discussion
March 17 & 18, 2012
at Teachers College, Columbia University


New York, March 4, 2012 -   2012 marks 100 years of selfless struggle of the African National Congress (ANC).  The ANC-US Interim Branch, the African Diaspora Film Festival -  a 20 year old not-for-profit organization dedicated to expanding the traditional views and perceptions of the Black experience by showcasing independent, foreign , feature and documentary films depicting the richness and diversity of the human experience of people of color all over the world - and the New York based Pacifica radio station WBAI, have partnered to celebrate this important anniversary and reflect on the achievements and lessons learned from 100 years of struggle for freedom and human rights by the ANC.

On March 17 and March 18, the Celebrating 100 years of ANC Film Series and Panel Discussion event will be held at Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street.

The series will open on Saturday, March 17 with a FREE program open to all.   At 5pm, the screening of the award winning film Nothing but the Truth featuring legendary South African actor/director John Kani will open the celebrations.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion at 6:30pm featuring scholars, intellectuals, ANC veterans and other personalities that will discuss not only the many accomplishments of the ANC but also the challenges and lessons learned from 100 years of struggle.

Invited speakers include GODFREY SITHOLE, member of the African National Congress and veteran of the 1980s movement to divest from South Africa; TSELISO THIPANYANE, human rights activist and former Chief Executive of the South African Human Rights Commission; TSELANE TAMBO, actor, public speaker, writer, image consultant and daughter of the ANC's late president, Oliver Tambo. More speakers are to be announced. The panel will be moderated by ROBERT KNIGHT, Radio Station WBAI Producer, host The Five O'clock Shadow Show and winner of the George Polk Award for Investigative Journalism.

The evening will end with a catered reception.

On Sunday, new and classic South African features and documentaries will be screened including Behind the Rainbow by award winning filmmaker  jihan-el-tahri about the history of the ANC, the New York Premiere of  Mining For Change. A Story of South African Mining , a revealing documentary that looks at the history of mining in South Africa and its connection to the ANC, and  Homecoming by South African filmmaker Norman Maakee about ANC veterans’ struggle to reintegrate South African society after the end of apartheid.

Director  Jihan El-Tahri will attend the screening of her film at 4PM and will answer questions after the screening.

Tickets for the Sunday screenings will be $11 per screening for adults, and $9 for students and seniors. A $20 weekend pass will give access to all events.

WHAT: CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF ANC

WHEN: March 17 - 18, 2012

WHERE:  Teachers College, Columbia University
525 West 120th Street - 3/17: Room The Chapel, 3/18: Room 263 Macy
Train 1 to 116th Street
FREE PARKING on weekends
Photo ID required to enter the building

TICKETS PRICE:
* Free on 3/17
* $11, $9 for seniors and students per show on 3/18
* Weekend pass: $20

ABOUT ADIFF
Established in 1993, the African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) is an international film festival which offers a unique quality cinematic experience that places at its center the humanity of people of color all over the world.  Through its rich and diverse programming, ADIFF offers an alternative world view to that typically offered by other international film festivals.

ABOUT THE ANC–US Interim Branch
The ANC–US Interim Branch and its committee is working towards the establishment of official ANC structures in the US.

ABOUT WBAI
WBAI 99.5FM is a free-speech listener-sponsored NY based radio station that is part of the Pacifica group.  It was launched in 1949 and provides 24/7 Progressive and Independent News plus Talk, Arts and Music to more than 1 million listeners.


The CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF ANC FILM SERIES AND PANEL DISCUSSION program is made possible thanks to the support of the following institutions and individuals: ArtMattan Productions; the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Community Affairs, Teachers College, Columbia University; The ANC-US Interim Branch; the New York City Council in the Arts; WBAI and public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

For interview, screeners, tickets or more information please visit http://www.NYADIFF.org, e-mail info@NYADIFF.org or call (212) 864-1760.

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Held in NYC, Chicago, DC and Jersey City, the African Diaspora Film Festival (ADFF) features programs around urban, classic, foreign & independent films that explore the richness and diversity of the life experience of people of color all over the world.