The History: From Classroom to Festival
Part 1: Explore how one thought turned into 34 years for an African film festival
Portland Community College Cascade (2020) by Photo by Abe ProctorCascade Festival Of African Films
A Gem of North Portland
Located in the heart of North Portland at Portland Community College Cascade, The Cascade Festival of African Films is the longest-running annual, non-profit, non-commercial, largely volunteer-run African Film Festival in the United States.
Founded by four Portland Community College faculty members and in celebration of Black History Month, the film festival has been bringing "Africa through African lenses" since February of 1991.
Linda Elegant (d. July 12, 2023), English and writing instructor, served as the festival coordinator in the beginning years. Mary Holmström, African literature instructor at the Cascade Campus from 1989-2001 and a native of South Africa, served as the festival's film programmer. Michael Dembrow, English and film studies instructor, wrote the festival's renowned film notes. Joseph Smith-Buani, a native of Sierra Leone and math instructor, was the festival's host.
Founders of Cascade Festival of African Films (2005) by Courtesy of Mary Holmström, CFAF Founding MemberCascade Festival Of African Films
Portland Mayor Tom Potter’s pays tribute to the founders of the Cascade Festival of African Film at 15th anniversary. Left to right: Michael Dembrow, Mary Holmström, and Joseph Smith-Buani (not pictured, Linda Elegant).
Rather than presenting a vision of Africa packaged for Western viewers, the festival invites the filmgoers to engage with Africa’s dynamic lenses of stories and encourage American viewers to become interested and enrich their lens of African cultures.
Becoming the Festival
Approximately 400 people attended the first annual festival screening of the films: Camp at Thiaroye*, Ousmane Sembène (Senegal); Faces of Women, Désiré Ecaré (Ivory Coast); La Vie Est Belle*, Mweze Ngangura (Congo DRC); Yeelen*, Souleymane Cissé (Mali)
CFAF Committee members at the16th film festival (2006) by Courtesy of Mary Holmström, CFAF Founding MemberCascade Festival Of African Films
The passion and dedication of CFAF volunteer committee members are the driving force of the festival.
Guest director Shirikiana Aina shares time with CFAF committee members (1998) by Courtesy of Mary Holmström, CFAF Founding MemberCascade Festival Of African Films
CFAF is a festival where community and families come together.
We invite a diverse range of African performing arts to add to the festival experience.
Milestones Near and Far
Our 5th anniversary festival brought its first guest African continent film director Haile Gerima (Ethiopia), to Portland. At our 10th anniversary we doubled our film screenings to twelve. By our 15th anniversary we were seen by the city of Portland for our community service.
One of the missions of the film festival is to cover a wide range of themes and topics, including African identity, liberation, emigration, displacement, dictatorship, racism and war, issues of trauma, conflict and reconciliation, peace, truth, justice, forgiveness, and the position of women.
Our 20th anniversary festival coincided with the 50th anniversary of 17 African countries that achieved their independence in 1960.
The festival posters begin to come to life with Felipe Mirez 3-D festival animations.
From its initial four-film program in 1991, the festival has expanded to a five-weekend-long festival of 20-24 feature and documentary films. Festival events include:
Opening Night, Thursday evening documentary series, Family Film Day, Student Fest, and Women Filmmakers Week, held during the first week of March in celebration of Women’s History Month.
Actor Danny Glover actor with CFAF committee members and community (2002) by Courtesy of Mary Holmström, CFAF Founding MemberCascade Festival Of African Films
Celebrating Black History Month with a dynamic film festival, the 12th Annual Cascade Festival of African Films featured 17 films and paid tribute to actor Danny Glover with two of his African features; Bopha! (directed by Morgan Freeman, with actors Malcolm McDowell and Alfre Woodard) and Boesman and Lena (directed by John Berry, with actors Angela Bassett and Willie Jonah).
25 Years of "Free" Festival Screening
The 25th annual festival celebrated Nollywood films, a South African homage to film noir, and a retrospective screening of “CFAF’s Top 10 African Films.”
A Film Festival Turning 30
2020 welcomed our 30th festival, which evolved to encompass more than just films from Africa. A supportive community is important to why the festival continues showing resilience even in the face of adversity.
A Cake for 30 years of festival screening (2020) by Courtesy of Mary Holmström, CFAF Founding MemberCascade Festival Of African Films
From re-mastered classic films to visionary young directors, our 30th anniversary festival celebrated the historic scope of the festival and African cinema itself.
Egúngún (Masquerade) (2021) by Courtesy of Director Olive NwosuCascade Festival Of African Films
Riding into the future
Pandemic was a test of resilience and adaptiveness. We found a way to connect in virtual space. Now back in person, today we embrace new ways of expanding our mission in increasing visibility and enriching viewers of African culture from African lenses.
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