St. Louis, MO… The St. Louis Public Library’s Diversity Committee, in association with the 2009 African Arts Festival (Memorial Day Weekend in Forest Park), presents a daylong African Arts Film Festival celebrating African and African-American heritage and culture. The African Arts Film Festival takes place at the Schlafly Branch, 225 North Euclid Avenue, on Saturday, May 23, beginning at 10 a.m. and running through 5:30 p.m. The program is FREE and open to the public.

*  10-11:40 a.m.  Bunny Chow. A look at South Africa through the eyes of its hopeful future rather than its tragic past. [NOTE: This movie contains mature subject matter. Parental discretion advised.]

*  11:45 a.m.-Noon.  Knock On Wood. The story of percussionist Valerie Naranjo’s groundbreaking trip to Ghana.

*  1:15-1:45 p.m.  Lecture & Film Discussion led by Ephrem Andemariam, UMSL.

*  2-3:10 p.m.  The Black Candle. A landmark documentary that uses Kwanzaa to explore and celebrate the African-American experience.

*  3:15-4 p.m.  Beautiful Me(s): Finding Our Revolutionary Selves in Black Cuba. The true story of the journey of a group of Ivy League students to Cuba.

*  4:10-4:20 p.m.  Foli. Foli is the West African Malinke people’s word for rhythm.

*  4:30-5:30 p.m.  Prince Among Slaves. A docudrama about an African prince captured in 1788 and enslaved for 40 years in the United States.

For details about the Library’s African Arts Film Festival, call (314) 367-4120.

5/14/2009