Ethiopian Film and Arts Festival in Alexandria, Virginia is an annual film and arts festival that states its goal is to promote “cultural understanding among peoples of Ethiopian descent” through exhibiting art and film. It hosts a film festival and an arts festival in Alexandria in August of each year. The Alexandria Times in 2023 called the film and arts festival “the largest Ethiopian film festival” in the United States.
Ethiopian Film & Arts Festival in Alexandria 2024 (EFAAF)August 15,2024 – August 24,2024Alexandria, Virginia
Our mission is to contribute to the growing diversity of the city of Alexandria and to celebrate Ethiopian culture through motion pictures and arts; to address Social, Economic, Ethnic, and Health issues that affect the country and to provide an equal platform for Independent artists to showcase and distribute their work on a global scale.
Our vision is to increase the availability of Ethiopian films and arts in non-Ethiopian communities, universities, colleges and in public libraries as reference materials in the study of African culture, history, people, and issues.
The Ethiopian Film & Arts Festival exists to evolve the emerging Ethiopian storyteller.
We showcase the broad spectrum of creative arts and films
by visionaries who highlight the diverse stories of Ethiopia and the global Ethiopian Diaspora.
It is EFAAF’s goal to present and showcase the broad spectrum of Ethiopia creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help destroy negative stereotypes. We believe film and art can lead to better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles, while at the same time serve as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.
EFAAF’s dedicated to motion pictures and arts that tell Ethiopian stories, and serves as a platform for educative references to Ethiopian Culture and history. EFAAF will serve as a film premiere and art exhibition opportunity for several filmmakers and artists across the globe, whose work are selected to the festival.
The Ethiopian Film & Arts Festival was created to give the independent filmmaker and artist that focus on Ethiopian stories a platform to compete in the global market. Ethiopian arts and their creators would have additional world stage, expanding the market for such films and arts, and creating networking opportunities for seasoned and aspiring practitioners to commiserate on ideas and forge working relationships.
The festival was expanded from only films and arts to also appreciate the importance of Arts in storytelling. From Drawings (storyboards) to Music (soundtracks) to Fashion (costume) to Body Paintings (makeup), EFAAF will celebrate these important components of film, and becomes Ethiopian Film & Arts Festival. It will also serve as a platform for artists to showcase their work on international stage.
Filmmakers have opportunities for feedback. Each film will be reviewed by a panel of judges made up of industry professionals. Our team include the Executive Director, Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Panel of Judges, Planning Committee, Staff Members, and Volunteers.
