Undaunted, the pandemic can’t stop the Pan African Film Festival and in that immortal show biz tradition, the show must go on! Albeit virtually, as this year in order to stay cinematically safe, America’s largest and best annual Black-themed filmfest since 1992 is moving online and starting later than usual, kicking off on the last day of Black History Month. 2021’s 29th annual Pan African Virtual Film + Arts Festival is taking place from Feb. 28 – March 14.

Like love, film is a many splendored thing for PAFF. This unique filmfest screens productions in various formats and mediums – including features, documentaries, studio blockbusters like Coming 2 America, indies and animation – and also in a variety of lengths. The common thread PAFF weaves is a tapestry of works regarding the Black experience, from Timbuktu to Papua New Guinea to the Caribbean to L.A. and beyond, by and about Blacks. And often PAFF presents films that Angeleno moviegoers may never otherwise have an opportunity to view (and gives them a foothold in a world movie capital). So thanks to PAFF, I was able to behold two worthy short films.

CELESTE’S DREAM: GOOD GRIEF!

At a glance, it may appear that the split of Arab political parties in Israel is consistent with a typical pattern of political and ideological divisions which have afflicted the Arab body politic for many years. This time, however, the reasons behind the split are quite different.

The protester civil-rights suit concluded this week as two Columbus police commanding officers took the virtual stand in the City’s defense. One commander insinuated the Division’s use of force against protesters was warranted because lines were crossed when objects were hurled at them or when the Palace Theatre was damaged.

“Most cops understand when individuals are going from peaceful to violent,” testified Commander Duane Mabry to a City defense attorney. “And so we have to move that to a large scale with a crowd. So throwing stuff at us is kind of a clue they are a violent crowd. Destroying property is a clue they are a violent crowd. Fighting amongst each other is a clue they are violent crowd.”

After the Ferguson protests in 2014, Cmdr. Mabry was tasked to give the entire Division a “refresher course” on crowd control and to continue to do so annually.

The Ohio Community Rights Network would like to invite you to a screening opportunity of this new and powerful documentary on Agent Orange and aerially sprayed pesticides.

If you’re concerned about government regulations and the legal use of toxic chemicals in your community - this movie is for you.

Keep reading for a special offer from your friends at the OHCRN!

The Agent Orange catastrophe did not end with the Vietnam War. Today, the world over, a primary chemical of the toxic defoliant controls weeds in farming, forestry, parks, playgrounds… It wreaks havoc on the human genome, causing deformities and deadly cancers.

After decades of struggle and tragic personal losses, two heroic women are leading a worldwide movement to end the plague and hold the manufacturers accountable.

The continued use of toxic herbicides, many still containing dioxin. Incriminating documents disappear. Activists are threatened. A helicopter technician secretly films the contamination of reservoirs while a massive industrial cover-up continues.

Special Offer from OHCRN

“For Washington, it seems that whatever the problem is, the answer is bombing.”

So wrote Stephen Zunes, in the wake of Joe Biden’s first act of murder as president . . . excuse me, his first act of defensive military action: bombing a border post in Syria last week, killing 22 of our enemies. This action, of course, will quickly be forgotten. “The United States has bombed Syria more than 20,000 times over the past eight years,” Zunes notes, adding: