The Pan African Film & Arts Festival

What The Pan African Film & Arts Festival does

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 by Danny Glover, Ja'Net DuBois, and Ayuko Babu, headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It operates America's largest Black film and arts festival, held annually during Black History Month in February, showcasing over 200 films from more than 40 countries across 6 continents. PAFF is an Oscars-qualifying festival for Best Short Narrative Film, Best Short Documentary, and Best Animated Short categories, lending it regulatory and reputational weight in the industry. The core product is the annual February festival, supported by an expanding portfolio of year-round programming including ArtFest (100+ artists, 100,000+ visitors), PAFF Institute (30+ educational panels), StudentFest, Children's Festival, Senior Connections, SpokenWord Fest, LOL! Comedy Show, and the PAFF Fashion Show. Year-round extensions include PAFF First Look (studio and distributor premieres with BET+, Sony Pictures, Disney+, Hallmark Mahogany, Paramount+), PAFF Austin (Austin Film Society collaboration), the John Singleton Short Film Commemoration ($20,000 awards to three Black filmmakers in partnership with the City of Los Angeles), and the PAFF Speakers Bureau.

The organization relies entirely on third-party technology platforms rather than proprietary infrastructure: Eventive powers online ticketing, virtual screenings, and the digital film guide at paff2026.eventive.org; FilmFreeway manages filmmaker submissions; Constant Contact drives email marketing to 64,000+ subscribers; and JotForm handles volunteer, media credential, group sales, and ArtFest artist applications. Multiple payment processors (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle) support donation collection. Ticket prices range from $7.50 (children) to $16 (adults), with festival passes providing all-access admission. Distribution occurs through three primary LA venues (The Culver Theater at 9500 Culver Blvd., Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD, and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15) plus online access via Eventive.

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit model spanning ticket and pass sales (one-time fees), corporate sponsorships (Apple TV+ as presenting sponsor of the Awards Brunch, plus Gilead, US Bank, Sony, Disney+, Paramount+, Cinemark, and others), community partnership fees (200+ partner organizations), ArtFest vendor fees (75+ artists), individual donations and grants (LA County Arts Commission, LA Department of Cultural Affairs), and filmmaker submission fees ($50 per John Singleton Competition entry). Customer segments include Black/African diaspora audiences (75% African American/African Descent, median HHI $150K, 55% aged 25-44), filmmakers seeking Oscar-qualifying exposure, visual artists, corporate sponsors targeting affluent Black consumers, community nonprofits, seniors, students, and studios/distributors seeking authentic engagement with Black audiences.

Name

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival

Legal name

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival

Website

https://paff.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PAFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit running America's largest Black film and arts festival annually in Los Angeles during Black History Month, showcasing 200+ films from 40+ countries for African diaspora audiences, filmmakers, artists, and corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH), Arts & Culture Documentaries (MPADADAI), Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG), Community Environmental & Sustainability Events (Earth Day, Clean-Up Festivals) (MPAGAEAO), Multimedia Learning Production (Video, Animation, Interactive) (EDAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Film festival
• Arts festival
• Cultural programming
• Black cinema
• Community partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket and Pass Sales: Revenue from individual screening tickets ($7.50-$16) and festival passes purchased by attendees. Adults $16, Seniors/Students $12.50, Children $7.50, Matinees $13.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships including Silver Sponsors (Gilead, Stocker Street Creative, BeiGene), Awards Brunch Sponsor (Apple TV+), Children's Fest Sponsor (US Bank), Venue Sponsors, and In-Kind Sponsors. Various branding opportunities including Signature Events naming rights.
3. Community Partnership Fees: Organizations pay to become community partners, receiving inclusion in 15,000 souvenir programs, group tickets, marketing material distribution opportunities, and website hotlinks.
4. ArtFest Vendor Fees: Over 100 artists and artisans pay fees to exhibit at ArtFest, featuring fine art, crafts, jewelry, fashion, and home decor.
5. Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit receives tax-deductible donations from individuals and grants from civic partners including LA County Arts Commission and LA Department of Cultural Affairs.
6. John Singleton Competition Submission Fees: $50 submission fee for filmmakers applying to the John Singleton Short Film Commemoration program, which awards $20,000 to three filmmakers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PAFF operates an annual Black History Month film festival in Los Angeles showcasing over 200 films from 40+ countries, accompanied by an ArtFest visual arts exhibition with 100+ artists, the PAFF Institute educational panels, and specialized programs for students, seniors, and children. The organization also runs year-round programming including PAFF Austin, PAFF First Look special screenings, the John Singleton Short Film Commemoration awarding $60,000 to three filmmakers, and a Speakers Bureau for event bookings.

Product overview

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the largest Black film and arts festival in the United States, founded in 1992 by Danny Glover, Ja'net DuBois, and Ayuko Babu. The core product is the annual Pan African Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event showcasing over 200 films from over 40 countries during Black History Month in February. The festival operates a multi-component platform including: Artfest (visual arts celebration with 100+ artists attracting 100,000+ visitors annually), the PAFF Institute (30+ educational panels/workshops), Studentfest (K-12 educational screenings), Children's Festival (family programming), Senior Connections (senior screenings), SpokenWord Fest (poetry/spoken word performances), LOL Comedy Show, and the PAFF Fashion Show. Year-round programming includes PAFF Austin (Austin Film Society partnership), PAFF First Look (special screenings/premieres), the John Singleton Short Film Commemoration ($20,000 awards to three filmmakers), and the PAFF Speakers Bureau. The festival distributes films through Eventive's digital platform and processes submissions via FilmFreeway. Ticket prices range from $7.50 (children) to $16 (adults), with special matinee pricing at $13.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PAFF Institute: Dynamic platform for industry leaders, cultural icons, and thought leaders to share insights through panel discussions and talks, educating and inspiring attendees.
• ArtFest
• StudentFest
• Senior Connections
• LOL! Comedy Show
• SpokenWord Fest
• John Singleton Short Film Commemoration
• PAFF First Look
• PAFF Austin

Products and services

• Pan African Film Festival (Annual)
• Artfest
• PAFF Institute
• Studentfest
• Children's Festival
• Senior Connections
• SpokenWord Fest
• LOL! Comedy Show
• PAFF Fashion Show
• Community Partnerships Program
• John Singleton Short Film Commemoration
• PAFF First Look
• PAFF Austin
• PAFF Speakers Bureau
• Filmmaker Awards Brunch
• Opening Night Gala

Quantifiable outcome

• PAFF films have received Oscar nominations, including Soundtrack to a Coup D'Etat (Best Documentary Feature), The Last Ranger (Best Live Action Short Film)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GileadminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Silver Sponsor of the 2026 Pan African Film & Arts Festival.
• Stocker Street CreativeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Silver Sponsor of the 2026 Pan African Film & Arts Festival. Sponsor of PAFF Institute panel 'Young Hollywood: How Social Media Inspires Gen Z to Dream Beyond'.
• BeiGeneminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Silver Sponsor of the 2026 Pan African Film & Arts Festival.
• US BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Children's Fest Sponsor for the 2026 festival.
• The Culver TheatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Primary festival venue sponsor hosting Opening Night, Spotlight screenings, PAFF Institute panels, and special events. Located at 9500 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232.
• CinemarkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Venue sponsor for SpokenWord Fest and special screenings at Baldwin Hills & XD location.
• LA CountycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Civic partner providing support through LA County Arts Commission and LA Department of Cultural Affairs grants for ArtFest.
• City of Los AngelescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Civic partner providing official support for the festival as part of Black History Month programming.
• Culver CitycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Host city partner for expanded 2025-2026 festival venues including The Culver Theater and Westfield Culver City.
• 100 Black Men of Los AngelesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Community partner organization co-hosting film screenings during the festival with organization name in souvenir programs.
• Los Angeles DeltasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Community partner organization for the festival's Community Partnerships Program.
• BAJI (Black Artists for Justice Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Community partner organization and Silver Sponsor for co-hosted screenings and cultural programming.
• WRDminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026In-kind sponsor providing support for the festival.
• Austin Film Society (AFS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Annual summer collaboration bringing PAFF programming to Austin, Texas. Jointly presents a dynamic celebration of global Black cinema with sponsors aligning with two powerhouses in film and culture, reaching diverse audiences across regions. Features groundbreaking films, thought-provoking conversations, and amplifies voices of Black storytellers.
• BET+coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PAFF First Look partner for special screenings and advanced film previews, connecting with PAFF's dynamic, engaged Black audience.
• Sony PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PAFF First Look partner for special screenings and premieres, connecting with PAFF's engaged audience of film enthusiasts.
• Disney+coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PAFF First Look partner for special screenings and premieres at the festival.
• Hallmark MahoganycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PAFF First Look partner for Black-focused programming and cultural alignment.
• Paramount+coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PAFF First Look partner for special screenings and premieres.
• Apple TV+coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Presenting sponsor of the Filmmaker Awards Brunch, the grand finale event celebrating filmmakers with awards and recognition.
• John Singleton Estate / City of Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership honoring John Singleton's legacy, providing $20,000 awards to three Black filmmakers for short film production through the annual commemoration program.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sundance Film Festival: Sundance is a much larger generalist independent film festival with a broader programming scope, but overlaps with PAFF for Black/African diaspora filmmaker submissions, Oscar-qualifying short film entries, and major studio/streamer sponsorship dollars. It competes for attention rather than directly for the same audience segment.
• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): TIFF is a globally recognized generalist festival with significant African and African-diaspora programming and high-profile premieres. PAFF shares overlap with TIFF for filmmakers from the 40+ countries represented at PAFF, especially African and Caribbean submissions seeking North American festival exposure.
• Tribeca Film Festival: Tribeca is a large generalist festival in New York that competes with PAFF for African-diaspora filmmakers, sponsor activations targeting premium audiences, and culturally diverse storytelling attention. It is broader in scope but overlaps materially in Black-content programming and corporate sponsors.

Direct peers

• New York African Film Festival (African Diaspora Film Festival): The New York African Film Festival / African Diaspora Film Festival curates narrative, documentary, and short films from across Africa and the African diaspora. It competes directly with PAFF for filmmaker submissions, audience attention, and cultural sponsorship dollars on the U.S. East Coast.
• Roxbury International Film Festival: The Roxbury International Film Festival in Boston is one of the largest Black film festivals on the East Coast, with similar programming of narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and filmmaker networking events. It is a comparable nonprofit-led festival with regional rather than national scale.
• BlackStar Film Festival: BlackStar is an annual Philadelphia-based festival centering Black, African, and African diaspora cinema, with year-round programming including a filmmakers' symposium. It shares PAFF's mission of platforming Black filmmakers and competing for Oscar-qualifying short film entries and diaspora audience share.
• Urbanworld Film Festival: Urbanworld is a New York-based annual film festival focused on multicultural and African diaspora content, showcasing narrative features, documentaries, and short films. It directly competes with PAFF for filmmakers submitting Black-themed work and for sponsors seeking reach into Black/urban audiences.
• American Black Film Festival (ABFF): The American Black Film Festival is the closest direct peer to PAFF — a U.S.-based annual festival dedicated to Black storytelling with celebrity involvement, filmmaker competitions, and industry programming. Both festivals compete for the same African-diaspora audience, studio premiere partnerships, and Oscar-qualifying short-film submissions.

Regional players

• Austin Film Society: Austin Film Society is PAFF's explicit annual programming partner for PAFF Austin and shares a focus on independent and culturally diverse cinema. As the host organization for PAFF Austin, it provides a regional Texas counterpart to PAFF's LA base and a comparable festival-programming infrastructure.

Others

• NAACP Image Awards (NAACP): The NAACP Image Awards is the most prominent annual cultural celebration of Black achievement in film, television, and music, with media sponsors including BET. It is adjacent rather than directly competitive with PAFF, but overlaps in sponsors, celebrity ambassadors, and audience of culturally engaged Black consumers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PAFFNOW
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@paffinfo
• Facebookfacebook.com/PAFFnow
• Instagraminstagram.com/paffinfo
• TikToktiktok.com/@paffinfo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paff

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Pan African Film & Arts Festival