PAFF has announced that award-winning filmmaker Charles Burnett's NAMIBIA: THE STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION will open its 16th annual festival on Thursday, February 7, 2008 in Hollywood at the Directors Guild of America.
Starring Carl Lumbly, Danny Glover , Joel Haikali, and Obed Emvula, NAMIBIA depicts the long struggle waged by the people of Namibia for their independence that was ultimately won with the help of Cuban military volunteers fighting in Angola. The 1987 battle of Cuito Cuanavale, in which the South African army was decisively defeated, turned the tide in the liberation struggle for all of Southern Africa. This was one of the key factors that led to Namibian Independence and the election of Sam Nujoma as Namibia's first President and forced the white supremacist South African government to free President Nelson Mandela and to negotiate with the African National Congress.
PAFFs red carpet star-studded Opening Night Gala will take place Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 7 p.m. in Hollywood at the Directors Guild of America. Tickets are on sale at www.paff.org.
Radio veteran Lee Bailey of Eurweb.com will again host the red carpet.
Entertainment provided by Malcolm Jamal Warner's Miles Long.