ADIFF Black History Month 2026 as a global conversation- one shaped by curatorial choices that cross borders, histories, and cinematic traditions.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) announces its 2026 Black History Month Film Series, taking place from February 27 through March 1 at Teachers College, Columbia University. This year’s edition frames Black History Month as a global conversation—one shaped by curatorial choices that cross borders, histories, and cinematic traditions.
A Global Perspective
As Black History Month approaches its centennial of organized commemorations worldwide, ADIFF situates the observance within an international landscape. Across the diaspora, Black History Month is marked at different times of the year and shaped by local histories—from Canada and the UK to France, Brazil, and Australia. ADIFF’s programming reflects this multiplicity, emphasizing connection rather than isolation.
The 2026 film series explores several themes that give a historical and political context to each film, allowing audiences to understand not only what these films show, but why they matter within Black history and global cinema.
“Legacy: The Decolonized History of South Africa” is presented within a South African history program that re-centers indigenous leadership and memory, examining apartheid not as a closed chapter but as a system whose consequences remain visible today. Paired with Shaka iLembe, the program reframes South African history away from colonial interpretation toward African sovereignty and continuity.
“Lumumba: Death of a Prophet” appears within a broader focus on political thought and liberation movements. Raoul Peck’s essay film is positioned alongside works on Civil Rights activist Ella Baker and on Stuart Hall, the Jamaican-born intellectual who founded Cultural Studies, to highlight different models of leadership, intellectual resistance, and grassroots organizing that shaped the 20th century struggle for freedom across continents.
“Marighella” anchors a program on Black images and political resistance in Brazil and the United States. The directorial debut of Golden Globe nominee and acclaimed actor Wagner Moura, the film restores visibility to an Afro-Brazilian revolutionary long erased from official narratives, and is shown in dialogue with documentaries that examine how media industries have shaped—and distorted—Black representation.
Intruder in the Dust is contextualized as a radical intervention in Hollywood history. Starring Juano Hernández, one of the first Afro-Latino stars in American cinema, the film rejects the servile roles typical of its era and asserts Black dignity and moral authority at the height of Jim Crow segregation.
The series also foregrounds cinematic firsts and acts of preservation. Will, directed by Jessie Maple, is presented as a restored African-American classic and recognized as the first independent feature film directed by an African American woman. Its inclusion underscores ADIFF’s commitment to celebrating fragile works of Black independent cinema and restoring them to public view.
Event Details:
What: ADIFF Black History Month Film Series 2026
When: February 27- March 1, 2026
Where: Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 W 120th St, New York, NY 10027
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
FRIDAY, Feb 27 – TC
6PM: Afro-Latino / Hispanic Legacies: Candombe + Gurumbe
8PM: Restored African-American Classic: Will
SATURDAY, Feb 28 – TC
The Power of Political Engagement
12:30pm Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker
2:00pm Stuart Hall Project
4:00pm Lumumba, Death of a Prophet
South African History Program
5:30PM Shaka Illembe
8:00pm Legacy: The Decolonized History of South Africa
SUNDAY, March 1 – TC
Black Images on Film and TV in the Brazil and the USA
12:30pm Denying Brazil (1h30)
2:30 pm Marighella (2h30)
5:30pm Color Adjustment (1h20)
7:30PM Intruder in the Dust (1h27)
Tickets and passes for ADIFF Black History Month available at www.nyadiff.org.
About ADIFF
The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF), founded in 1993, is a leading platform for showcasing films from and about the global African Diaspora. ADIFF’s mission is to highlight culturally significant stories, foster cross-cultural understanding, and celebrate the diversity of voices in world cinema.
For more information about the Best of ADIFF, please e-mail pr@nyadiff.org. Festival website: www.nyadiff.org, Facebook and Twitter handle is @nyadiff, Instagram: ny_adiff
The African Diaspora International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization.
ADIFF Black History Month is made possible thanks to the support of the following institutions and individuals: ArtMattan Films, New York State Council on the Arts, and Office of Community Affairs at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Diarah N’Daw-Spech
African Diaspora International Film Festival
+1 212-864-1760
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Trailer: Legacy: The Decolonized History of South Africa
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