Pan African Film Fest brings Danny Glover to town

Long associated with the National Black Arts Festival, the Pan African Film Festival will be presented independently in Atlanta this year, Aug. 7-10 at the Plaza Theatre.

“Supremacy” is the opening night feature, and star Danny Glover will appear on the red carpet along with director Deon Taylor. The drama follows a just-paroled white supremacist (played by Joe Anderson) who kills a cop and then takes a black family hostage in their home when he seeks refuge. The family patriarch (Glover) turns out to be an ex-con with issues of his own who’s forced to rely on his wits and understanding of the racist mind to keep his family safe.

In the prestigious closing night slot is the British drama “Belle,” whose director Amma Asante will appear. It’s the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy admiral.

The more than 50 films from the African diaspora being screened over the four-day fest also include “The Case of the Three-Sided Dream,” a documentary on the life of jazz musician Rahsaan Roland Kirk; “Of Good Report,” a contemporary film noir from South Africa; and “Confusion Na Wa,” a Nigerian dramedy.

The National Black Arts Festival is going through an act of reinvention, guided by the Kennedy Center's DeVos Arts Management Institute. Information: nbaf.org.