NYFAF
Our Mission
The annual New York Forum of Amazigh Film (NYFAF) is a showcase of feature, documentary, and short films about the Amazigh or "Berber" people of North Africa and in the diaspora. NYFAF's mission is to create a space where filmmakers, artists, and scholars, whose work focuses on indigenous Amazigh identity and culture, can gather yearly to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with a diverse audience and foster dialogue across local, transnational, and global issues. Through pre- and post-screening Q & As, live performances, and exhibitions of art and artifacts, the Forum engages students, faculty, and community participants in experiential Global Learning as it seeks to disseminate Amazigh cinema and promote an understanding of the unique history, culture, and language of Amazigh peoples in North Africa and in the diaspora
Who we are and what we do...
A cultural community of filmmakers, scholars, writers, musicians, and producers.
A “real” community of the LaGuardia theater’s diverse audience.
NYFAF AT 10:
A DECADE OF CELEBRATING AMAZING VOICES IN FILM
This year marks a major milestone for NYFAF as we celebrate its 10th anniversary! It has been a pleasure sharing Amazigh culture, language, and history with you all. We are committed to this mission and will continue bringing Amazigh communities together—wherever they may be.
10:30 AM - 12:45 PM: Competition for best short
AFGHAL D WAKAL
Soukayna Essaidi, Morocco, 2024 (11 min)
This short documentary highlights the deep emotional connection between the people of Tafraout, Morocco, and their homeland. Through intimate conversations, it explores themes of belonging and identity, with Tafraout serving as both the backdrop and central focus of the story.
NYA
Imene Ayadi, Algeria, 2023 (16 min)
In 1994, in a suburb of Algiers, 7-year-old Anya lives the ordinary life of a young girl, largely unaware of the civil war ravaging her country. Gradually, however, the harsh realities of the conflict begin to seep into her daily experiences, slowly shattering her childhood innocence
ACHEWIQle chant des Femmes Courage
Elina Kastler, Algeria, 2022 (16min)
Wildfires devastated the Kabylie region in Algeria. Amidst the tragedy, women sing "Achewiq," expressing their resilience. Their song captures daily life in the Sahel, showing how laughter and joy help them overcome sorrow.
COUSCOUS
Fatima Zahra Taghlaoui, USA (15min)
A Khadija is an aspiring young girl hoping to continue her studies and
change her life. However, her dreams are shattered as her parents
have dierent plans for her. Khadija's story challenges gender
roles in a society that is caught between conservatism and modernity.
Q&A with Wafa Bahri , Habiba Boumlik, and Yahya Laayouni
1:00 PM - 3:15 PM
THE TATTOOED
Mohamed Zeghou, Morocco, 2023 (54 min)
A documentary on the ancient practice and symbols of tattoos in Morocco, and a discussion led by Professor Dahlia El Sayed
and Tunisian Amazigh artist Alia Bensliman.
Workshop with Alia Benslimane
A hands-on workshop on the symbolism of Amazigh tattoos with Alia Bensliman. Open to all students.
3:25 PM - 4:25 PM
RENAISSANCE AMAZIGH
Dounia Benjelloun, Morocco, 2004 (18 min)
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A documentary on the successful resistance movement of Moroccan Amazigh poeple and celebration of our book: Amazigh Cinema: An Introduction to North African Indigenous Film (Eds. Lucy R McNair and Yahya Laayouni, University of Regina Press, 2025).
Q&A with Lucy McNair, Florence Martin, and Yahya Laayouni
5:45 PM - 8:00 PM
(Y)OUR MOTHER
Samira Mouzghibati, Belgium, 2024 (1h 36min)
Samira, the youngest of five sisters, calls her family together, camera in hand, for a rare meeting: “to help each other without having to go through a shrink or an imam”. Her mother remains silent. It’s not until she arrives in her native village that she reveals her secrets, her regrets and her strength – and that the profound bond and legacy that unite them, between love and rejection, begins to reveal itself.
Q&A with Florence Martin and Yassine Ait Ali
Partners
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