Film Festivals

For over 20 years, I have co-founded and participated in the organization of different international film festivals:

Tarifa – Tangier African Film Festival (FCAT; Tarifa, Spain and Tangier, Morocco)

I am part of the founding team since 2004 and have managed, as well as conceptualized, different areas of the festival’s organization, including its press office, the specialized academic seminars (Aula de Cine Africano) and its annual industry forum (Árbol de las Palabras). The FCAT was created with the intention of promoting a symbolic bridge between Europe and Africa at the Southern-most point of Spain, on the Strait of Gibraltar. Today the FCAT is one of the most important African film festivals in the Spanish-speaking world and the first annual film event being celebrated in the two continents simultaneously, from its venues in Tarifa (Spain) and Tangier (Morocco).

Slum Film Festival (SFF; Nairobi, Kenya)

I am one of the co-founders of SFF, the first film festival featuring stories from, by and about people living in urban slums, as well as in marginalized communities around the world. The festival is run annually by an independent community organization in Nairobi. SFF works to offer free film screenings within local communities with limited or no access to cinema, and to promoted filmmaking as a tool for change within informal settlements.

I have also participated in the following international film festivals, as a volunteer, project manager, translator, film programmer and jury member:

Puerto Rico Queer Film Festival (Queer Filmfest; San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF; San José, California)

United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF; Palo Alto, California)

Cortos Rek! Film Festival – Senegalese Short Film Competition (Dakar, Senegal)

European Film Festival of Seville (SEFF; Sevilla, Spain)

Durban International Film Festival (DIFF; Durban, South Africa)

European Film Festival of Kenya (Nairobi, Kenya)

Festival de Cinéma “Retour d’image” (Paris, France)

On MY BLOG you will also find most of my recent reflections on cinema and while working at film festivals.

  • Consecutive translation of Ghanian activist Abou Sene at the FCAT 2020 in Tarifa, Spain.
  • Celebrating 18 years of the FCAT with part of the team in Tarifa, Spain.
  • Virtual film industry panel coordination at the FCAT 2020 from Tarifa, Spain.
  • Virtual film industry forum coordination at the FCAT 2020 from Tarifa, Spain.
  • Moderating virtual film festival industry panel at the online 2020 FCAT.
  • Festival Q&A translation of Libyan documentary-maker Naziha Arebi at the 2019 FCAT in Tarifa.
  • Moderating the African film distribution panel at the 2019 FCAT’s “Palaver Tree” forum in Tarifa, Spain.
  • Operations team of SVAFF 2018 in San Jose, California.
  • Announcing award at the 2015 CortosRek festival in Dakar, Senegal.
  • Presenting with fellow film festival jury members at the closing ceremony of 2015 CortosRek festival in Dakar, Senegal.
  • Film presentation of Rwandan filmmaker Kivu Rihorahoza at the 2015 FCAT in Cordoba, Spain.
  • “Palaver Tree” industry-forum at the FCAt 2015 in Cordoba, Spain.
  • Conducting a film industry panel at the 2015 FCAT’s “Palaver Tree” Professional Forum in Cordoba, Spain.
  • Moderating film critic panel at the 2015 FCAT in Cordoba, Spain.
  • Presenting Kamya sisters’ feature-length fiction film at the 2014 FCAT in Cordoba, Spain.
  • Translating industry panel for Kamya sisters at the 2014 FCAT in Cordoba, Spain.
  • Talent Campus Durban 2013, South Africa
  • Slum Film Festival team photo at the 2011 SFF closing ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya.
  • Community event at the Slum Film Festival 2011 in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya