The Pan African Film & Arts Festival returns to Los Angeles February 15 to 21, 2027, for its 35th edition. PAFF calls itself the largest Black film and arts festival and Black History Month activation in the United States, and it screens more than 200 new films each year from across the African diaspora.
The 2027 run is a week long, a tighter window than the February 7 to 22 run in 2026. Films, venues, and ticket prices have not been announced yet. Here is what is confirmed, plus the practical details from recent editions, as of September 28, 2026.
The quick version
| When | Monday, February 15, through Sunday, February 21, 2027 |
| Where | Los Angeles. 2027 venues not yet announced; 2026 used The Culver Theater, Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD, and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw |
| Edition | 35th |
| Program | 200+ new Black films, plus art, comedy, spoken word, and family programs in past years |
| Tickets | 2027 prices not announced. Recent single tickets: $16 adults |
| Refunds | None |
| Official site | paff.org |
What’s screening
The 2027 lineup has not been announced. Selected filmmakers are notified by December 1, 2026. PAFF’s 2027 call for entries covers features, featurettes, shorts and web series, vertical microdrama series, and a Black Health in Focus short film competition focused on cancer.
PAFF says its films come from the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, the South Pacific, Canada, and increasingly Asia. It is an Oscar-qualifying festival for narrative live action, documentary, and animated short films.
For a sense of scale: the 2026 festival opened with RZA’s One Spoon of Chocolate, and the 2025 festival opened with Magazine Dreams.
More than movies
PAFF’s site lists a set of programs around the screenings, including ArtFest, Children’s Fest, Senior Connections, a LOL! comedy show, SpokenWord Fest, a fashion show, and the PAFF Institute. Which of these return in 2027, and when, has not been announced.
Passes and tickets
PAFF has not posted 2027 prices. Its At a Glance page lists these single-ticket prices from the most recent edition, a useful baseline:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | $16 |
| Seniors (62+) | $12.50 |
| Students (with valid ID) | $12.50 |
| Children (12 and under) | $7.50 |
| Matinee (first screening of the day) | $13 |
- Passes are sold through the festival site. 2027 pass options have not been posted.
- Group sales are available by contacting the festival.
- No refunds. PAFF does not issue refunds.
First-timer cheat sheet
- Shorts come in packs. Short films screen in groups or paired with a feature.
- Subtitles: all foreign language films are shown with English subtitles.
- Films are not rated. Titles marked with a star may contain adult subject matter, nudity, or harsh language, and PAFF advises parental discretion for all films.
- Matinees are cheaper. The first screening of the day has had its own lower price.
Venues and parking
PAFF has not named its 2027 venues. Its FilmFreeway listing currently shows The Culver Theater, 9500 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, plus one additional venue. Parking notes on the festival’s At a Glance page for The Culver Theater:
- The theater validates 2 hours of parking at Culver City public lots at 9099 Washington Blvd., 3846 Cardiff Ave., and 3844 Watseka Ave., and the city adds one hour free.
- The 9099 Washington Blvd. lot has 3 electric vehicle charging stations.
- Street meters in downtown Culver City are $1.50 per hour.
Check these again once 2027 venues are confirmed.
About PAFF
PAFF was founded in 1992 by actor Danny Glover, the late Ja’Net DuBois, and Ayuko Babu. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to Black stories and images through film, visual art, and other creative expression. Oduduwa Olatunji is the executive director, and the festival’s offices are at 6820 La Tijera Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles.
Still to come
The 2027 film lineup, opening and closing night films, venues, schedule, ticket and pass prices, and the dates for ArtFest and other side programs have not been announced. Accessibility information has not been posted. The 824 Journal will update this guide when they are released.
Sources
- PAFF: About (2027 dates, 35th edition, history, Oscar qualifying categories)
- PAFF: Film Festival (2027 dates)
- The Pan African Film Festival on FilmFreeway (2027 dates, categories, notification date, venue)
- PAFF: Pressroom (2026 dates and venues, recent opening night films)
- PAFF: At a Glance (ticket prices, refund policy, film notes, parking)
- PAFF: Festival (program list)
Featured photo: Phatblackmama via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
