I Am Because We Are Short Film Program

AFS Cinema is hosting I Am Because We Are on Saturday, August 1, at 12:30 PM. It's a short film program featuring seven Pan-African narrative journeys, and it's part of the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) coming to Austin. The lineup includes two Texas premieres: Time Setters, directed by Oliver Mack Calhoun, and The Inconvenience Store, directed by Ifeanyi Ezieme.

The program takes its title from the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which emphasizes interconnectedness, compassion, empathy, respect, dignity, communal responsibility, and solidarity. The seven films span a wide range of genres—sci-fi, action/adventure, comedy, drama, psychological thriller, and animation—and tackle themes like LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, and environmental issues. Together they look at the resilience of Black bodies navigating grief, self-identity, and trauma. After the films, there's a Q&A session with the filmmakers in attendance.

PAFF itself has a long history behind it. It was started in 1992 by Hollywood veterans Danny Glover, the late Ja'Net DuBois, and Ayuko Babu, and it's grown into the largest Black film and arts festival and Black History Month activation in the United States. This program is one of the ways that legacy is showing up here in Austin.

Tickets are $14 for evening shows and $11.50 for matinees, which apply Monday through Friday for screenings before 5 PM. AFS MAKE and WATCH members get a $4 discount, and it's free for LOVE and Impact Circle members. There are also discounts for AISD educators and local high school and college students at the box office with a valid school ID. The screening is at AFS Cinema, 6406 N I-35 Suite 3100, Austin, TX 78752, starting at 12:30 PM.