20th anniversary screening of the film Phat Girlz with a live Q&A session with director Nnegest Likké, part of the Pan African Film Festival 2026.
AFS Cinema is bringing back Phat Girlz on Friday, July 31, for its 20th anniversary. The screening is part of the Pan African Film Festival 2026, and the big draw here is that director Nnegest Likké will be in the house for a live Q&A after the film. If you've seen it before, it's a good excuse to revisit; if you haven't, it's a chance to see it on the big screen with the person who made it right there to talk through it.
Released in 2006, Phat Girlz follows two best friends, played by Mo'Nique and Kendra C. Johnson, who both struggle with body-image issues. Things shift when they meet two wealthy Nigerian doctors, Jimmy Jean-Louis and comedian Godfrey, who invite them to a traditional African party where they end up as the belles of the ball. It's a comedy that celebrates black bodies, Nigerian culture, Afrobeats, and Pan-African love, with a cast that includes Joyful Drake, Eric Roberts, and Dayo Ade. The film runs an hour and 40 minutes, and its central message of self-love is one that the festival says resonates even stronger today than it did twenty years ago.
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The screening starts at 6 PM at AFS Cinema, 6406 N I-35 Suite 3100, Austin, TX 78752. Tickets are $14 for the evening show, and there's a $4 discount for AFS MAKE and WATCH members, while LOVE and Impact Circle members get in free. AISD educators and local high school and college students can get discounts at the box office with a valid school ID. The Q&A with Nnegest Likké follows the film, so plan to stick around after the credits roll.
