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The African film industry is neither Hollywood nor Bollywood, says Todd Hitchcock, film programmer for the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring. And thus his job in selecting films for the 2009 New African Films Festival, set for March 19 through March 25 at AFI, did not involve screening hundreds of possibilities.

"It's not a culling process," Hitchcock says. "There are just not that many films being made. And then it comes down to what is available and affordable."

Instead, the task before him and associate programmer Lori Donnelly, in consultation with TransAfrica Forum — an American advocacy organization for Africa, and festival co-founder with afrikafé — involved mostly research and international communication. They explored the offerings of two major African festivals, the biannual FESPACO (Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou), and the annual ZIFF (Zanzibar International Film Festival).

"We look at their lineups for ideas," Hitchcock says, noting that he also attends the major festivals in Berlin, Cannes and Toronto to check out their market screenings.

"You can get a lot of work done" at the international festivals, he points out, not only for this African festival, but also for AFI's other programs. In addition to seeing what films are available, Hitchcock feels he is building "awareness."

While dealing with large distributors of African films, like Paris-based Wide Management and Artmattan, an American company, is not problematic, contact with independent representatives is challenging.

"We have had more than a few moments of anxiety," he admits.

Still, Hitchcock says there has been "a new crop of films" for each of the three years AFI has acted as host of the 5-year-old festival.

Yet in terms of nationality, he observes, "We have not had consistency. Of [some] 30 countries, we seem to have a different set of 10 each time."

Mwiza Munthali, TransAfrica's public outreach director, who helped organize the festival from its inception, says the festival's goal is "to expose the general public to the new and vibrant films coming out of the continent." The expectation, he explains, is that the films will enhance American "understanding of life on the continent," which may in turn "help them understand policy beyond what they see on the news." The Malawi native adds that the African film industry was born some 40 years ago, and the films are both "artistic and entertaining."

Hitchcock and Munthali concur that the state of African filmmaking is mostly an issue of distribution. South Africa's industry is the best funded, but Senegal has been the most consistent source of the festival's films. And "the elephant in the room," says Hitchcock, is Nigeria, aka Nollywood, which has a "thriving — to put it mildly — video industry." These "often melodramatic do-it-yourself-quality DVDs," about 800 titles a year, are profitable in the marketplace and have been shown at AFI in the past.

The 14 feature-length film festival, Hitchcock says, has a "good overall selection [of films] … the quality is up there." Among his personal favorites, which Munthali mentioned as well, is the opening-night film "13 Months of Sunshine" by first-time director Yehdego Abeselom. Since Montgomery County has a substantial Ethiopian community, Hitchcock is delighted to lead with this story of the Ethiopian experience of the American dream. He notes that Abol Ethiopian Cuisine, AFI's across-the-street neighbor, will cater the cocktail reception.

Another excellent choice, according to both men, is "Divizionz," the festival's first film from Uganda, for which an artist collective is listed as director. Hitchcock also cites the controversial "Shoot the Messenger," directed by an expatriate, Nigerian-British filmmaker Ngozi Onwurah.

"I'm proud of the archival selection," Hitchcock says about the three recently restored classics on the schedule: "Harvest 3000 Years" (1975, Ethiopia), "Transes" (1981, Morocco) and "Touki Bouki" (1973, Senegal). While acknowledging they don't fit the "new" in the festival title, they "celebrate the preservation" accomplished by the World Cinema Foundation. Munthali says such classics document the perhaps little-known fact that African filmmaking has a history.

"And with greater access to making films" due to technology, government support and university film programs, Munthali observes, "there's a huge vibrancy. More and more films are coming out of the continent, and the films are getting increased exposure in international festivals." He points to the accolades awarded at the Cannes and FESPACO festivals to "Moolaadé," the last film made by the late Senegalese film director Ousmane SembËne, often called "the father of African film."

While Hitchcock and Munthali recognize that the African film industry still has a way to go to rival Hollywood, the New African Films Festival is making its mark on the metropolitan area.

The 2009 New African Films Festival is set for Thursday, March 19, through Wednesday, March 25, at AFI, 8633 Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring. Admission for opening night is $15, $12 for AFI members; tickets for all other films are $10, $9 for seniors and students with ID, $7.50 for matinees. A full schedule is available at www.afi.com/silver; the 2009 New African Films Festival button is located beneath the calendar.

This column is intended as a place to tap the pulse of some of the multitude of creative people and organizations that constitute Montgomery County's professional arts community and celebrate their achievements. Your comments and suggestions are welcome; e-mail ewexler@gazette.net.