Four films. Four stories. One powerful exploration of race, identity, and resistance in Brazil.
November 27 – December 13
34th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival
When the African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) was founded in 1993, one of its central goals was to bring greater diversity of images and stories to New York City audiences. We wanted to create a space where films from Africa and the African diaspora could offer new perspectives on the lives, histories, and experiences of people of African descent.
We believed then, as we do today, that seeing our communities through different lenses is innovative, empowering, and uplifting. We were not alone in this conviction, but we understood the importance of creating a consistent platform for these voices.
Over more than three decades, ADIFF has remained committed to showcasing films from Latin America that explore the experiences of people of color whose lives and societies have been profoundly shaped by colonialism and its enduring consequences.
ADIFF NY 2026 continues this tradition with BLACK BRAZILIAN: CINEMA AS RESISTANCE, a four-film program exploring the struggles, contradictions, and aspirations of Afro-Brazilians in a society still grappling with its history of slavery and racial inequality.
The selection brings together fiction, political satire, science fiction, and documentary to confront a fundamental question: What does it mean to claim one's place, rights, and humanity in a society that has historically denied them to those of non European descent?
EXECUTIVE ORDER (Medida Provisória)
Directed by Lázaro Ramos
One of Brazil's most prominent Afro-Brazilian actors, Lázaro Ramos makes his feature directorial debut with a provocative dystopian drama. In a near-future Brazil, the government issues an executive order requiring Black Brazilians to relocate to Africa.
What begins as an apparently bureaucratic measure becomes a terrifying campaign of racial exclusion. The film exposes the absurdity and violence of institutional racism while celebrating resistance, solidarity, and the struggle for belonging.
POWER ALLEY (Levante)
Directed by Lillah Halla
Sofia, a talented 17-year-old volleyball player, has a promising future ahead of her when an unwanted pregnancy threatens her dreams. Seeking an abortion in a country where the procedure is heavily restricted, she becomes the target of religious fundamentalists determined to control her choices.
Surrounded by teammates who refuse to abandon her, Sofia fights for the right to determine her own future.
An energetic and moving film about bodily autonomy, solidarity, gender, and resistance to conservatism.
PROTECTION (Proteção)
Directed by Alberto Sena
US PREMIERE
In a dystopian Brazil, a mysterious disease strikes only white people. As the country searches desperately for a cure, Black scientists find themselves confronting an extraordinary moral and political dilemma.
Can those who have suffered under a racist system be expected to save the very society that has oppressed them?
Through science fiction, Protection raises provocative questions about racism, ethics, historical responsibility, and the meaning of solidarity in a deeply divided society.
CENTERPIECE: NO SUNSHINE IN HERE
(Aqui Não Entra Luz)
Directed by Karol Maia
NY Premiere
In this deeply personal documentary, filmmaker Karol Maia, the daughter of a domestic worker, investigates the lives of Brazilian women whose labor remains shaped by the legacy of slavery.
Traveling across Brazil, she gathers the memories and experiences of domestic workers while examining the spaces in which they live and work. From the slave quarters of the colonial era to the cramped domestic workers' rooms of contemporary homes, the film reveals how racial and social hierarchies have been embedded in Brazilian architecture and everyday life.
Through these women's voices, No Sunshine in Here explores the intersection of race, gender, and class, revealing not only exploitation and exclusion but also dignity, resilience, and the determination to create better futures for the next generation.
The gala screening will be followed by a conversation with filmmaker Karol Maia and a catered reception at P.F. Chang’s.
Together, these four films remind us why Black Brazilian cinema matters. They challenge the images and narratives that have historically defined Afro-Brazilians and reclaim the right to tell their own stories.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2026
Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street, New York City
1:30 PM – Executive Order
3:40 PM – Power Alley
6:00 PM – Protection
8:30 PM – No Sunshine in Here — Centerpiece screening, followed by a Q&A and reception
Join us for a day of films that challenge, illuminate, and inspire.
ALSO AVAILABLE IN OUR VIRTUAL FESTIVAL!
ABOLITION (Abolição) by Zózimo Bulbul
A century after Brazil abolished slavery, what has freedom really meant for Afro-Brazilians?
This thought-provoking documentary brings together voices from across Brazilian society to examine the gap between official narratives of racial progress and the continuing realities of discrimination and inequality.
WATCH ONLINE: NOVEMBER 27 – DECEMBER 13, 2026
Available to stream anywhere in the United States.
EARLY BIRD OFFER ENDS TOMORROW !
You asked for more time, and we listened!
We've extended our Early Bird offer through Sunday, November 8, at midnight!
JUST $260 INSTEAD OF $300
Enjoy festival screenings, special events, receptions, and access to our virtual festival—all with one pass.
Don't miss out! Secure your pass before the offer expires!
ADIFF NY 2026 — Cinema Opens Worlds
Come for the films. Stay for the conversations. Leave seeing the world a little differently.