Continuing pre-festival highlights from the upcoming African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) – the festival's 20th edition, to be held in Manhattan from November 23 to December 11. 

From producer/director Yanick Letourneau comes the feature documentary, United States of Africa: Beyond Hip Hop, co-produced (and distributed) by the National Film Board of Canada (we've shared a lot of work from them here on S&A over the years).

It already received a theatrical and TV release in Canada, and was broadcast on SABC 1 in South Africa.

And now it comes to New York City, USA (its USA premiere), which means those in the area will have an opportunity to not only see the film, but see it on the big screen, which is always a plus!

The film's synopsis reads:

Testifying to the power of music to stoke political consciousness, United States of Africa follows African rapper Didier Awadi as he tours 40 countries as part of a tribute to black leaders. Awadi is passionate, articulate, committed—and a great musician to boot. Through him, hip hop arrives at its 360-degree point, coming back to the continent from which its pioneers were taken and redeeming the music they used to speak to that injustice. The film also outlines the tragic defeats of various African leaders who were thwarted in their progressive aims, often by Western powers. This documentary gives us a picture of the past and hope for the future, all through the lens of music and politics. More than any genre except folk, rap has fused those two things; this is a stirring example of that fusion and the power it can have.

United States of Africa: Beyond Hip Hop premiered at RIDM 2011 in Montreal where the film won the Critics Choice Award.

It'll screen at the ADIFF on December 7th. Click HERE for info on how to purchase tickets.

Watch its trailer and check out one-sheet below: