ADIFF 2025 Shines Spotlight on Caribbean Cinema

As winter descends on New York City, the African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF NYC) will once again ignite screens with stories from across the Black world. Now in its 33rd edition, running from November 28 to December 14, 2025, ADIFF remains one of the most important global platforms for films that explore the richness, resilience, and diversity of African and Caribbean identities.

This year, the spotlight turns toward the Caribbean—a region whose storytelling continues to evolve with depth, artistry, and cultural pride. Films from Curaçao, Bonaire, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti will take center stage, revealing a kaleidoscope of experiences shaped by history, diaspora, and imagination.

Celebrating Caribbean Voices in Global Cinema

For over three decades, ADIFF has been more than just a film festival—it’s been a movement. Founded in 1993 by Diarah N’Daw-Spech and Reinaldo Barroso-Spech, the festival has consistently challenged mainstream cinema to recognize and amplify stories from the African diaspora.

This year’s Caribbean lineup reflects the complexity and creativity of island life—exploring themes of colonialism, migration, memory, and identity through both historical and contemporary lenses. Screenings will take place at several iconic New York venues, including Cinema Village, The Forum, and Teachers College at Columbia University.

Highlighted Caribbean Films at ADIFF 2025

1. Fanon (Guadeloupe/Trinidad and Tobago)

This thought-provoking biopic delves into the life of Frantz Fanon, the revolutionary psychiatrist and philosopher from Martinique. The film retraces Fanon’s transformation from a compassionate healer to an uncompromising activist, examining the psychological scars of colonialism and the power of resistance.

2. Sugar Island (Dominican Republic)

An Afrofuturistic drama set amid the sugarcane fields of the Dominican Republic, Sugar Island blends realism and surrealism to tell the story of a Dominican-Haitian teenager navigating the tension between labor, identity, and ancestral memory. The film reimagines postcolonial Caribbean narratives through a futuristic lens, echoing themes of unity and liberation.

3. Village Keeper (Canada – Jamaican Diaspora)

In this poignant Canadian Screen Award-nominated drama, a Jamaican-Canadian widow faces trauma and violence while seeking healing in Toronto’s Caribbean community. Village Keeper highlights the emotional and cultural duality of diaspora life, where grief and resilience coexist in equal measure.

4. The Last Meal (Canada – Haitian Diaspora)

Directed by a rising Haitian-Canadian filmmaker, The Last Meal is a quiet yet powerful drama about a chef preparing one final meal that bridges two worlds—Haiti and Canada. Through food, memory, and reconciliation, the film reflects on the intertwined histories of migration and belonging.

5. Felix de Rooy: Nomad in a No Man’s World (Netherlands/Curaçao)

This intimate documentary celebrates the legendary Curaçaoan filmmaker and artist Felix de Rooy, known for his bold exploration of race, sexuality, and Caribbean identity. The film is presented alongside his classic 1990 masterpiece, Ava and Gabriel: A Love Story, offering audiences both retrospection and rediscovery.

A Caribbean Wave in World Cinema

The inclusion of these films at ADIFF 2025 signals a new wave in Caribbean storytelling—one that embraces both local authenticity and global relevance. Through cinema, Caribbean creators are reclaiming narratives long told through colonial lenses and reshaping them with self-defined vision and voice.\

What unites these films is a shared pursuit of truth: the Caribbean as a space of beauty and struggle, laughter and pain, history and hope. Each frame is a declaration that the stories of the islands—and their diasporas—deserve not just to be seen, but to be understood.

The Diaspora Meets in New York City

For New Yorkers and visitors alike, ADIFF 2025 offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the vibrancy of Caribbean cinema alongside films from Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. diaspora. Beyond screenings, the festival features panel discussions, Q&As with filmmakers, and cultural showcases that foster dialogue between continents and communities.

The African Diaspora International Film Festival continues to stand as a bridge—connecting Black filmmakers, audiences, and cultures across oceans. And with its 2025 Caribbean spotlight, it reminds the world that Caribbean cinema is not confined by geography but expanded by imagination.

🎟️ ADIFF 2025 – Caribbean Lineup Highlights

📅 Dates: November 28 – December 14, 2025

📍 Venues: Cinema Village | The Forum | Teachers College, Columbia University

🌐 More Info: www.NYADIFF.org