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BIKO Studios’ SALAY was awarded the title of Best African Film.

The owner of BIKO Studios, Ali Kamanda is currently on set shooting another film in Sierra Leone and was alerted by phone that his film had won. “What a labor of love this has been,” writer/producer/director Kamanda said when he found out the news. “I feel so blessed… I can’t wait to tell the cast!!”

To view the San Francisco Black Film Festival’s official announcement, click here.

SALAY’s screening date and time are TBA.

Tickets go on sale June 1.

“The mission of the San Francisco Black Film Festival is to celebrate African American cinema and the African cultural Diaspora and to showcase a diverse collection of films – from emerging and established filmmakers. This is accomplished by presenting Black films, which reinforce positive images and dispel negative stereotypes, and providing film artists from the bay area in particular and around the world in general, a forum for their work to be viewed and discussed. SFBFF believes film can lead to a better understanding of and communication between, peoples of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles, while simultaneously serving as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.”

-San Francisco Black Film Festival website

SALAY screened at the SDBFF on January 28th, 2012 as a “Big 8″ Film, considered one of the top films in the festival.

Ali Sulaiman BIKO Kamanda with his producer, Jorge Angelo Redmond

Date and time of screening will be announced on the SDBFF website by January 2, 2012.

The film was written by, and stars rising Sierra Leonean actor Kather Sei, with the beautiful and talented British actress from the hit BBC show “Dance X”, Ms. Rana Roy.

Post production will start soon with the release date set for early 2012.

Cast and crew calls coming soon.

Contact BIKO for details.

Independent filmmaker Ali Kamanda of BIKO Studios, has won a prestigious Award of Excellence for Social Justice from the Best Shorts Competition. The award was given for Kamanda’s compelling short film, SALAY, which was shot in rural Sierra Leone with local actors to illuminate the difficult choices women are often forced to make to advance their opportunities in life. SALAY features Abibatu Shaw as Salay, a young woman grieving the loss of her mother, who feels the desire to direct her own life despite the pull of local traditions. Despite an intense rainy season and numerous production setbacks, filmmaker Ali Kamanda persevered to complete this moving portrayal of the dynamic between male and female relations.

“On behalf of everyone involved in the making of this film, I am so grateful and deeply honored for having received the award for Social Justice because the purpose of the film is to reignite the dialogue within my country about the conditions that can enable human traffickers to prey on innocent young women”, says SALAY writer, producer, director Ali Kamanda. “Hopefully this film helps shed light on such an important issue that continues to plague many developing countries.”

The Best Shorts Competition recognizes film professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to pofound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film industry. Information about the Best Shorts Competition and a list of recent winners can be found at www.bestshorts.net.

In winning Best Shorts laurels, BIKO Studios joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award. Thomas Baker, Ph.D., who chairs the Best Shorts Competition, had this to say about the latest winners, “Best Shorts laurels are not easy to win. Entries are received from around the world. The Best Shorts Competition helps set the standard for craft and creativity. the judges were leased with the exceptionally high quality of entries. The goal of the Best Shorts Competition is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”