A gay Muslim man from Morocco. A Japanese drummer with Down Syndrome in Senegal. World-famous singer Miriam Makeba from South Africa.

They are all among the subjects featured in the sixth annual Africa World Documentary Film Festival sponsored by the E. Desmond Lee Professorship in African/African American Studies and the International Studies and Programs at the University of Missouri­–St. Louis.

The festival will take place March 1-3 at the Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd. in St. Louis (63112). It will feature 11 films from seven countries, including South Africa, Israel, Sudan, Japan and the U.S.A. Niyi Coker, the E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor of African/African American Studies at UMSL, is the festival’s director.

One of the highlights of the festival will be an open discussion on March 2 with the director of “Mama Africa,” the film about the life of singer Miriam Makeba. Her grandson, Nelson Lumumba Lee, will also be on hand for the question-and-answer session.

The festival is free and open to the public.

Visit the festival website for a complete list of the documentary films that will be showing.

Media coverage:
“Cityscape” on St. Louis Public Radio | 90.7 KWMU