The focus for this year would be to showcase the best of African talent and the best storytelling. A hundred films by African film makers and producers would be screened. Many of the film makers would be on site at Silicon Valley in California and their work would be discussed with the audience.

These were disclosed by the Founder and Executive Director of the Silicon Valley African Film Festival, Mr Chike C. Nwoffiah.

He noted that apart from films, the festival had become a culinary and cultural experience showcasing  foods from different parts of Africa. He said that there would be an African fashion show as well as some drumming and dancing.

According to him, there would also be an African market displaying African works, handicrafts and clothes - “a true African cultural experience where people can see, touch, taste and feel like they're in Africa.”

He said that for the 2023 edition, there would be a series of roundtable discussions and workshops on digital storytelling, the influence of social networks, communications and the use of the art of cinema to break down the barriers of perceptions and misconceptions that the rest of the world continues to have about Africa.

Discussions and keynote speeches would be scheduled between screening sessions to talk about these misconceptions and stereotypes that people outside the continent have about the African continent, he added.

Mr Nwoffiah announced that an Africa Film Fund would be set up as a start of a major fundraising campaign during the film festival. This fund would help to work with film makers on the ground in different regions of Africa and, above all, provide funds so that they can do the work that they do.