This year’s African Film Festival includes seven features and a program of short films from Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Cameroon, Senegal, and Algeria. Five of these pro-grams are part of the nationally touring African Film Festival of New York. Two films, RACHIDA (February 26, 27, & 28) and KHORMA (February 27), are part of the Global Film Initiative, which was established to ensure that films from the developing world are screened throughout the United States. The Global Film Initiative series continues with eight other films at the MFA throughout March. MFA concludes its African Film Festival with the dance documentary AFRICAN DANCE: SAND, DRUM AND SHOSTAKOVICH on February 28.

February also includes two special engagements. Continuing our commitment to independent documentary, we will show Liz Garbus’ new film GIRLHOOD February 6-19. At the end of the month, we bring you yet another rare gem of world cinema, the recent Chinese drama BLIND SHAFT, February 20-28.

On Tuesday, February 24 at noon, Los Angeles animation artist Pat O’Neill will be here to present his new film, THE DECAY OF FICTION, which uses a combination of 35mm location shooting and digital overlay techniques. This event is part of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts’ Visiting Artists program.

The MFA will also continue its two retrospectives. The Films of Chris Felver continues through February 26 with three more programs including films about Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the Roman art scene, and sculptors Donald Judd and Tony Cragg. The second half of our Moritz Bleibtreu retrospective runs through February 11 with Boston premiers of SOLINO and LUNA PAPA.

All films are in the Remis Auditorium. Tickets are $8 for MFA members, seniors, and students; $9 for general admission. Please call the Box Office at 627 369-3306 for reservations.