The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) has tapped actress Salli Richardson-Whitfield to serve as its celebrity host for its 21st annual film festival which will take place at the Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills 15 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Whitfield was last seen in the film “I Will Follow,” a directorial debut of award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay and also stars in the film “Pastor Brown,’ which is set to premiere on Lifetime in February, as part of its Black History Month programming.

“The Pan African Film Festival applauds the fine work of Salli Richardson-Whitfield,” said Ayuko Babu, founder and executive director of PAFF. “She’s a seasoned actress who’s chosen smart roles to gracefully elevate and not compromise the image of African American women in film and television and the film festival is excited to have her as a celebrity host.”

This year, PAFF has selected a total of 154 films, representing 34 countries and includes 23 documentaries, 13 short documentaries, 67 narrative features, and 51 narrative shorts.

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival is an official event of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa’s Celebration of African American Heritage Month and was founded in 1992  by award-winning actor Danny Glover and Emmy Award-winning actress Ja’Net DuBois and executive director, Ayuko Babu.