The 20th annual African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF), here in New York City, kicked off its 2012 edition (also its 20th anniversary), last Friday, November 23rd, and continues through December 11th.

Continuing Shadow & Act's coverage of the festival, here's a lineup of some new acclaimed and award-winning short films that will screen next week Tuesday, December 4, that are all part of the ADIFF's Spotlight On Namibia sidebar.

A few, if not all of these, will be screening for audiences for the first time in the USA, so you're encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity. You might recognize one or two of the shorts, since we've previously profiled them – like Focus Features' Africa First alum Oshosheni Hiveluah and her project, titled 100 Bucks, described as an immersion into the Namibian capital of Windhoek, through the progress of a piece of currency.

It was also one of a handful of winners at the bi-annual Namibia Theater and Film Awards which was held in Windhoek on November 24, picking up and award for Best Original Music Score.

Watch its trailer below.

Also walking away with trophies at the Namibia Theater and Film Awards was another film that will screen as part of the ADIFF's Spotlight On Namibia sidebar – Joel Haikali’s short film Try, which won five major awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Short Film.

Here's its synopsis:

With a multi-narrative storyline in which Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is the background, this film exposes us to a world where classy women have sex with thieves on rooftops, ambulances drive away from people who do not have insurance and parents desperately look for money to save their children’s lives.

Intrigued? You can see why it picked up all those awards by watching the good-looking trailer for Try below, and seeing the full film next wek Tuesday.

Another big winner at the Namibia Theater and Film Awards was Dead River, which took the Best Sound Design, Best Editor and Best Male Actor trophies. Directed by Tim Huebschle, the 34-mins film will also screen at the ADIFF's Spotlight On Namibia sidebar.

Description:

A slice of Namibian history wrapped in the drama of living in a racist society, Dead River is a deep, moving story that offers a message of understanding and reconciliation.

See its trailer below as well.

And finally, the one film in the group I'm not familiar with, and couldn't find much written about it online, All She Ever Wanted, directed by Errol Geingob. The 15-mins short film centers on a woman who yearns for a baby after suffering a miscarriage.

I couldn't find a trailer for this one.

The spotlight sidebar is presented by The Namibian Film Commission and the African Diaspora International Film Festival.

These are up-and-coming African filmmakers to watch… and we most certainly will be doing just that. So do yourself a favor and go check out their work, next week Tuesday, December 4, at 7pm, at Corwin Center, Teachers College, in Manhattan.

For more info and to pre-purchase tickets, click HERE.

Check out the trailers for the first 3 films below: