D.C. CINEPHILES ARE FILLED WITH "UKWANDULELA" — even if they don't know what that means. It's the Zulu word for "anticipation," and as with Filmfest D.C. and SilverDocs, area movie lovers annually expect to have the New African Films Festival open their peeps to great new flicks.

In its fourth year, the film feast now stretches 10 days and covers 20 films from Chad, Senegal, Namibia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, South Africa and more.

The festival opens with one of its lynchpin movies, "Ezra," a Nigerian drama that won the grand prize at 2007's Festival Panafricain du Cinema a Ouagadougou (Africa's largest film fest).

It follows the tribulations of a child soldier who has become emotionally damaged from growing up in war. (Danny Glover will introduce the movie before the opening night gala, 7 p.m.)

Three other important screenings include the 2007 Zanzibar Film Festival winner, "Juju Factory," from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which looks at the experience of African immigrants in Belgium (and its historic exploitation of the Congo) through the eyes of an author asked to write a traveler's handbook geared toward Europeans looking for "exoticism" in the motherland. "Tartina City," a Chadian drama that will receive its U.S. premiere, covers a young reporter looking to go abroad and explain the dire situation in his country — only to be mysteriously detained by the government before he can leave.

And director Charles Burnett will be on hand March 9 to discuss his epic new film, "Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation," which takes an experimental storytelling approach to the tale of the country's first president, Sam Nujoma, based on his autobiographical book "Where Others Wavered."

The festival's spotlight will focus on Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene (1923-2007), the "Godfather of African Cinema." Nine of his features, including "Faat Kine," "Guelwaar," "Xala," and the early short "Borom Sarret," will be screened.

In other words, the New African Films Festival looks to be a "mnandi" (good) time.

» AFI Silver, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring; opens Fri,., through March 17, $9.75 per film, except opening night ($20); 301-495-6700. (Silver Spring)

» Click here for the full schedule, with descriptions and showtimes; below are trailers and excerpts from many of the movies:

"Ezra" (Fri., March 7, 7:00 p.m.)

"Juju Factory" (Sat., March 8, 1:00 p.m.)

"Faro, Goddess of the Waters" (Sat., March 8, 3:00)

"Moolaade (Sat., March 8, 5:00 p.m.)

"Hip Hop Revolution" (Sat., March 8, 9:45 p.m.)

"Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation" (Sun., March 9, 1:00 p.m.)

"Black Girl" (Sun., March 9, 5:00 p.m.)

"Borom Sarret" (Sun., March 9, 5:00 p.m.)

"Iron Ladies of Liberia" (Mon., March 10, 7:00 p.m.)

"Camp de Thiaroye" (Tue., March 11, 6:45 p.m.)