Given their stakes and scope, it's no wonder that even the weakest of African films tend to pack a visceral punch. But due to the compromised economy of that part of the world, coupled with the many distribution problems its filmmakers face, very little African cinema wends its way this far west. The New York African Film Festival, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, remedies this deficit with more than 40 films from 22 countries throughout Africa and the African diaspora. Much of the fare emphasizes documentary-style storytelling; in particular, check out Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation, Cuba: An African Odyssey, and Iron Ladies of Liberia.