500 Years Later is an independent documentary film directed by Owen 'Alik Shahadah, written by M.K. Asante, Jr. released in 2005. It won 5 international film festival awards (including UNESCO 'Breaking the Chains Award') in the category of Best Documentary, it has been heralded as one of the most powerful African and African-American documentaries of this century. 500 Years Later has received praise as well as controversy, both for the genre of the film (creative documentary), and the social-political impact of the film as it relates to race study. The film opened on February 28, 2005, at the Pan-African Awards (PAFF) and won Best Documentary at its premiere. The film made its American television premiere on August 23, 2008 on TV One (Radio One), and Ethiopian Television premiere on October 27, 2007.
