The only Tanzanian film at this year's Pan African Film Festival, Chumo made its American debut here. It was nominated for best short narrative.

Set in rural Tanzania, Chumo is a love story between Juma and Amina. Boy meets girl, but boy doesn't have the money to get girl, so he sets out to prove himself to her father before she marries the wealthier suitor.

While this storyline is familiar, the film does take a detour by addressing both malaria and pre-natal health. It also includes elements of mysticism as Juma reaches out to the spirit of his dead father to help him win the woman he wants to marry.

The short deals with the very real issues of malaria and maternal health. However, the subjects seemed to be forced into the story line at times.

Clearly the purpose was to not preach to the audience, but to educate. With such a heavy subject, it could have benefitted from not making Juma's battle for Amina a central feature of the storyline.

Msia Kibona Clark is an AllAfrica special corresponent who covered the 19th Annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, California. The festival screened more than 100 films made by and/or about people of African descent from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the South Pacific, Europe and Canada.