The Royal African Society (www.RoyalAfricanSociety.org) is excited to announce that Film Africa (25 October – 3 November), a highly anticipated showcase of African cinema in Europe, will be back for its 2024 edition during Black History Month.
During the span of ten days, Film Africa (http://apo-opa.co/3BjNEhu) will turn London into a vibrant center of African cinema, with screenings at some of the city’s most prestigious venues. Featuring visionary filmmakers from over 20 African countries and the diaspora, from Morocco to Madagascar, Sierra Leone to Senegal, Film Africa is a unique display of contemporary African cinema, showcasing diverse narratives and innovative storytelling from across the continent.
This includes films from emerging talent (After the Long Rains by 23-year-old Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser), restored classics (Mandabi by Ousmane Sembène “the father of African cinema”), queer cinema (Nyame Mma by Joewackle J Kusi) and over a third of films directed by women.
“African cinema is thriving, and this year’s festival will feature a lineup of over 70 films (https://apo-opa.co/4dp4p8l), including compelling features, documentary films, and innovative shorts that showcase the creativity and spirit of African cinema today,” said Keith Shiri, Lead Curator of Film Africa 2024.
Opening&Closing Films
BFI Southbank
Kicking off the festival on Gala night (25 Oct) is Dahomey (http://apo-opa.co/4eIe0bA) (2024, France/Senegal/Benin) directed by Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop, winner of the Golden Bear at the 2024 Berlinale. The documentary explores the return of 26 royal treasures from a French museum to their homeland, delving into the complexities of cultural repatriation, a theme prevalent in this year’s festival.
Closing the festival for its UK premiere (3 Nov) is Black Tea (http://apo-opa.co/4eJSfbf) (2024, France/Mauritania/Luxembourg/Taiwan/Ivory Coast), another Berlinale finalist. Black Tea is a touching romantic drama by acclaimed Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako, following a young Ivorian woman’s transformative journey to China where she finds unexpected love.
An eagerly awaited event at the festival is an informal discussion between filmmaker and artist Abderrahmane Sissako (Black Tea) and filmmaker Sir John Akomfrah (Handsworth Songs), who represented Britain at the Venice Biennale. The two will reflect on their illustrious careers and mutual admiration for each other’s work.
Contemporary African Cinema
Barbican Centre
At the Barbican, you can catch On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024, Ireland/United Kingdom/United States/Zambia) by BAFTA award-winning Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni. The dark comedy-drama explores buried family secrets in a traditional Zambian family after the discovery of an uncle’s body.
After the Long Rains (http://apo-opa.co/3ZLVKd8) (2024, Kenya) is a coming-of-age tale of Aisha (Electricer Kache Hamisi), a Kenyan girl dreaming of becoming an actress. Director Damien Hauser, a 23-year-old Swiss-Kenyan, drew inspiration from Studio Ghibli for this third feature.
Rich Mix
Rosine Mbakam, an award-winning Cameroonian filmmaker, presents her uplifting narrative feature debut Mambar Pierrette (http://apo-opa.co/3ZLjOg7) (2023, Belgium/Cameroon), showcasing the challenges and resilience of a seamstress in Cameroon.
Sara Chitambo’s debut feature Black People Don’t Get Depressed (http://apo-opa.co/3ZO2EhR) (2024, South Africa/Nigeria/Canada) delves into mental health stigmas in Black and African communities.
Directed by Luck Razanajaona, Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story (http://apo-opa.co/3zvw7CG) (2023, France/Madagascar/Germany/Mauritius/Qatar/South Africa) tells the tale of a sapphire miner reconnecting with his village’s fight against corruption in Madagascar.
Garden Cinema
Nabil Ayouch’s Everybody Loves Touda (http://apo-opa.co/4dmSyru) (2024, Morocco/France/Belgium/Denmark/Netherlands/Norway) follows Touda (Nisrin Erradi), a single mother seeking a better life for her son through traditional Moroccan singing and dancing.
Peckamplex&Ritzy Picturehouse
The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos (http://apo-opa.co/3ZFxlWw) by The Agbajowo Collective (2024, Nigeria/Germany/South Africa/United States), showcases the events of the Otodo-Gbame community eviction in Lagos between November 2016 and April 2017. The film follows a young mother from a waterfront slum who discovers corrupt money. The collective comprises seven directors.
Documentaries
Garden Cinema
Mother of All Lies (http://apo-opa.co/3ZMeysM) (2023, Morocco/Egypt/Qatar/Saudi Arabia) is a documentary exploring director Asmae El Moudir’s family history through miniature clay figurines, reflecting on the 1981 Casablanca Bread Riots.
Bertha DocHouse
Billy Woodberry’s documentary Mário (http://apo-opa.co/3zEoud0) (2024, France) sheds light on the legacy of Mário Pinto de Andrade in African anti-colonial struggles. Woodberry is part of the L.A. Rebellion film movement.
Tongo Saa (Rising Up at Night) (http://apo-opa.co/3ZK7n4j) (2024, Democratic Republic of the Congo/Belgium/Germany/Burkina Faso/Qatar) follows Kinshasa residents plunged into darkness after a power plant project.
Restored African Classics
Ciné Lumière
Ciné Lumière will showcase films restored by The World Cinema Project, such as the pioneering Mandabi (1968, France/Senegal) and Chronicle of the Years of Fire (1975, Algeria). The symposium on African film restoration will feature experts and practitioners in the field moderated by Dr June Givanni.
Short Films
South London Gallery
The ‘View and Dine’ shorts programme at the South London Gallery will feature films accompanied by African cuisine and addressing various themes from gender and sexuality to climate change and African politics.
Notable films in the lineup include Gboroka (http://apo-opa.co/3ZFxmd2) (2024, Sierra Leone) and Black Corporeal (Breathing by Numbers) (2022, United Kingdom?) by Julianknxx.
The programme also highlights queer Ghanaian life in films like Nyame Mma (http://apo-opa.co/47R4e4K) and Reluctantly Queer (http://apo-opa.co/3BoDP1P).
Industry Events, Workshops&More
Workshops include Film Lab Africa and Film Africa LIVE! at the Ritzy in Brixton, celebrating African cinema through music and dance.
Film Africa supports emerging talent with awards like the Baobab Award for Best Short Film and Audience Award for Best Feature Film. The festival is family-friendly, featuring the children’s animation Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters (http://apo-opa.co/4eGJGxW) and films available on BFI Player.
For more information, contact Sophie Toumazis at sophie@tpr-media.com or visit https://RoyalAfricanSociety.org/
About Film Africa, visit www.FilmAfrica.org