The Royal African Society has announced that Film Africa, one of the most anticipated and celebrated showcases of African cinema in Europe, will return for its 2024 edition during Black History Month.
For ten exciting days, running between October 25 to November 3, Film Africa will transform London into a bustling hub of African cinema, with screenings taking place at some of the city’s most prestigious venues. Bringing together visionary filmmakers from over 20 African countries and the diaspora, from Morocco to Madagascar, Sierra Leone to Senegal, Film Africa is an unparalleled showcase of contemporary African cinema, highlighting the diverse narratives and innovative spirit thriving across the continent today.
These include films from new talent (After the Long Rains by 23-year-old Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser) as well as 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 flourishing, and this year’s festival has a line-up of over 70 films, from captivating features that tackle complex social issues, compelling documentaries that uncover untold stories, and innovative shorts from cutting-edge talent. Audiences will travel through the rich terrains of African storytelling, witnessing firsthand the creativity and indomitable spirit that defines African cinema today,” said Lead Curator of Film Africa 2024, Keith Shiri.
Opening the festival on Gala night (25 Oct) is Dahomey (2024, France/Senegal/Benin) directed by Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop, which won the Golden Bear at the 2024 Berlinale. The documentary presents a dramatised account of the return of 26 royal treasures from a museum in France to their rightful home, delving into the complexities of cultural repatriation and restitution, a theme throughout this year’s festival.
Closing the festival for its UK premiere (3 Nov) is Black Tea (2024, France/Mauritania/Luxembourg/Taiwan/Ivory Coast), another Berlinale finalist. Black Tea is a poignant romantic drama by acclaimed Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako. Starring Nina Mélo and Chang Han, the film follows the journey of a young Ivorian woman embarking on a transformative odyssey to China, where she finds unexpected love.
One of the festival’s most anticipated events is an unscripted discussion between award-winning filmmaker and artist Abderrahmane Sissako (Black Tea) and filmmaker Sir John Akomfrah (Handsworth Songs), who recently represented Britain at the Venice Biennale. The pair will discuss their celebrated careers, having respected and followed each other’s work for decades.
Screening at the Barbican is On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024, Ireland/United Kingdom/United States/Zambia), directed by BAFTA award-winning Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni. The dark comedy-drama follows Shula (Susan Chardy), who stumbles upon the body of her uncle. As funeral proceedings begin, she and her cousins address the buried secrets of their traditional, middle-class Zambian family. The film offers an insight into sexual abuse and won the Cannes Un Certain Regard Best Director award.
After the Long Rains (2024, Kenya) is a coming-of-age story about Aisha (Electricer Kache Hamisi), a ten-year-old Kenyan girl who dreams of becoming an actress. Determined to buck village tradition, she befriends a fisherman to get a job on a boat so she can sail to Europe. For his third feature, the 23-year-old Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser was influenced by Studio Ghibli.
Rosine Mbakam, an award-winning Cameroonian filmmaker, joins the line-up with her uplifting narrative feature debut Mambar Pierrette (2023, Belgium/Cameroon), screening at the Rich Mix in Bethnal Green. The film follows a talented and resilient seamstress in Cameroon (played by non-professional actor, Pierrette Aboheu Njeuthat, who is also Mbakam’s cousin) as she struggles to support her children and mother.
The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos by Nigerian filmmaking force The Agbajowo Collective (2024, Nigeria/Germany/South Africa/United States) is based on the real-life events between November 2016 and April 2017, where Lagos state authorities forcibly and violently evicted more than 30,000 residents from the Otodo-Gbame community, an informal fishing settlement on the outskirts of Lagos city. The film follows a young mother (Temiloluwa Ami-Williams) from a waterfront slum who stumbles upon a hoard of corrupt blood money. The filmmaking collective consists of seven directors: James Tayler, Ogungbamila Temitope, Okechukwu Samuel, Mathew Cerf, Edukpo Tina, Bisola Akinmuyiwa and A.S. Elijah.
“Acknowledging the historical challenges faced by African filmmakers in preserving their cinematic heritage, the symposium aims to shine a light on current efforts to restore and repatriate Africa’s rich film legacy. Bringing together experts, industry leaders, and policymakers, this symposium will not only explore the technical and cultural facets of film restoration but also delve into the broader questions of ownership, preservation, and the ethical dimensions of cultural restitution. This critical conversation will provide invaluable insights into how we can collectively ensure that the artistry of African filmmakers continues to be celebrated and accessible for generations to come.” – said Keith Shiri.
The award-winning film Reluctantly Queer (2016, Ghana) was directed by Akosua Adoma Owusu and follows a young Ghanaian man (Kwame Edwin Otu) who struggles to reconcile his love for his mother with his sexuality.
The shorts programme also includes animation, music, Afro-surrealism and French cinema.
Workshops include Film Lab Africa (25 October – 3 November), a panel showcasing emerging young talent from Lagos, Nigeria, co-hosted by the British Arts Council. This is a cornerstone of the British Council’s Creative Economy initiative, designed to nurture emerging filmmakers and TV producers in Nigeria.
Film Africa LIVE! at the Ritzy in Brixton will provide an opportunity to celebrate the vibrant musical creativity of African cinema. Attendees will be serenaded by soulful tunes, escalating to an electrifying dance party with a DJ. To complement the festivities, drinks and a variety of delicious African cuisine will be served.
Film Africa is proud to support emerging talent in African cinema through prestigious awards such as the Baobab Award for Best Short Film and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. These honours aim to spotlight up-and-coming filmmakers, providing a platform to showcase their work to a global audience. Winners of each category will be awarded £1,000 for each prize, sponsored by Rolling Stone Africa.
The festival is suitable for families, featuring children’s animation Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters (2020, Nigeria) at the Ciné Lumière, the first Nigerian feature-length animated film directed by Adebisi Adetayo on November 3. A selection of films from the festival will also be available on BFI Player.
The Royal African Society is a membership organisation dedicated to improving understanding of Africa in the UK and beyond and harnessing the power of the narrative to promote engagement and investment between Africa and the UK across all sectors. The Society uses its flagship cultural events to spotlight Africa’s diverse cultures, heritages, and current affairs to the widest possible audience, as well as to demonstrate the vast innovation and talent across the creative industries on the continent.
