The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival is returning for its 26th edition this summer, with an extensive lineup of films recently announced.

The festival will screen multiple documentaries and films from within and outside the African continent. It will feature thirty-two feature-length films and fourteen short films. Twenty-seven African films and nineteen international films will be screened. Also, forty-three films will have their South Africa premiere at the festival, thirty-seven films will have their first African premiere, and fourteen films will have their world premiere.

Miki Redelinghuys and Pearlie Joubert’s Mother City has been selected as the festival’s opening film. The feature has been described as a “deeply human and often heart-breaking look at the politics of urbanism” where the filmmakers follow activists of the Reclaim the City movement over six years as they make Cape Town’s abandoned spaces their home, and use it as a base from which to lobby for the needs of the working class.

Explaining the decision to open the festival with Mother City, the festival’s director, Mandisa Zitha, remarked, “It has been selected as our opening film, as it represents the heart of what documentary filmmaking is about. It is dedicated, tenacious, and vociferous in its approach to following a group of activists over a long period, to capture their challenges and frustrations, and indeed their successes. It speaks to the power of film in exposing the arduous journey so many in this world have to embark on to effect change. It is also a universally powerful story of the triumph of the collective.” 

The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival is the country’s formative documentary event, screening contemporary South African and International features and short documentaries since 1999. The festival is supported and funded by: City of Cape Town, Bertha Foundation, National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa,  University of Cape Town and the Centre for Film and Media Studies, Mail and Guardian (Media Partner), Al Jazeera Documentary, Known Associates, Refinery, Goethe-Institut of South Africa, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Heineken Beverages,  Documentary Filmmakers Association, German Films, South African Guild of Editors, anima, and Pressure Cooker Studio.

This year’s edition of Encounters will take place at venues in Cape Town and Johannesburg from 20 to 30 June 2024. 

Click here to see the festival’s complete lineup of films.

Nollywood film Breath of Life pulled off a huge scoop of laurels at the recently-held Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) …

The film clinched five awards on the night out of eleven nominations:

• Best Movie
• Best Lead Actor – Wale Ojo
• Best Supporting Actor – Demola Adedoyin
• Best Supporting Actress – Genoveva Umeh
• Best Director – BB Sasore

Breath of Life follows Timi, a brilliant multilingual man who becomes the first African clergyman in the Church of England. After marrying and having a daughter, he returns to Nigeria, leading a fulfilling life until his family is wiped out by a local thug. He manages to exact vengeance, but his soul is crushed and he stays reclusive for more than two decades until Elijah, a young boy, becomes his housekeeper and helps him rediscover his purpose. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

C.J. Obasi’s critically acclaimed fantasy thriller Mami Wata, which has enjoyed an amazing festival run since its premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and which received eleven AMVCA nominations, won only one award which came in the Best Makeup category.

Funke Akindele’s blockbuster dramedy A Tribe Called Judah, which made history as the highest-grossing Nigerian film of all time, shockingly ended up with no awards, despite being nominated in five categories.

The AMVCAs is an award show presented by MultiChoice recognising outstanding performances in television, film, entertainment, and digital content creation throughout Nollywood and the entire African continent. It is widely regarded as one of the most hallowed award ceremonies as far as African cinema is concerned.

This year’s edition was held on 10 and 11 May 2024, featuring a series of events, the highlights of which included the Young Filmmakers Day, the Cultural Day Celebration, and the main Awards Night. These events saw the African film and television industry come together to honour outstanding talent and creativity in the industry.  For the awards, nine categories were subject to audience voting, while seventeen categories were determined by the AMVCA Jury.

Commenting on its tenth edition, Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content and Channels, West Africa, MultiChoice, said, “The Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards was created to honour exceptional achievements in television and film across the continent and we are excited to have been able to keep that fire burning through 10 editions. Year after year, we have received numerous entries and can attest to the growth in the quality of submissions with each edition. While this year’s edition is a milestone edition as it is the 10th, it is also a testament to the growth the film industry in Africa has experienced.”

Click here to see the full list of winners.

South Africa’s Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has announced the lineup of projects and participants for the 17th edition of Talents Durban …

Taking place during the Durban FilmMart (DFM) in Durban from 19 – 22 July 2024. 

This year’s edition of Talents Durban is distinguished by its inclusion of participants from 15 African countries, who collectively reflect the continent’s diversity of emerging film professionals. The selection process was highly competitive, with a record 499 applications resulting in the choice of 26 distinctive projects and 4 film critics, each bringing a fresh perspective to features, documentaries, shorts, series, animation, and film criticism. 

“The Durban FilmMart Institute is dedicated to the growth of African cinema through strategic collaborations that enhance access to markets and professional networks. Talents Durban, a core component of this commitment, aligns with Berlinale Talents to facilitate a rigorous developmental platform for emerging filmmakers. This partnership, now in its 17th iteration, leverages both our shared vision and the bold stories that Africa offers. We are particularly focused on providing filmmakers, animators and film critics with the tools and opportunities to bring their work to both regional audiences and the international stage, thereby ensuring sustained development of the continent’s film industry”, said DFMI Director, Magdalene Reddy.

As the African satellite programme of the Berlin International Film Festival and Berlinale Talents, Talents Durban holds a significant position within the DFMI’s programming portfolio.

Berlinale Talents is a networking platform organised by the Berlin International Film Festival, offering a space for emerging filmmakers to connect, learn, and collaborate. Talents Durban serves as its African counterpart, providing a similar platform specifically tailored to the continent’s unique filmmaking landscape.

The Heads of Berlinale Talents, Nikola Joetze and Florian Weghorn, also weighed in on the importance of Talents Durban to the African film ecosystem.

“Over the many years of our trusted partnership, Talents Durban has grown into a central hub on the continent, where project development, training and lasting exchange come together in the most sustainable way. We are extremely proud to welcome also this year’s very strong selection of participants to the global Talents community.”

Talents Durban is a training and development programme that brings together Africa’s rising film professionals – screenwriters and directors with fiction, documentary, animation, and hybrid projects in development (this includes all media formats such as film, television series, web series, and content for mobile platforms).

Talents Durban is an initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival and is part of six international initiatives of Berlinale Talents. Talents Durban was founded in 2007 as a partnership between the Durban International Film Festival and Berlinale. Since 2019, Talents Durban has become a project of the Durban FilmMart Institute.

Selected talents for the 2024 programme will participate in a series of project-oriented, hands-on skills development programmes. These include sessions such as Story Junction, where participants present their projects to producers and financiers, alongside masterclasses and one–on–one mentorship opportunities. Mounia Aram, Jihane Bougrine, Hawa Essuman, Yanis Gaye, Karabo Lediga, Carol Kioko, Beverly Mitchell, Kethiwe Ngcobo and Laza Razanajatovo, will serve as this year’s mentors.

Click here to see the full list of participants and feature projects at Talents Durban 2024.

Organisers of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards have unveiled the nominations for its 2024 edition, and four African films made the list.

The four works are part of a shortlist comprising 30 films, chosen from over 8,400 submissions by more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories.

The African nominees include:

• Ìrún Dídì (Olawunmi Hassan, Nigeria) – From traditional Yoruba techniques to modern interpretations, the film traces the evolution of the timeless art of hair plaiting, as it becomes a sacred ritual of self-care and empowerment;
• 
  The Permaculturist (Curtis Essel, Ghana) – Vegan chef, permaculture enthusiast, and content creator Gaz Oakley meets permaculture expert Bemeriki Dusabe, a Congolese refugee who has been living in a settlement in Uganda for the last 16 years;
  
• Anguish (Raheem Razak, South Africa) – In what seems to be a zombie-infested world, devoted son Sam must tend to his zombie mother while surviving the apocalypse himself;

• ABOVE/ZERO (Rana Ramy, Egypt) – A journey through the relationship between light, space, and subject, in an attempt to configure one’s existence within the light;

Established by Creo and sponsored by Sony, the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards is a major annual awards program for short films devoted to supporting and elevating independent filmmakers and creators from across the globe. Winners receive cash prizes and a range of Sony Digital Imaging equipment. Free to enter, the Awards comprise six categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Environment, Student, Animation and Future Format, and are judged by a panel of leading figures. 

Ìrún Dídì was nominated in the Non-Fiction category, The Permaculturist was nominated in the Environment category, Anguish was one of the student films shortlisted, and ABOVE/ZERO emerged in the Future Format shortlist.

Scott Gray, Founder and CEO, Creo, stated: “With a staggering 8,400 films submitted this year, the caliber of entries received for this second edition of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards and the shortlist of filmmakers selected express the exceptional, global stories set to be showcased at this year’s event. We are grateful to Sony for providing this incredible opportunity for emerging filmmakers, and we extend our gratitude to our esteemed panel of judges for their invaluable expertise and insight in selecting the shortlist to join us in Los Angeles this May.”

This year’s jury will be chaired by award-winning director Justin Chadwick, and includes Michael Barker and Tom Bernard (co-founders and co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics),  BAFTA award-winning cinematographer Rob Hardy, and acclaimed British cinematographer Kate Reid.

All nominees will participate in a week of special events at the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Los Angeles, including a workshop program providing unparalleled access behind the scenes of the industry and culminating in the Awards ceremony on 30 May, 2024 where the six category winners will be announced.

Visit the Award’s official website to learn more about the shortlisted films.

Durban FilmMart is confirmed to take place in July.

South Africa’s Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has confirmed that it will be hosting the 15th edition of its annual flagship event Durban FilmMart (DFM), titled “African Visions Unleashed: From Disruption to Accountability“, set to take place from 19 – 22 July 2024. 

This year’s theme underscores the transformative power of film in reflecting societal issues and championing change, urging the industry towards greater social responsibility and accountability.

The 2024 edition of DFM will feature a wide-ranging programme designed to foster high-quality collaborations and provide valuable insights into the filmmaking process. Key components of the programme will include fiction, documentary and animation projects in development, showcased in the Pitch and Finance Forum. Additionally, the DFM Industry programme will present keynote talks, masterclasses, panel discussions, and think tanks.

“Film is more than an art form or a business; it is a powerful mirror for society, offering reflections that can lead to real change,” said Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Institute. “This year, we aim to spotlight the critical role of film in shaping our world-view and touching lives, making ‘Lights, Camera, Action’ a call to action for every participant – an action that harnesses the possibilities of cinema as a major tool for impact.”

Established in 2020, the Durban FilmMart Institute is a non-profit company that facilitates local and international trade and investment in African film content. The mission of the Institute is to provide appropriate and effective programmes and services to promote, support and facilitate investment in African cinema so that African film industry professionals and products are competitive and celebrated globally. 

The 2024 edition of the DFM will spotlight key elements within the film industry,  including social responsibility and accountability in filmmaking, IP protection, artist/filmmaker rights, labour issues, and much more.

Durban FilmMart runs from 19 – 22 July 2024. Visit the Institute’s website to learn more about the full lineup of programmes.

The New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) returns for its 31st edition, slated to be held from 8-14 May, 2024. 

This year’s theme, “Convergence of Time,” explores the intersection of historical and contemporary roles played by individuals representing Africa and its diaspora in art. With more than 50 films from over 25 countries, the festival invites audiences to delve into the convergence of archival and modern experimentalism, transcending space and time.

Speaking about the festival, Mahen Bonetti, NYAFF Founder and AFF Executive Director, said, “The 31st New York African Film Festival has so much to offer in terms of honouring the origins of homegrown, beloved African and diaspora film industry, as well as celebrating their references in modern masterpieces.”

The Opening Night selection is the North American premiere of Over the Bridge, Tolu Ajayi’s feature about corruption in Lagos. It tells the story of Folarin, a successful investment banker whose company is contracted by the government to oversee a high-profile project, and who searches for answers in a remote fishing village when the project goes awry.

The Closing Night selection features the New York premiere of Dibakar Das Roy’s Dilli Dark, which shows the boundaries Nigerian MBA candidate Michael Okeke will push to succeed as he lives a double life as a student and drug dealer amidst the backdrop of India’s history of colonialism, racism, and xenophobia.

The festival will also host the North American premieres of Matthew Leutwyler’s Fight Like a Girl (depicting the true story of a young Congolese woman who finds liberation after joining an all-women’s boxing club in Goma, led by an ex-child-soldier coach) and Oyiza Adaba’s biographical documentary DELA: The Making of El Anatsui (which delves into the life of El Anatsui, the world-renowned sculptor from Ghana).

An exciting addition to this year’s festival is La Chapelle, Jean-Michel Tchissoukou’s classic feature shot in 1980s Congo, a surreal take on the relationship between Africa, Christianity, and colonialism. 

NYAFF will present an “Art & Activism” Town Hall at The Africa Center on Thursday 2 May, featuring artists Christian Nyampeta, Adama Delphine Fawundu, and Taiwo Aloba, moderated by cultural anthropologist, curator, and scholar Paulette Young.

This year’s Masterclass presented by AFF will feature veteran independent filmmaker Ngozi Onwurah, who will discuss the craft of utilising cinema as a tool for unmasking the dynamics of the socioeconomic status quo. The event takes place in the Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center.

Based in New York, the African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) is a registered nonprofit founded in 1990 as a dynamic platform dedicated to increasing exposure to African arts and culture through the screening of cinematic works made by and about the people of Africa and the African Diaspora. Its offerings include year-round programmes to provide its audiences with greater access to African films and culture.

AFF is dedicated to advancing an enhanced understanding of African culture through the moving image. It offers diverse platforms for the wide distribution of African media through its flagship annual film festival and complementary year-round programming. AFF is committed to increasing visibility and recognition for African media artists by introducing African film and culture to a broad range of audiences in the United States and abroad, bypassing economic, class and racial barriers.

The New York African film festival runs from 8th -14th May. See the full lineup of films for this year’s festival here.

The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), celebrated for spotlighting independent filmmaking and artistic discovery, once again brought a compelling selection of African stories to its 2024 edition.

This year’s lineup showcased a diverse array of films that probed the continent’s rich narratives, exploring themes of revolution, identity, and cultural resilience.

South Africa had the highest number of inclusions with three films – Questioning the Existence of Alec by Roger Horn, as well as Godide and Cloud Migration by Phumulani Ntuli from South Africa. Horn’s film had its world premiere, while Ntuli’s films will have their Dutch premieres. 

Kenya and Tunisia were both represented by two titles each; Stero – a short film by Kenyan filmmakers, Tevin Kimathi and Millan Tarus making its world premiere, and After the Long Rains by Damien Hauser – and The Sunflowers of the Moon by Douar al Kamar and Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated documentary, Four Daughters, from Tunisia. Egypt’s 2024 Oscar entry, Voy! Voy! Voy! (directed by Omar Hilal) also made the cut.  

Other notable selections included Nigerian director Ishaya Bako’s I Do Not Come To You By Chance (a movie adaptation of Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s novel of the same name), Cameroonian production La grotte sacrée (directed by Daniel Minlo and Cyrille Masso), and Senegalese filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s highly acclaimed Banel & Adama.

International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) offers a high quality line-up of carefully selected fiction and documentary feature films, short films and media art. The festival’s focus is on recent work by talented new filmmakers. Its official selection generally includes more than 400 feature, mid-length, and short films from over 90 countries and also offers a high-quality line-up of exhibitions, performances, masterclasses and talks.

This year’s edition of IFFR took place from January 25 to February 4, 2024, in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF), one of the biggest film showcases in the Republic of Ireland, is set to put a spotlight on African Cinema at this year’s edition of the Festival. 

DIFF 2024 will feature seven African films. These include Ben Hania’s Oscars-nominated Tunisian docu-drama Four Daughters, CJ ‘Fiery’ Obasi’s Sundance award-winning film Mami Wata, Belgian-Congolese filmmaker Baloji’s Omen, Kamal Lazraq’s Moroccan film Hounds, Mohamed Kordofani’s Sudanese film Goodbye Julia, French-Senegalese director Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Banel & Adama, and Marie Amachoukeli’s riveting drama Ama Gloria.

Mami Wata in particular is one of the international films selected to tour venues outside Dublin during the Festival. The tour will visit film societies and arts venues across Ireland, including Club Scannán Sailearna, Inverin, Co Galway; Galway Film Society @ Palas, Galway City; Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford; Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co Wicklow; Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge and Solstice Arts Centre, Navan.

Festival Director, Gráinne Humphreys, noted the festival’s ongoing commitment to supporting African cinema, building on previous years’ focuses such as the 2021 spotlight on Black Women Filmmakers.

“Each subsequent year we have been building out our support and celebration of filmmakers of colour. It’s a real honour to share our exciting African Film Season programme with festival audiences this year, and we would like to acknowledge the support of the Arts Council and Dept of Foreign Affairs in bringing this season to audiences around the country”, said Humphreys.

Taking place annually in February, the Dublin International Film Festival is one of the most iconic events in Ireland’s cultural calendar. The programme has evolved over the years, but each Festival is guaranteed to offer a mouth-watering mix of cinema from around the world, with many screenings attended by filmmakers and stars. Since its inception in 2003, the festival has showcased over 1,600 films from 52 countries. 

The Festival’s most prestigious accolade is the Volta. Named after Ireland’s first dedicated cinema, the Voltas are awarded each year to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the world of film. To date, no black actor or film practitioner has received the award. With the current emphasis on diversity, it is hoped that this will change in the coming years.

DIFF takes place from February 22 – March 2, 2024. Find out more here.

The Joburg Film Festival, one of Africa’s rapidly expanding independent film showcases, played host to thousands of movie practitioners from all over the African continent and beyond as it marked its sixth edition.

Johannesburg prides itself as South Africa’s film capital, and true to description, the city was a beehive of activities in the final week of February as people thronged the Sandton area to see the diverse array of films on show.

The Festival, which was presented by MultiChoice in association with Absa, has come into its own since it was initiated in 2019, establishing itself as an independent platform that prioritises the telling of African stories. It was staged under the theme “Inspiring Storytellers” as a nod to South Africa’s thirtieth anniversary of democratic rule, which is expected to be marked with pomp and pageantry in the course of the year.

This year’s event also welcomed several local and international film stars, producers and directors, some of whom participated in Q&A sessions after select screenings across the programme. In addition to daily red-carpet premieres, fans had the opportunity to meet some of the filmmakers and cast members themselves.

Some of the standout titles that screened at Joburg Film Festival 2024 include Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist (which won five awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival), CJ ‘Fiery’ Obasi’s Sundance-winning Mami Wata, Amanda Nell Eu’s Tiger Stripes (which won the Critics’ Week Grand Prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival), Wim Wenders’ Oscar-nominated film Perfect Days, and Lina Soualem’s intimate documentary feature Bye Bye Tiberias.

One of the pivotal segments of the Festival was the three-day Industry Programme, a knowledge-sharing and networking platform that enabled industry practitioners and professionals to share ideas, discuss key trends and engage on a range of pertinent issues impacting African cinema.

In acknowledging its growth and the speed of its trajectory, the Executive Director of the Festival, Tim Mangwedi, emphasised his commitment to centring the African experience.

“In the dynamic landscape of ‘globalisation’ of media & entertainment, the Joburg Film Festival is a pivotal platform at the heart of Africa’s cultural and creative revolution. This sub-Saharan African premier film festival & content market trade fair is set against the backdrop of the continent’s rich stories and talent. It embodies the spirit of new Africa, one that is eager to showcase its creative prowess and engage in dialogue with the global community”, said Mangwedi. “It brings together the best of African cinema, offering a window into the soul of a continent bursting with inspiring stories waiting to be told and heard on the international stage by Africans.”

This year’s edition of the Joburg Film Festival took place from February 27 to March 3, 2024.

The 67th BFI London Film Festival (LFF) in partnership with American Express will be presented in cinemas and online, across the UK.

Over twelve days from 4th – 15th October, the LFF will return to its fantastic flagship venues in the heart of London.

Opening with the International Premiere of Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, Closing with the World Premiere of Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya’s The Kitchen, with such an extensive programme it can be a little bit intense so as we do every year we’ve pulled out the films we think you our wonderful audience will enjoy … 

The Book of Clarence (Headline Gala)
A down on his luck Jerusalemite embarks on a misguided attempt to capitalise on the rise of celebrity and influence of The Messiah for his own personal gain. The journey leads him on an exploration of faith and an unexpected path.

Starring: Lakeith Stanfield (Clarence), David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Nicholas Pinnock, Babs Olusanmokun, Alfre Woodard, Anna Dipo, RJ Cyler, Teyana Taylor, Omar Sy, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Eric Kofi-Abrefa Caleb McLaughlin, Chase Dillion, Fejiro Emasiobi and Hopi Grace.

Writer|Director|Producer: Jeymes Samuel.
Producers: Sean ‘Jay Z’ Carter, James Lassiter, Tendo D’agenda.

• Wednesday 11 October 2023 17:45 – Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall
• Thursday 12 October 2023 14:30 – Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall
• Saturday 14 October 2023 12:30 – Prince Charles Cinema, Downstairs Screen

BOOK HERE

The Kitchen (Closing Night)
Set in near-future London, Izi, a hardworking loner, is counting down the days until he can leave The Kitchen. But when he discovers through his job at an ecological funeral home that his ex-girlfriend has passed away, Izi finds his path colliding with that of Benji, her young son.

Starring: Kane ‘Kano’ Robinson (Izi) | Jedaiah Bannerman | Hope Ikpoku Jnr | Dani Moseley (Ruby’s Mum) | Rasaq Kukoyi (Arinze) | Demmy Ladipo (Jase) | Teija Kabs.

Writer|Director: Daniel Kaluuya
Directors: Daniel Kaluuya | Kibwe Tavares

• Sunday 15 October 2023 19:15 – Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall
• Sunday 15 October 2023 21:00 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 1

BOOK HERE

First Feature Competition – The Sutherland Award recognises the most original and imaginative directorial debut.

Earth Mama
A young, expectant mother battles drug addiction and the oppressive foster-care system to regain custody of her children in this brave and intimate debut.

Starring: Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Monica), Bokeem Woodbine (Paul), Tia Nomore (Gia), Erika Alexander (Miss Carmen).
Writer|Director|Producer: Savanah Leaf.

• Tuesday 12 September 2023 10:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT1
• Tuesday 12 September 2023 10:00 – Curzon Mayfair, Screen 1
• Thursday 05 October 2023 21:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT1
• Saturday 07 October 2023 12:10 – BFI Southbank, NFT1

BOOK HERE

Black Dog
Nathan and Sam’s lives collide suddenly when Sam is mugged, the teenage boys embark on a road trip North together. As they start to open up about their pasts, the boys learn they have far more in common than they first thought.

Starring: Keenan Munn-Francis | Nicholas Pinnock

• Tuesday 12 September 2023 10:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT2
• Tuesday 12 September 2023 10:00 – Vue West End, Screen 5
• Saturday 14 October 2023 18:10 – Vue West End, Screen 5
• Sunday 15 October 2023 17:30 – BFI Southbank, NFT2

BOOK HERE

Mambar Pierrette
Focuses on a week in the life of a working-class Cameroonian seamstress and single mother in Douala who strives against all odds to make ends meet.

Director: Rosine Mbakam

• Sunday 08 October 2023 17:30 – BFI Southbank, NFT3
• Wednesday 11 October 2023 18:15 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 2
• Wednesday 11 October 2023 18:30 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 3

BOOK HERE

Grime Kids (Series Special Presentation)
The series charts the rise of a fictional group of young adults growing up in the early 2000s, dreaming of being able to make their voice heard through music. Grime Kids celebrates the cultures and communities that gave birth to a genre that took over the world. Inspired by DJ Target’s non-fiction book of the same name.

Starring: Shanu Hazzan | Juwon Adedokun | Gabriel Robinson | Tienne Simon | Yus Jamal Crookes | Delove Akra (Genevieve) | Jordie Leany (Yinka) | Jadesola Odunjo (Tanika) | Jola Olajide (Temi) | Layo-Christina Akinlude (Bimpe) | Moziah Pinder | Marsha Miller | Don Gilet | Marcus Onilude | Jo Martin.

Writer: Theresa Ikoko
Directors: Abdou Cisse | Ian Aryeh
Producer: Irma Inniss
Executive Producers: Theresa Ikoko | DJ Target

• Tuesday 12 September 2023 10:00 – Vue West End, Screen 5
• Friday 13 October 2023 21:00 – Vue West End, Screen 5

BOOK HERE

Occupied City (Documentary Special Presentation)
Based on Bianca Stigter’s Atlas of an Occupied City, Amsterdam 1940-1945, McQueen’s affecting, epic film observes 130 locations in present-day Amsterdam that relate directly to the Jewish community before and during the Nazi occupation of the city. As Melanie Hyams’ voiceover narrates what took place at each site, this monumental work quietly asks us to confront the range of dissonances between the traumatic past and a mundane present haunted, perhaps, by ghostly memories.

Director: Steve McQueen

• Thursday 05 October 2023 13:45 – BFI Southbank, NFT1
• Monday 09 October 2023 18:20– BFI Southbank, Studio

BOOK HERE

Thematic strands

What are you in the mood for? Whether you’re after a laugh or some thrills, choose a strand and you’ll find our programmers’ carefully chosen suggestions to get your emotions stirred or soothed.

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (Journey)
Mack has been taught to know the earth – the woods, the water and the clay, which her ancestors drew sustenance from. But life itself, in all its messy beauty, is less predictable.

Director|Screenwriter: Raven Jackson
Starring: Sheila Atim | Moses Ingram | Charleen McClure | Reginald Helms Jr. | Zainab Jah

• Friday 13 October 2023 20:55 – BFI Southbank, NFT3
• Sunday 15 October 2023 12:00 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 1

BOOK HERE

The Bride (Journey)
Rwandan scholar Eva’s childhood is abruptly cut short when she is snatched away from home to become a stranger’s bride, in this striking feature debut.

Director|Screenwriter: Myriam U. Birara
Starring: Sandra Umulisa, Aline Amike, Daniel Gaga
Language: Kinyarwanda With English subtitles

• Saturday 07 October 2023 18:30 – Vue West End, Screen 5
• Sunday 08 October 2023 13:15 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 2
• Sunday 08 October 2023 13:30 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 3

BOOK HERE

The Spectre of Boko Haram (Journey)
This striking vérité film focuses on young children on the frontline of the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency. Falta, Mohamed and Ibrahim attempt to lead normal lives in Kolofata, a Cameroonian commune constantly under threat from terrorists.

Director: Cyrielle Raingou
Language: Hausa, French With English subtitles

• Thursday 05 October 2023 20:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT2
• Friday 06 October 2023 20:55 – BFI Southbank, NFT3

BOOK HERE

Banel & Adama (Love)
In this compelling love story set in Mali, Banel and Adama’s relationship is tested by a devastating turn of events that challenges their village’s way of life.

Director|Screenwriter: Ramata-Toulaye Sy
Starring: Khady Mane | Mamadou Diallo | Binta Racine Sy
Language: Pulaar With English subtitles

• Monday 09 October 2023 18:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT3
• Tuesday 10 October 2023 15:35 – BFI Southbank, NFT2

BOOK HERE

Girl (Love)
Grace and Ama have each other and that’s all they need. Their lives are confined to their Glasgow flat, with Grace leaving only for her job as a cleaner and forbidding Ama to set foot outside. But as Ama becomes more inquisitive, Grace is forced to confront the traumas of her past in order to let the world in.

Director|Screenwriter: Adura Onashile
Starring: Déborah Lukumuena | Le’Shantey Bonsu | Danny Sapani

• Wednesday 04 October 2023 18:00 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 1
• Friday 06 October 2023 15:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT3
  
  BOOK HERE

Goodbye Julia (Love)
A woman seeks redemption following an incident that threatens to destroy all she holds dear.

Director|Screenwriter: Mohamed Kordofani
Starring: Eiman Yousif | Siran Riak | Nazar Gomaa
Language: Arabic with English subtitles

• Saturday 14 October 2023 17:10 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 1
• Sunday 15 October 2023 12:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT2

BOOK HERE

Fire Through Dry Grass (Debate)
Isolated from the world during the Covid-19 pandemic, these Black and Brown disabled artists take up their cameras to tell their story.

Directors: Alexis Neophytides | Andres ‘Jay’ Molina

• Saturday 14 October 2023 15:10 – BFI Southbank, NFT1
• Sunday 15 October 2023 12:30 – BFI Southbank, Studio

BOOK HERE

Omen, Augure (Dare)
Koffi’s epileptic seizure, prior to his trip back home to Kinshasa, acts as an omen for the turbulence that awaits him.

Director|Screenwriter: Baloji
Starring: Marc Zinga | Lucie Debay | Eliane Umuhire
Languages: French, Swahili, Lingala with English subtitles

• Thursday 12 October 2023 18:20 – Prince Charles Cinema, Downstairs Screen
• Friday 13 October 2023 20:30 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 1

BOOK HERE

Power Alley (Dare)
Queer sisterhood and collective power lie at the heart of this arresting Brazilian debut, in which a promising volleyball player faces an unwanted pregnancy.

Directors: Daniel Minlo | Cyrille Masso
Screenwriter: Seraphin Kakouang
Starring: Gerard Essomba Many | Jean Bediebe | Bertrand Baleguel
Language: French with English subtitles

• Thursday 05 October 2023 18:00 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 1
• Sunday 08 October 2023 20:00 – BFI Southbank, NFT3

BOOK HERE

Gassed Up (Thrill)
Ash, who is trying to earn money to raise his 14-year-old sister and send his mother to rehab, gets caught up with an organized crime ring led by a young and charismatic Albanian immigrant.

Director: George Amponsah
Starring: Stephen Odubola (Ash) | Mohammed Mansaray | Yung Filly | Harry Pinero | Steve Toussaint | David Monteith (Mo)

• Tuesday 10 October 2023 20:45 – BFI IMAX, Waterloo
• Friday 13 October 2023 20:45 – BFI Southbank, NFT2

BOOK HERE

Culprits (Thrill)
Joe lives a quiet suburban life with his partner Jules and their kids. But Joe’s identity is fake, there’s a bag of cash stashed in a nearby forest and ghosts from the past pay him a call.

Starring: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett | Kirby Howell Baptiste

Saturday 07 October 2023 16:30 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 1

BOOK HERE

Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (Create)
Legendary African-American poet and activist Nikki Giovanni looks back on her legacy and reflects on her mortality, in this expansive love letter to a genuine pioneer.

Director|Screenwriter: Michèle Stephenson | Joe Brewster

• Wednesday 11 October 2023 20:35 – BFI Southbank, NFT2
• Sunday 15 October 2023 20:30 – Curzon Soho Cinema, Screen 2

BOOK HERE

Experimenta

Dialogues Between Past, Present and Future

These works put the past in conversation with both the present and the future, exploring recurring themes throughout different temporalities, often using first-person narration or an engagement with archival materials.

• Friday 13th October 2023 20:30 – ICA, Screen 1 – BOOK HERE

A Radical Duet
Imagining a revolutionary play authored by two female activists in the anti-colonial movement in post-war London.

Director|Screenwriter: Onyeka Igwe
Run Time: 28min

The Archive: Queer Nigerians
This poetic film documents the experiences of queer Nigerians, expanding our contemporary understanding of how queerness is expressed.

Director: Simisolaoluwa Akande
Run Time: 25min

Shorts

Doris
In rural Ghana, a young woman struggles with disruptive fits and growing jealousy towards her best friend.

Director: Edem Dotse
Run Time: 17min
Language: Twi with English subtitles

• Tuesday 10 October 2023 21:00 – Prince Charles Cinema, Downstairs Screen – BOOK HERE

South Facing
The loss of a family shop leads a young British Caribbean girl to consider her identity and sense of home.

Director|Screenwriter: Reneque Samuels
Run Time: 10min

• Friday 06 October 2023 18:00 BFI Southbank, NFT2 – BOOK HERE

I Am More Dangerous Dead
This stirring documentary sees Ogoniland activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa takes on Shell and the Nigerian government.

Director-Screenwriter: Majiye Uchibeke
Run Time: 24min

• Monday 09 October 2023 16:15 – ICA, Screen 1 – BOOK HERE

Essex Girls
A teenage girl navigates friendship groups, social awkwardness and boys in this sharp coming-of-age drama.

Director: Yero Timi-Biu
Screenwriter: Busayo Ige
Run Time: 15min

• Saturday 14 October 2023 12:50 – BFI Southbank, NFT1 – BOOK HERE

Area Boy
Eli, a young teenager torn between two worlds, tries to balance fitting in with finding his true identity after he moves to a provincial town.

Director-Screenwriter: Iggy London
Run Time: 19min

• Wednesday 04 October 2023 18:15 – Prince Charles Cinema, Downstairs Screen – BOOK HERE

Family

Films for the young … and young at heart.

The Sacred Cave
When the King of Mabuna is poisoned, his nephew and son journey to a sacred cave where they believe a remedy can be found. While travelling, they encounter sorcerers, an attack by panther men and a bewitched toad princess.

Directors: Daniel Minlo | Cyrille Masso
Screenwriter: Seraphin Kakouang
Cast: Gerard Essomba Many | Jean Bediebe | Bertrand Baleguel
Language: French with English subtitles

• Sunday 15 October 2023 14:50 – BFI Southbank, NFT2 – BOOK HERE

Treasures

Pressure
Britain’s first Black feature, now restored by the BFI National Archive, is a groundbreaking depiction of second-generation experience in 1970s London. Follows Tony, the son of Trinidadian parents, as he leaves school and faces the prejudice of British institutions, reluctantly being drawn into Black power politics. Ové pulls no punches – his semi-documentary style and stark location shooting conveying the bleakness of West London during a period of economic hardship.

Director|Screenwriter: Horace Ové
Starring: Herbert Norville | Oscar James | Frank Singuineau

• Wednesday 11 October 2023 18:10 – BFI Southbank, NFT3
• Thursday 12 October 2023 20:30 – BFI Southbank, NFT2

BOOK HERE

The BFI London Film Festival Runs 4th-15th October.