The Royal African Society’s Film Africa Festival is currently underway in London, captivating audiences with its vibrant showcase of African cinema. Running from October 25 to November 3, 2024, this year’s festival presents a rich lineup of films, virtual events, director Q&As, and thought-provoking panel discussions. The program also includes professional workshops, masterclasses, and screenings for schools and families, bringing the continent’s storytelling diversity to audiences in Europe.
The festival opened with Dahomey, a documentary directed by Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop, fresh from her Golden Bear win at the 2024 Berlinale. Set in the historic Kingdom of Dahomey, now modern-day Benin, the film details the return of 26 royal treasures from a French museum. Through stirring visuals and heartfelt storytelling, Dahomey dives deep into the complexities of cultural repatriation, capturing the emotional response of the Beninese people as they reconnect with their ancestral heritage.
The closing film, Black Tea, by celebrated Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako, offers a unique romance narrative that crosses cultural boundaries. The film follows a young Ivorian woman’s journey to China, where she discovers love and confronts the challenges of cultural assimilation. Starring Nina Mélo and Chang Han, this poignant story addresses themes of migration and cultural exchange between Africa and Asia.
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Film Africa Opens with Mati Diop’s Award-Winning Documentary Dahomey at BFI Southbank
Film Africa Festival to Conclude with Abderrahmane Sissako’s ‘Black Tea’ at BFI Southbank
Film Africa 2024 features an eclectic array of movies, from documentaries to short films and dramas. Highlights include The Bride, directed by Myriam Uwiragiye Birara, which portrays the life of a young Rwandan woman navigating trauma and forced marriage; and Heart to Heart, a short film series celebrating African love stories, including Last Night IRL by Olaoluwapo Adediji, Nous Les Griots by Demba Konate, Claudia by Benjamin Kuffuor, Seasons of Longing by Robyn Phillips, and Warm by Lindo Mthimukulu.
Notable features in the lineup include Made in Ethiopia, directed by Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan, which follows the lives of Ethiopian workers navigating the realities of a major factory expansion, and The Spectre of Boko Haram by Cyril Raingou, a documentary capturing the resilience of everyday life amidst the threat of violence. Tongo Saa (Rising Up at Night) by Nelson Makengo provides an intimate portrayal of Kinshasa’s inhabitants as they seek hope and light amid uncertainty, and The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos by The Agbajowo Collective, a gritty tale set in Lagos’ slums, explores themes of corruption and survival. The suspenseful Death of a Whistleblower, directed by Ian Gabriel, follows a journalist unraveling the mystery behind her lover’s murder and its ties to a hidden military conspiracy.
Film Africa continues its tradition of celebrating African cinema with awards like the Baobab Award for Best Short Film and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film, supporting emerging voices and bringing the depth of African narratives to new audiences.