We live in a golden moment for African cinema. It reminds us films are not just about entertainment

Curating a line-up of over 70 films for an event like Film Africa (25 Oct–3 Nov) is both an exciting and daunting task. I wanted to capture the rich diversity of African cinema spanning more than 20 countries: from Morocco to Madagascar, Sierra Leone to Senegal – while showcasing the exceptional storytelling that defines African cinema today and has the potential to touch people from all over the world.

As a curator with many years’ experience, every decision I make is deliberate, especially when it comes to how cinema interacts with memory, both personally and collectively. Each film in this programme is a gem. Every choice has meaning and purpose behind it. Nearly 300 films were submitted for Film Africa this year alone. I watched all of them, often moving between multiple screens before eventually distilling the list to a final 70 films, including shorts. I’m addicted to watching films, and it’s been incredible to discover the creativity and the diversity of stories coming from the continent.

When it comes to curating a film festival, People often ask, “What’s the theme?” But it’s hard to know at first. I just watch the films and ideas emerge. I remember trying to figure out how to approach the theme for Film Africa this year. I had just been to Berlin, where I watched Dahomey – our opening film by Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop and winner of 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. I also watched several other films by powerful female filmmakers such as Rungano Nyoni’s On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, a dark comedy-drama which begins to address the hidden sexual abuse and buried secrets of a traditional, middle-class Zambian family.

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Their work really stood out to me. That’s when I realised that women were dominating the programme with their powerful storytelling and I wanted to celebrate that. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is a golden moment for African women in cinema.

As I continued watching the films, I began to think more broadly. That’s when the idea came to me to develop a theme inspired by Dahomey – the idea of restitution. It is not just physical artefacts that are stolen; this year’s festival explores the restitution of African culture through film, their cinematic heritage.

The Ciné Lumière in South Kensington will showcase films restored by the World Cinema Project, a non-profit founded by Martin Scorsese in 1995 to preserve seminal films – and therefore culture – from around the world. This includes 1968’s groundbreaking Mandabi, the first-ever feature film shot in an African language (Wolof) directed by ‘the father of African film’ Ousmane Sembène.

Yet ordinary people, particularly in Africa, don’t have access to these films. Very few people in Senegal, where Sembène was born and lived, would have seen Mandabi, a spectacular and beautiful film. A symposium at the same venue will shine a light on current efforts to restore and repatriate Africa’s rich film legacy, delving into the broader questions of ownership, preservation, and the ethical dimensions of cultural restitution. For me, restitution means restoring these films and taking them back to the continent where they belong. It’s about creating a space where these works can be enjoyed by the people for whom they were made.

The films in this programme seek to offer audiences something completely different from the stereotypical stories often told about Africa. Instead, it’s about discovering and giving voice to the unheard stories of African people. When we look at the films emerging from Africa, they remind us that cinema is not just about entertainment; it is a medium for preserving memories, sharing experiences, and reflecting on history.

African cinema started much later than the global film industry, with pioneers like Sembène emerging in the 1960s. At that time, African filmmakers faced immense challenges, particularly with the use of celluloid film. Developing films required access to laboratories, and since there were very few in Africa, filmmakers had to rely on European or North American facilities to produce their work. That dependency limited their creative freedom. But the shift from celluloid to digital has empowered African creators, allowing them to become independent storytellers. Today, all you need is a camera and access to storage, and you can make a film. This has led to a surge in African filmmakers, who no longer depend on foreign resources or perspectives. Young filmmakers are creating their own visual narratives, whether it’s through traditional cinema or new platforms like TikTok.

Nevertheless, filmmakers in Africa continue to face significant challenges due to the lack of state support and infrastructure. In most African countries, there is no equivalent to the BFI, making it difficult for filmmakers to thrive and limiting their ability to produce and distribute films effectively. This lack of support is a crucial issue, and it’s something that needs to change across the continent.

What is also important in overcoming these challenges is strengthening a commitment to nurturing emerging filmmakers by establishing mentorship and training programmes. I’m really proud that Film Africa is hosting Film Lab Africa at Rich Mix, where a panel showcasing emerging young talent from Lagos, Nigeria, co-hosted by the British Council, will provide young filmmakers with essential skills, industry knowledge, and networking opportunities.

We need to rethink and have deeper conversations about the global world we live in. Africa is often absent from these discussions. People talk about Africa, but not to Africa. Despite this, I am optimistic about the future of African cinema. Cinema is like a dream, you can’t control it, you can’t predict or direct it, and it will never stop evolving. I believe this year’s programme is testament to that creative spirit.

Keith Shiri is the main curator of Film Africa 2024.

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