Shining a Spotlight on African Cinema: 8 Films to Watch

The 5th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF) last week was a much-needed reminder of the depth and creativity of African cinema — something we tend to forget only because, despite being rich in variety and imagination, the African film industry remains one of the most under-represented worldwide.

Rarely do we hear about Nollywood, the most popular movie industry in Africa coming out of Nigeria and keeping about a million of Nigerians working. Some films from South Africa have gotten a little more recognition, like Totsi, a 2005 South-African production that marked the first African film to win an Oscar for Foreign Language Film.

Since the 1960s, however, when most African countries emerged into independence, the continent has witnessed remarkable efforts from African artists determined to write their own stories and bring their own narratives of who they are to the screen, which is often very far from the Hollywood depiction of “exotic Africa”. Here are a few of the most recent ones:

 

 

 

Timbuktu

 

 

An absolute must-see. Set during Northern Mali’s takeover by jihadists in 2012, it couldn’t be more relevant today. When it comes to sharing his own narrative, Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako did an impressive job of putting you in the shoes of everyone involved in the plot, from oppressors to oppressed, far away from the version you get in the news.

 

 

 

Nawara

 

 

Because for the first time at the LAFF, an Egyptian actress was given the rising talent award. Menna Shalaby’s performance in the movie is indeed worth the watch, plus it’s out in Egyptian cinemas and yes, North Africa contributes immensely to African film content.

 

 

 

Mona

 

 

If you like thrillers, this is the fictional story of an assassin, Mona, who’s hired to kill the Portuguese Prime Minister during a visit to London in 1973 after hundreds of innocents were massacred in the Portuguese colony of Mozambique.

Director Anthony Abuah is also the creator of The Cape to Cairo show, which is made for the under-35 generation and reviews films that have relevance to Africa’s current state as well as tackles questions like, “Will homosexuality ever be accepted in Africa?” and “Should there be a African mandate limit for all governments on the continent?”

 

 

 

Bala Bala Sese

 

 

A perfect example of how the modest resources of the local film industry did not stop a director like Bashir Lukyamuzi, who was in Luxor last week, from producing good work uniting simplicity and quality. A drama set on the beautiful Sese Islands of Uganda about a couple rebelling against forced marriage.

 

 

 

Difret

 

 

An Ethiopian lawyer passionate for woman’s rights takes on the case of 14-year-old Hirut, a rural girl who accidentally killed her abductor who had kidnapped her for marriage. You might have heard of this one since it has Angelina Jolie as an executive producer, which helps when it comes to exposure.

 

 

 

Lamb

 

 

The touching story of a boy and his lamb. The character’s affection for his animal and actor Rediat Amare’s beautiful performance make you fear the approaching holiday that could threaten the sheep’s life as much as he does, if not more.

 

 

 

Thina Sobabili: The Two of Us

 

 

The journey of a brother and sister in a South African township. It was this year’s South African entry for Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards. It did not end up being one of the five nominated movies, but it deserves some spotlight.

 

 

 

Free State

 

 

Winning Best Artistic Achievement at the LAFF, Free State is the story of a forbidden love affair between an Afrikaans girl and an Indian guy during apartheid in South Africa, reminding us of the different sorts of racism that existed at this time.

 

 

 

WE SAID THIS: Don’t miss Director Naji Abu Nowar on the Oscars, Philosophy and Bedouin Culture.