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UK's African film festivals unite

Big four come together to promote contemporary films.

by Amber Wilkinson

Something Necessary, which will be introduced by director Judy Kibinge

The UK’s biggest four African film festivals - Africa in Motion (AiM) in Edinburgh/Glasgow, Afrika Eye in Bristol, the Cambridge African Film Festival and Film Africa, London – are uniting to share films and filmmakers in a drive to bring a greater variety of contemporary African cinema to a broader UK audience.

The festivals have joined forces to tour a quartet of highly-rated new feature films from Africa and to enable UK cinema-goers to talk to three of their makers about their work.

Speaking on behalf of the four festivals, AiM’s founder and curator Lizelle Bisschoff said: “The collaboration by these four African film festivals, taking place in October and November this year, maximises our ability to showcase the best of African cinema and excite audiences with what’s available.”

The shared programme includes:

Kenyan rising star Judy Kibinge, who will present her drama Something Necessary, concerning political violence in Kenya, followed by a Q&A at AiM, Afrika Eye and Film Africa (with a screening at the Cambridge African Film Festival).

South African Jahmil XT Qubeka presenting and discussing Of Good Report, his controversial, Lolita-inspired, film noir, at AiM and Film Africa.

Franco-Senegalese director Alain Gomis presenting and discussing his multiple award-winning latest film Tey - a contemplative drama following a man (Saul Williams) through his last day of life - at Film Africa and Afrika Eye, with a screening at the Cambridge African Film Festival.

Filmmaker Simon Bright, the Zimbabwe-born co-Director of Bristol’s Afrika Eye festival added: "Currently only 0.01 per cent of cinema screenings in the UK show African films. But Africa is where story-telling first began and a new generation of Africans is finding exciting ways to bring this ancient talent to the screen via features and documentaries that thoroughly deserve the attention of UK cinema-goers.”

Suzy Gillett, Film Africa Curator, said: "Film Africa is thrilled to collaborate with the main UK's African film festivals to bring top African directors to present their films to UK-wide audiences. This joining of forces is a great initiative, which will increase our ability to bring talent from across the continent, which we hope will have a positive impact in terms of building audiences and raise the profile of African cinema in the UK."

The season of festivals begins with the Africa in Motion (AiM) Film Festival in Edinburgh and Glasgow (Thursday, October 24 to Sunday, November 3) then continues with Film Africa in London (Friday, November 1 to Sunday, November 10) and the Cambridge African Film Festival (November 3-7 and other dates) before concluding with Afrika Eye in Bristol (Friday, Novembe 8r to Sunday, November 10).

All four festivals are showing many other films as well as the shared content and most also feature debates and African cultural celebrations. For programming details and bookings, see: