Nigerian Films Set To Shine At The 2024 Film Africa Festival

Nigerian films The Man Died, Finding Serenity, and The Kids Are Ok are confirmed for screening at the 2024 Film Africa International Festival UK, scheduled from October 25 to November 3.

The Man Died, directed by Awam Amkpa and produced by Femi Odugbemi’s Zuri 24 Productions, is a biopic of Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel Prize laureate in Literature. The film weaves anecdotes and excerpts from Soyinka’s memoirs to depict his 22-month imprisonment by the Nigerian government during the civil war.

Ademola Falomo’s Finding Serenity is an adaptation of a poem by Yimeeka, portraying a young man’s quest for peace as he navigates chaos in a dreamlike narrative.

Abbas Makama’s The Kids Are Ok offers a whimsical exploration of Nigeria’s vibrant youth-driven alternative creative scene.

Other films featured at the festival include Henry J. Kamara’s Moyo, Mati Diop’s Dahomey (the festival’s opening film), Clive Will’s Time Spent With Cats Is Never Wasted, Hickmatu Bintu Leigh’s Gboroka, Ruth Hinduma’s The Medallion, and Chikha by Ayoub Layyoussifi and Zahoua Raji.

The festival will also host discussions, including a symposium on “African Cinema Restoration and Restitution” featuring prominent film archivists and scholars. A panel moderated by curator June Givanni will address the challenges and opportunities surrounding the restoration and repatriation of African films, crucial to reclaiming the continent’s heritage.

In another highlight, Conversations With Filmmakers Sir John Akomfrah and Abderrahmane Sissako will provide insights into their extensive careers and perspectives on the evolving landscape of global cinema.

The Film Africa Festival, aimed at celebrating African cinema, will take place across various venues in London, including BFI Southbank, Picture Hackney, and The Barbican, and is an initiative of The Royal African Society (RAS).