2011 was a good year for African cinema. In various cinema seats and at home, I’ve been intrigued and moved, horrified and sickened, surprised and hugely entertained by a group of industries that together we call ‘African cinema’ — a sign that what can be expected is anything but stereotypical. In the list below, I’ve chosen films that have expanded what we might think of as ‘African cinema’. Some short films, some documentary, some fiction, some a strange mix of them all.
However, the films I can’t list are perhaps the most powerful ones of the year; those captured on mobile phones and camcorders during critical moments in uprisings, revolutions and elections that have continued to broaden our grasp on the lives and experiences of those whose lives are not yet captured by cinema. This is a new kind of viewing, and one which I think will continue to transform the aesthetic, narratives and distribution of African film in 2012.
(A note for readers: some of these films were released in 2010, but gained theatrical release or wider audiences this year so I’ve included them too. In each case a description of the film is accompanied by its trailer.)
A Screaming Man. Director Mahamat Saleh Haroun. Starring Youssouf Djaoro, Diouc Koma. Chad, 2010, 92 mins
A subtle and masterful story of a father and sons relationship, set against the backdrop of the ongoing civil war in Chad. Filmed around the glittering edges of a hotel swimming pool threatened by the outside world, Haroun’s characteristic wit and tender approach to filming continues his themes of war, fatherhood and family life.
Dirty Laundry. Dir. Stephen Abbott. Starring Bryan van Niekerk, James Ngcobo, Carl Beukes. South Africa, 2011, 16 mins
Roger has a tough time when he shows up to the Wishy Washy at 1am, and begins to separate ‘his whites from his coloreds’. A fantastic short film, a microcosm of the acerbic wit and humor evident in much post-Apartheid cinema.
The Athlete. Dir. Rasselas Lakew and Davey Frankel. Starring Rasselas Lakew. Ethiopia/USA, 2009, 93 mins
Melding breathtaking archival footage with live action, this is the extraordinary story of the triumphs and tragedies of a man considered by many to be the greatest long-distance runner in history: Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila. You can read my post on The Athlete on AIAC here.
Blood in the Mobile. Dir. Frank Piasecki Poulsen. Denmark/DRC, 2010, 82 mins
Are you reading this on your phone? Poulsen’s documentary is engrossing and hard-hitting as it implicates all of us – through our addiction to our mobile phones – in the civil war in eastern Congo. Poulsen sets out to reveal the source of ‘conflict minerals’, which he suspects are used in the world’s largest mobile phone company, Nokia. Corporate inhumanity turns out to be just as terrifying as the heart of civil war, a different devil, which Poulsen shows in this fantastic and brave documentary.
Drexciya. Dir. Akosua Adoma Owusu. US/Ghana, 2011, 12 mins
Drexciya refers to an underwater subcontinent where the unborn children of pregnant African women thrown off slave ships have adapted to breathe underwater. Poetic, eerie and stunning, an experimental short, a portrait of an abandoned Olympic sized swimming pool in Accra, Ghana, set on “The Riviera” – Ghana’s first pleasure beach.
Microphone. Dir. Ahmad Abdalla. Starring Khaled Abol Naga. Egypt, 2010, 120 mins
Released in cinemas in January 2011, nobody in Egypt saw this film, something that Khaled Abol Naga — the lead actor and co-producer of the film — is thrilled about. Instead, Egypt was in revolution. This fantastic film is part fiction, part documentary, a love letter to the underground arts scene in Alexandria. From hip hop rappers to mournful accordion players, graffiti artists and skateboarders, it is a vibrant, funny and brave snapshot of the world of art that happens beneath the radar of an ambivalent police state.
Witches of Gambaga. Dir. Yaba Badoe. Ghana/UK, 2011, 55 mins
A courageous, intimate exposé follows, over the course of five years, the experiences of some women branded as ‘witches’ by their communities, ostracised and condemned to leave their families, to live in ‘Gambaga’. Death determined by way a chicken dies, Badoe’s film tenderly and courageously exposes the moment where belief and ritual cover horror and prejudice.
No More Fear. Dir. Mourad Ben Cheikh. Tunisia, 2011, 72 mins
The first feature-length documentary about the Tunisian revolution, “No More Fear” was selected for a special screening at Cannes this year. The film brings together news footage of the demonstrations with a variety of players in the revolution, providing a diverse picture of the groundswell that rose up to topple the dictatorial regime. It is passionate, raw, and immediate. It shows a revolution pushed forward by the young, who overcame the population’s long-ingrained fear. (Good to watch with Microphone, for an ‘Arab Spring’ night.)
Viva Riva! Dir. Djo Munga. Starring Patsha Bay, Manie Malone, Diplome Amekindra. 2010, 98 min.
I’m including this, not because I thought it was particularly fantastic, but because it was a triumph in the harsh world of theatrical release for an African film. It gained pretty widespread distribution in the UK with Metrodome, and for a Congolese genre piece — a dark noir full of guns, sex and money — it did quite well. It is good, entertaining viewing.
Pumzi. Dir. Wanuri Kahiu. Starring Kudzani Moswela, Nicole Bailey, Chantelle Burger. Kenya 2009, 20 mins
African sci-fi? Yeah. You have to see it. Clever, witty, powerful ideas. A must see if you can get your hands on it.
Oh lovely. My father got me the worst bootleg copy of Microphone he could find in Alexandria, so I’ve been unable to get through it. I’ll start at the top of the list and work my way down – project for 2012. Catch up on 2011.
Nice list, but what about Kivu Ruhorahoza’s “Grey Matter?” One of the best of the year, in my opinion.
Lets keep compiling the list in the comments… I haven’t seen ‘Grey Matter’ yet, but good you mentioned it. Its on my list…
Viva Riva, the best of the of the lot , without a doubt!
Restless City!
Pumzi is available on Netflix instant view as part of a recent collection of short films from Africa. It’s good!
Thanks so much for the shout out!
Great – always on the lookout for suggestions for our African Film Festival and very glad to see three films we showed last year (Pumzi, Microphone and the Athlete – very brilliant all of them!) featured on your best-of list …
excellent, thanks for the listing and will be interested to track and watch these. Wonder if they are all coming to LoveFilm soon?
Amazing. JUST amazing.
A very interesting compilation here. That No More Fear is moving and Viva Riva is great too.
This list is fantastic. I saw Un Homme qui crie at a recent Film Africa event, and did a review of it for my blog. And like Sophia, I hope to work my way through this best-of list next year.
does someone have any info on where can we easily get hold of all these films apart from viva riva that is. Thanks
dear AIAC, o yes please Matière Grise by kivu ruhorahoza, magnifique et vraie. he is working on his second feature screenplay, Jomo. http://www.tribecafilm.com/filmguide/grey_matter-film36510.html
Africa is experiencing an explosion of great films. As the Director of Programming for The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles and a member of the permanent jury for the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), I have the privilege of seeing many great films made by and/or about people of African descent. I think the films listed are wonderful films, many of which where screened at PAFF last February. I would like to add the following to the list for those people who, like myself, LOVE African cinema: “The Figurine”, “The Child”, “I Sing of a Well”, “Soul Boy”, “Togetherness Supreme”, “Africa United”, “The Abyss Boys”, “A Small Town Called Decent”, “Chuma”, “Shirley Adams”, “The Painter” and “The First Grader”.
There are several more “African Films” that merit mention, of course. These along with the one’s mentioned elsewhere are some of my personal favorites.
Also, just want to say that there are many films coming out of the Caribbean and South America that are wonderful and could easily populate anyone’s favorite film list. The tragedy is, other than a few select film festivals, there is little opportunity to see some of our best Pan African films
right on. thanks for the info!
Great list, thanks. I look forward to the day when such films can be easily accessed and watched by many. I’ve only managed to watch 2 listed but hope to catch a couple more when the opportunity presents itself.
Nice list, I haven’t seen any of these films though heard about a couple. I’m a movie lover and watching movies based on such great stories from africa will be an absolute pleasure.
I’m surprised no movies from Nigeria made the list though..
Thanks for this. Did you manage to see TOGETHERNESS SUPREME (www.togethernesssupreme.com) from Kenya? Multiple award winning film, including Silver Dhow ZIFF 2011, Best Feature Film, African Film Festival Verona Italy 2011, Best International Film Santa Barbara (California USA) International Film Festival, Global Landscape Award, Cinequest (San Jose California USA). I am sure there are other outstanding African films not on this list. What can all of us do to further promote African films and see that they are distributed throughout the African continent?
Surprised that Figurine didn’t make it on the list.
Just back from a much-needed internet break and reading though these comments- I’m pleased so many enjoyed the list and also thrilled that more have been added- Shirley Adams is a fantastic film, and Togetherness Supreme too.
@mimitu- I am not sure where to find most of these films- I saw most of them while working for an African film festival, and just throughout the year with screeners and dvds. Perhaps AIAC will work on a list of good outlets across the different continents where we can get hold of African cinema.
Happy new year, lets hope 2012 will be another great year for cinema.