The Royal African Society has announced the return of Film Africa 2025, the United Kingdom and Europe’s leading festival celebrating African and African diaspora cinema. Running from 14 to 23 November in London, this year’s edition will showcase more than 50 films from over 20 countries, alongside masterclasses, symposiums, and tributes to some of the continent’s most influential filmmakers.
For 10 days, audiences will experience the depth, creativity, and diversity of African cinema, from Morocco to South Africa, Nigeria to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Festival curator Keith Shiri described the event as a reflection of African filmmaking’s “tremendous creative expansion,” noting that filmmakers are “blending realism, mythology, and futurism in entirely new ways.”
“Film Africa’s role is to support this evolution, not only as a showcase but as a network that connects artists, institutions, and audiences,” said Shiri. “We aim to foster dialogue, collaboration, and visibility for African filmmakers on a global scale.”
Opening and Closing Films
The festival opens at BFI Southbank on 14 November with My Father’s Shadow (Nigeria/UK), the United Kingdom’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards. Directed by Akinola Davies Jr., the semi-autobiographical film is set during Nigeria’s 1993 election crisis and stars Sope Dirisu, alongside brothers Chibuike Marvellous Egbo and Godwin Egbo. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Davies.
The festival will close on 23 November with the UK premiere of Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions (Burkina Faso), directed by Dani Kouyaté. The Shakespeare-inspired drama reimagines Macbeth in an African kingdom, shot in black and white and steeped in West African mythology. The film leads this year’s African Movie Academy Awards nominations with 10 nods, and Kouyaté will attend the premiere for a post-screening discussion.
Spotlight on the Democratic Republic of Congo
Film Africa 2025 will shine a spotlight on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), celebrating its powerful cinematic voice. Highlights include The Tree of Authenticity by Sammy Baloji, a haunting exploration of colonial legacies in the Congo Basin; Of Mud and Blood by Jean-Gabriel Leynaud, documenting life in the mining village of Numbi; and Lobito Bound by Dwayne Fields, which follows a 4,000-kilometre expedition across southern Africa to explore the transformative Lobito Corridor.
Complementing the screenings, The Africa Centre will host Congo RE-Vue, a free digital photo exhibition showcasing the work of emerging Congolese photographers redefining how the DRC is seen.
Women’s Voices in Focus
A number of films this year centre women’s experiences across the continent. These include Promised Sky(France/Tunisia/Qatar) by Erige Sehiri, exploring female solidarity in Tunis; NAWI (Kenya/Germany), a moving story of a Turkana girl escaping child marriage; Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (South Africa), based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir set in post-independence Zimbabwe; and Aicha (Tunisia/France/Italy/Saudi Arabia/Qatar), a psychological drama about rebirth and identity.
Films from Sudan
Sudanese stories will also take centre stage, with Aisha Can’t Fly Away (Egypt/Sudan/Tunisia/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/France/Germany) by Morad Mostafa, and Khartoum (Sudan/Germany/UK/Qatar), a collaborative work by Sudanese filmmakers using donated iPhones to document lives disrupted by war.
Short Films and Emerging Talent
Over 20 short films will be screened, including Golda Kesse’s British-Ghanaian debut Adinkra, Sanaa El Alaoui’sMoroccan drama Aïcha, and Phumi Morare’s Why the Cattle Wait, which reimagines a Nguni myth. Botswana’s Moreetsi Gabang presents Baratani, a modern retelling of a folktale of love and defiance.
Tribute and Masterclass
The festival will honour Souleymane Cissé, the late Malian director who redefined African cinema, with a restored screening of his 1987 Cannes award-winning classic Yeleen (The Light).
A special BAFTA masterclass with Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan on 17 November will celebrate his pioneering influence in Nollywood, exploring his storytelling approach and collaborations with Netflix.
Symposium: African Cinema and Liberation
The intellectual highlight of the festival will be a landmark conversation at the London School of Economics on 22 November, featuring Sir John Akomfrah and Billy Woodberry. The two filmmakers will discuss how African cinema continues to reclaim narratives, challenge colonial legacies, and assert cultural sovereignty.
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