Africa in Motion is Scotland’s major annual celebration of African cinema, and is delighted to return for the 11th year to bring audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow a wide variety of creative stories from across the African continent.
Artistically stimulating and thought provoking the programme takes on bold narratives through a range of features, documentaries and shorts. From twisted love stories in North Africa, including films Much Loved and As I Open My Eyes; to a folk story from rural Ghana entitled Nakom; to one of the first films ever made in the Tuareg language, Rain the Color of Blue with a little Red in it, paying homage to the cult classic, Purple Rain; to films looking at the Pan-African revolutions in Dakar and Cuba 1966; to the political radicals of South Africa in South African film, Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu; to reimagining of notions of Africa through science fiction film, Naked Reality, the programme showcases filmmaking talent emanating from Africa.
The programme will once again be packed with an eclectic array of director Q&As, pop-up screenings, an African TV lounge, children’s workshops and more.
Each of the films and events in the programme offers new perspectives on the continent, challenging conventional storytelling narratives and paving the way for new forms of creative expression from and about Africa’, says Justine Atkinson, Festival Manager. ‘It is vital that these films are shown widely, as they shine a spotlight on issues that affect us all. That is why it is so important for festivals such as Africa in Motion to exist, as we provide the rare opportunity to see these films on the big screen’.
Using the theme of ‘Time’ the festival will explore past, present and future notions of Africa, looking at different eras of African history including slavery, colonisation, globalisation and future concepts of the continent. The festival will look at different political, cultural and social epochs showing how Africa has never been a place bound in the past, but has always been influenced and connected to global movements.
The festival will open in Filmhouse Edinburgh with Zin’naariyâ! (The Wedding Ring), directed by Rahmatou Keïta, who will be in attendance for the screening. The film has just world premiered in the Toronto International Film Festival and makes it’s European premiere at the Africa in Motion Film Festival.
Set in Niger this vibrant and beautiful female-led story touches upon themes of love, longing, sensuality, marriage and community. Keïta’s second feature, pays homage to the fading customs of the Songhay people in Niger, documenting their ways of life and cultural traditions in order to preserve their memory for generations to come.
Some other highlights in the programme include the AiM TV Lounge, which will appear in the festival for the second year, presenting a daily selection of popular African television shows including soaps, sports shows, mockumentaries, and cooking programmes. Pop-up festivals that will take place in Paisley, Glasgow and East Lothian, Edinburgh ensuring that the festival branches out from the city centres, to include people in the outskirts of the cities. Other pop-up screenings will take place through The Nomad Cinema which will take films outside of traditional theatrical setting, into community centres, cafes, bars, churches and more.
The eleventh Africa in Motion Film Festival will be host to a number of esteemed African filmmakers, including Rahmatou Keïta, (director of The Wedding Ring), Mbithi Masya, (director of Kati Kati), Khalid Abdalla (lead actor from The Last Days in the City), Jihan El-Tahri (director of Egypt’s Modern Pharaohs and Cuba an African Odyssey) Mandla Dube (Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu), Cecilia A Zoppelletto (La Belle at the Movies) and more. As part of the BFI Black Stars programme Africa in Motion in collaboration with the other five UK-based African film festivals will bring rising stars from across the continent to take part in Q&As, red carpet events and masterclasses.
AiM will also present a special exhibition of photographs on the theme ‘African Cinema Behind the Scenes’, taken from films in the programme this exhibition will reveal the world of filmmaking from behind the scenes – catching those un-guarded moments within the pre-production and post-production stages, on set and off the film set. Since its inception in 2006, Africa in Motion has introduced nearly 35,000 audience members to the brilliance and diversity of African cinema.
Media Contact
For press tickets, hi-res images and interviews please contact Justine Atkinson on 07971740678 / [email protected]