The films.
The selection and films in consideration for IAFF 2026 — features, shorts and documentaries from across Africa and the diaspora, updated as the programme takes shape.
Feature · Narrative · 14
Mirriam Phiri · Malawi · 1 min
16 Bars: King of Bawo is a hip-hop musical that follows the life of a female rapper, Lucy Msukwa, as she battles mental health and sexual harassment in the music industry. Lucy, popularly known as Lu, is an up and coming hip-hop artist who sees music as an escape from the abuse she faced in the past which led to a condition called Anti Social Personality Disorder. Lucy’s father, Msukwa, used to take her to play a game of bawo and it is where Lucy meets Gadaga who eventually defiles her. After she grows up, Lucy escapes from home and starts living on her own. She starts taking music seriously but a powerful music executive known as, Lil Money, refuses to sign her unless she sleeps with him. Lil Money signs a male rapper, Fundo, and makes him beef with Lucy in order to end her music career. Lucy is not ready to give up the hip-hop crown for a bully, so she fights to change the narrative.
Koussay Amri · Tunisia
Adam, a screenwriter suffering from creative paralysis, retreats with his devoted wife to an isolated mountain chalet, hoping to rediscover his inspiration. But as his frustration grows, so does a quiet and unsettling violence within him. One night, after accidentally cutting himself, Adam begins to see a mysterious stag-headed figure dancing in the forest — a vision only he can perceive. Convinced he has found a supernatural muse, he deliberately spills his own blood to summon the apparition, descending into nocturnal rituals inside an abandoned cave. As myth and reality blur, Adam’s obsession spirals into something far darker, revealing that the true horror may not dwell in the forest, but within the fractured depths of his own mind.
zzizinga patrick Nsimbe · Uganda · 1 min
Angry Husband is a tragic consequences of choosing wealth over true love and the silent suffering endured in abusive marriages. Delailah, a young woman torn between love and financial security, abandons her devoted lover Jef to marry Robert, a wealthy but violent man. What begins as a promise of comfort quickly descends into a nightmare of physical abuse, emotional manipulation, and control. Trapped by fear, shame, and societal expectations, Delailah endures repeated violence, sexual assault, and the loss of her unborn children, while those closest to her either fail to see the truth or are silenced forever. As Robert’s brutality escalates—claiming lives and destroying Delailah’s body and spirit—she is pushed beyond endurance. After losing her final chance at motherhood due to Robert’s cruelty, Delailah confronts the reality that escape is impossible while her abuser lives. The film opens with a haunting confession and unravels through flashbacks, culminating in a powerful climax where Delailah takes justice into her own hands. Angry Husband is a hard-hitting portrayal of domestic violence, the cost of silence, and the strength born from unbearable pain.
Kenny Daniel · Ghana · 1 min
Gregory and Tina, two people with completely opposite personalities, tie the knot only to discover that marriage is far from a fairytale. From the very first day, they clash—Tina insists on enjoying the honeymoon she planned, but Gregory dismisses it as a waste of money, determined to get back to work. What excites one irritates the other, and their daily battles soon spiral out of control. Counseling fails, their pastor cannot mediate, and even their parents prove helpless. Frustrated, Gregory drifts into womanizing, yet Tina remains startlingly indifferent—ignoring his escapades even when he boldly brings a girlfriend home. Her calm detachment unsettles Gregory more than anger ever could, leading to a heated confrontation that ends with Tina filing for divorce. But separation brings its own revelation. Away from each other, they find no one else matches the strange energy, passion, and fire they share—even in conflict. Realizing they are both each other’s challenge and completion, Gregory and Tina choose to confront their differences head-on. This time, they sit down as equals, determined to build a common ground for a lasting coexistence.
ANAHELA MEMORY CHONGO MAKUMBA · Zambia · 1 min
A man in his 30s finds it difficult to choose a life partner within his circles. He must live according to his family and society's expectations. Will he live by the rules of his society?
Kenny Daniel · Nigeria
In Search for true love and property security, Ebuka locks himself into marrying 3women from 3ECOWAS Nations. His mothers reaction and his friends interest is yet to be known. Anita the Liberian wife is genuinely loved by Ebuka, he married to her with his own choice, Ekuah the Ghanian wife, was recommended to him by his friend Kojo, his interest in making such recommendations is what you want to find out. While Ada the Nigerian wife was forced on him by his mother. The question is, who is the little girl Hadiyah.
Elvis Johnson Images · Cameroon · 1 min
''Golden spoon''is a story of a typical African woman name MAMI AGATHA,who had an faire and got pregnant for a man name MR TAMBE,who happened to be the owner of a company in Douala ,and also a married man.after discovering this she felt disappointed in herself and decided not to disclose who the father of her child was,untill her dying moment.the story golden spoon talk about problems cause by unfaithfulness in our African marriagies .
Elvis Johnson Images · Cameroon · 1 min
''Golden spoon''is a story of a typical African woman name MAMI AGATHA,who had an faire and got pregnant for a man name MR TAMBE,who happened to be the owner of a company in Douala ,and also a married man.after discovering this she felt disappointed in herself and decided not to disclose who the father of her child was,untill her dying moment.the story golden spoon talk about problems cause by unfaithfulness in our African marriagies .
Perseus Mlambo · Zambia · 1 min
When a broke architect accidentally makes a homeless former surgeon the most desired man in Africa, the government declares his anatomy a threat to national security.
Mitchell Jeke · Zimbabwe · 1 min
Set in a decaying Zimbabwean mansion in 2007, seductive vampire Amanda infiltrates the life of Maxwell Shumba, a powerful and volatile real-estate magnate. Posing as a wealthy buyer, she offers him three million dollars for his company in exchange for one night of total surrender. What begins as a calculated seduction soon turns into a dangerous psychological battle. As Amanda extracts Max’s darkest secrets through blood and intimacy, his hidden violent past emerges, pushing both into a lethal game of control and desire. Maneater is a tense, one-location African thriller that twists classic vampire lore into a story of manipulation, lust, and the hunger for power.
ZZIZINGA PATRICK NSIMBE · Uganda · 1 min
Tereza a 14 year old girl is Tembo's daughter a professional road engineer working in Nairobi, Tembo had a dream for his daughter to be the next engineer in his family and heir because he had no son but Mrs. Tembo sees Tereza as a collateral to develop her liquor bussines Tereza was taken hostage her step mother (Mrs Tembo) fails to pay the debt, Tembo returns from Nairobi trying to rescue his daughter but it was too late
Fred Eyriey · France, Réunion · 1 min
Gito is a happy man. He lives in Cilaos, a small village perched at an altitude of 1,200 meters in the heart of the mountainous cirque with the eponymous name. He grows lentils and vines and has the best yields in the entire circus because he loves what he does. When his father dies, he will have to manage the inheritance of several hectares of land, creating jealousies in an environment where land is rare. He worries the whole village by evoking the idea of giving land to farmers who would agree to take up organic farming as he and his father practice it. It is a “revolutionary” and poorly understood approach. At the age of fifty, he will also have to “discover” life and its complexity. The friendly trio he forms with his two childhood friends, Hilaire and Ann, will be undermined by the birth of a love triangle between them, not always well lived in this small village in the highland of the island. O Death, old captain, it is time! Let us weigh anchor! This country bores us, O Death! Let us set sail! If the sky and the sea are black as ink, our hearts, which you know, are filled with rays! « Les fleurs du mal » Charles Baudelaire.
seif weslati · Tunisia · 1 min
The world collapsed, but his mission remained. Navigating the echoes of a lost civilization, a father hunts for his missing son across a landscape of ruins and emptiness—a testament that even at the edge of extinction, love refuses to be extinguished.
Kenny Daniel · Nigeria · 1 min
Dr Fred very wealthy, after working real hard alongside his wife to strengthen a family business he inherited from his late father. Dr. Fred the philanthropist, the nice man as everybody will call him, he will render excess financial assistance to anybody and everybody except his brother and mother who were instrumental in keeping the family business up until he took over. Dr Fred did not hesitate to put together a huge and expensive funeral ceremony when he heard his blood brother whom he refused to help died. But something shocking happened to Dr Fred on his brother's funeral.
Feature · Documentary · 21
Mohamed anis Lekkat · Algeria
In the context of the Black Decade, a civil war in the years (1990-2002) in Algeria. A former police officer recalls his painful memories. Via this testimony, his son Mohamed Anis Lekkat makes an intimate documentary that questions the memory and legacy of a stricken generation by violence.
BOUKHEMOUCHA Ilias · Algeria
The film "Al-Hakim" (Benaouda Benzerdjeb) portrays the life and struggle of Dr. Benaouda Benzerdjeb, the first physician to die as a martyr during the Algerian War of Independence. Directed by Ilyes Boukhemoucha, the movie focuses on his professional career in the city of Tlemcen. It highlights how his medical clinic was not merely a place for treatment, but a vital hub for supporting the Mujahideen through clandestine nursing and the provision of medicine.
William G. Conlin · United States
AnimalZone swoops into the fascinating world of bats at the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida—home to more than 200 bats representing nine remarkable species (yes, that’s a lot of wings per square foot). Guided by Director Brian Pope, we take a behind-the-scenes tour of this one-of-a-kind sanctuary, founded in 1989 by the late Luis Bacardi—whose passion for fruit bats (also known as the delightfully dramatic “flying foxes”) helped spark a global conservation mission. From Florida to the far reaches of the South Pacific, Lubee is on the front lines protecting bat populations threatened by habitat loss and poaching. And while bats often get a bad rap in horror films, here’s the real plot twist: most bats are agricultural superheroes—devouring crop-destroying insects and saving farmers billions in pesticide costs, while also playing a vital role in pollination. We meet two charming insectivores—Fruit Loops and Captain Crunch—“evening bats” with a taste for Beatles and the larva from those Beatles is devastating for crops like cotton and corn. In the wild, their lives may be short, but at Lubee, with a little TLC, they can thrive for well over a decade. Meanwhile, their fruit-loving cousins can soar past 30 years—longevity with a side of cantaloupe. The episode also takes us to Lubee’s Education Center, where we uncover some of the bat world’s most curious characters—from the unusual Tomes Sword-nosed Bat (which echolocates through its nose—talk about thinking on your feet…or face), to the tiny Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat—the smallest bat on Earth, no bigger than your thumb. And then there’s Mr. Pitch—a 25-year-old fruit bat with a flair for seasonal fashion. During breeding season, he sports striking golden-orange hair, though come winter, things get…well, a bit less runway-ready and a little more ratty looking. Still, as we learn, bats are far more closely related to cats and dogs than rodents—and they hold the unique title of being the only mammals capable of true flight. Our genial guide, Brian Pope, ushers us into the high-rise real estate market of the bat world—custom cedar “bat condos” perched twenty feet in the air, facing southwest for that perfect Florida glow. Think beachfront property… if your beach were the evening sky and your neighbors didn’t believe in personal space. From there, our passport gets stamped with some of the globe’s most glamorous flyers, including the show-stopping Malayan flying fox and their far-flung cousins from the Philippines and beyond. Despite their international pedigree, they all share one refined culinary preference: cantaloupe—served, of course, at room temperature. No Michelin stars required. The episode softens (and slightly melts) as we witness a tender moment between a devoted bat mom and her pup—proof that even in the upside-down world of bats, motherhood remains right-side up. And then… we meet Arthur - a legendary, slightly goofy bat who fathered an astonishing 50 offspring. A true overachiever in the romance department. In a fitting tribute, the University of Florida preserved his skeleton, now on display—a striking reminder that beneath all that fuzz lies an architectural marvel of wings, fingers, and flight. So hang in there because this episode proves once and for all: bats aren’t just fascinating—they’re downright lovable… especially with a slice of cantaloupe. With conservation, education, and just the right touch of batty charm, this episode flips the script on one of nature’s most misunderstood creatures—and invites viewers to hang out (literally) with some of the planet’s most important night shift workers.
Omar Brams Mbaye · Senegal · 1 min
The synopsis "Destin d'un Migrant" (A Migrant's Destiny) is a feature-length documentary that explores migration and the living conditions and journeys of African migrants, whether in regular or irregular situations, as well as political asylum seekers, for various reasons. To better understand the issue and attempt to provide solutions, this documentary gives voice to major international institutions through a series of interviews (European Union, United Nations High Commissioner, France Terre d'Asile Association, IOM, and government institutions working in this field) and to returned migrants and undocumented African migrants living in Europe.
Michael Mikey T Campbell · United States
What does Diaspora mean to you? Well maybe you never heard of the word before, let’s take a look into the deeper feeling of the Diaspora and how we are shaped by it. Let’s take a look into how dance, food, and story help us stay connected no matter how much they try to tear us apart.
Gordon S. Williams · United States
Out(sider) Preservationist Gloria Smith shares insight on the difficulties and success of her work in the Texas Freedom Colony of Dabney Hill. The mission of this initiative is dedicated to commemorating Black place preservation and persistence across places and time, focusing on the creation of Black settlements and towns.
Anahela Makumba · Zambia
This is a story of love, faith, hardwork and dedication to family
AHMED ALROMI · Egypt
The hero suffers a powerful shock when he returns to the shores of Alexandria after many years away. He discovers that the sea has mysteriously lost its scent, so he decides to wander through the city’s paths, passionately searching for the lost smell of the sea.
Thomas-Jeffery Seaman · Nigeria
Not Just A Brother tells the remarkable story of an adolescent boy who has become far more than a sibling to his older sister living with disability. Unable to independently navigate menstruation, she relies on the unwavering support, compassion, and dedication of her brother, who stands in the gap with dignity, care, and understanding.
Kamogelo Kgari · South Africa
Peggy, a woman from a rural village in Limpopo, South Africa, finds herself navigating life on the streets of Soshanguve, Pretoria, as a “street surfer” hustling through the informal economy to survive. This documentary follows her daily struggles and triumphs as she battles economic hardship, social stigma, and legal challenges while striving to support her family back home. Through an intimate lens, Peggy explores themes of resilience, gender dynamics, and the realities of South Africa’s informal workforce, offering a raw and unfiltered look into the life of a woman determined to carve her own path despite the odds.
Jaisyn Passmore · United States
Set across Dolton and Chicago, Road to 708 traces the early rise of artist 708Trill as he navigates identity, pressure, and purpose. Through intimate interviews and observational footage, the film explores what it means to build before visibility; capturing where music becomes both expression and responsibility, shaped by place, people, and timing.
Gordon S. Williams · United States
"Shankleville: A Love That Still Stands" chronicles the love story of an enslaved couple who built a community in East Texas, their descendants who celebrate their contributions, and the importance of their history.
Lawrence Luhanga · Malawi
Set against the vast, wind-swept landscapes of Nyika National Park, this documentary follows Colby, an experienced explorer, as he guides a diverse group of thirty participants on a demanding four-day trek across the plateau. What begins as an adventurous escape quickly becomes a physical and psychological trial, marked by exhaustion, cold nights, steep climbs, and unpredictable terrain. As the hikers confront pain, fear, and doubt, moments of awe emerge through sweeping vistas, rare wilderness encounters, and the raw intimacy of life in the wilderness. The film captures the fragile balance between human ambition and nature’s indifference, revealing how shared hardship forges resilience, connection, and profound respect for one of Africa’s most remarkable landscapes.
Simpa Samson · Nigeria
The magnificent Afi forest in Nigeria’s Cross River State is not only home to endangered animals but also a lifeblood for the people living around it - but the Cross River State has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. Mary Ofre lives in the nearby village of Olum, where her small-scale farm provides for her family. She is part of a local women’s group that plays a vital role in monitoring and reporting illegal logging. She and the forest women of Afi stand together to protect the mountains, trees and animals of this stunning natural habitat, for everyone’s future.
Mattias Löw · Ghana, Namibia, Sweden · 1 min
From his frozen birthplace above the Arctic Circle, Hans “Hasse” Söderström emerges as a man possessed by an impossible vision: to prove that ethical gold mining can survive—and thrive—in one of the world’s most corrupt industries. At just twenty years old, Söderström abandons the Arctic silence of Lannavaara for the scorching heat of Ghana’s legendary gold fields. What begins as youthful ambition evolves into a quarter-century obsession that will consume over $10 million of other people’s money, shatter his relationships with family, and test the very limits of human determination. Across 25 brutal years, Söderström builds an empire of mining operations that sprawls across multiple African nations. But Africa exacts a savage price. Violent crime, armed robberies, and gunshot wounds become the cost of ambition. Business after business crumbles under the weight of impossible economics. Swedish and Ghanaian tax authorities transform into relentless hunters, pursuing him for millions in unpaid taxes—money that exists more in theory than in reality. The obstacles pile upon one another: financial devastation, physical danger, psychological breakdown. Every investor betrayed. Every promise broken. Every dream deferred. His family pleads with him to return home, to abandon this quixotic quest and reclaim his life. The sensible world watches and waits for his inevitable collapse. But Söderström refuses to break. In the face of crushing defeat, he clings to a singular conviction: his business model will work. Ethical extraction—respecting both the earth and the people who labor within it—can generate profit while preserving dignity and sustainability. He insists he is closer than ever to vindication. This is the story of a man who bets everything—his fortune, his family, his sanity—on an idea. Whether Söderström emerges as a visionary who transforms an industry, or as another broken dreamer buried in African soil, remains the question that haunts every frame of his extraordinary, tragic, and relentlessly compelling journey.
Masere Godwin Nyame · Nigeria
Documentary about the only Tea Plantation in West Africa.
Abdelrahman Salama, Abdelaziz Elraghy · Egypt
The Missing Part follows Egyptian filmmaker Bodz on a deeply personal and philosophical journey through the Amazon, as he searches for healing and self-discovery. Blending documentary with poetic reflection, the film explores inner and outer worlds—through encounters with nature, people, and the powerful Ayahuasca ritual. It is a meditation on fear, meaning, and how far we’re willing to go into the unknown to find what’s missing within.
Gaia Bethel-Birch, Ania Flanigan Peña · United States · 1 min
The StoryDancer offers a profound meditation on healing, authenticity, and the bravery required to pursue one’s genuine vocation. In 1977, Maria Broom made the pivotal decision to leave her prominent role at a local Baltimore news station to honor an internal pull toward dance. Over the ensuing decades, her career has spanned from instructing women and children in dance and meditation to appearing on HBO’s The Wire. Her journey stands as a powerful example of the grace found in letting go of conventional expectations to fulfill a true life’s purpose. Now 76, Maria continues to practice storydancing throughout the city, motivating individuals of all ages to embrace activities that foster personal well-being.
Houssem Eddine Jlidi · Tunisia
Omar Ridane shares with us the echoes of his childhood – memories woven with his father and mother, tender moments etched into the fabric of time. His recollections are also glimpsed with Kelibia’s forgotten history – its vanished places, its narrow streets, and the faces that are gone now but remain alive in his heart. And he speaks of the light that has guided him since his earliest steps: an endless love for the Quran and the immense dream he carries like a secret vow – to read it a thousand times before his final breath.
Jürgen Ellinghaus · France, Germany, Togo · 1 min
Shortly before the First World War, the German "Africa explorer" and film director Hans Schomburgk embarked on an unprecedented film expedition to West Africa to shoot adventure and documentary films in the exotic setting in the north of the then German colony of Togo. To this day, his films remain virtually unknown in Africa. Guided by the report of the actress Meg Gehrts, we travel more than a century later with a mobile cinema to original locations of Schomburgk's film adventures. Together with Togolese viewers, we want to question the film images regarding their historical background and the effects of colonialism. What do they show, what do they conceal about "Togoland", which at the time was praised as the "model colony" of the German Empire? And how will we have to deal with colonial film footage in the future?
Louis Wiers · Bolivia, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands
After October 7th 2023, a German man begins to question his government’s unconditional solidarity with Israel. He meets a mysterious Palestinian art galerist who invites him to a magical art exhibition. Through their conversations about the paintings, the German man slowly unlearns his distorted view of Palestinian history. As truths unfold, he begins to see through Germany’s celebrated memory culture—the claim of having "masterfully learned from the Nazi past"—revealed as an image campaign built on a toxic relationship with Israel, at the cost of Palestinian lives... A poetic, provoking art film that raises the question: What means to learn “Never again for everyone"?
Short · Narrative · 97
Peter Mourad · Egypt
After his father's death, Taher discovers that what once sustained his family no longer does, as he quietly carries the weight of responsibility.
Jesualdo Muvuma · Angola
Follows Tchicolassonhi, a 'Zungueira' (in Angola, the term for female street vendors), in her daily struggle for better conditions for herself and her family. It is an almost endless journey in pursuit of the '50 Kz', one of the lowest-value and most widely circulated coins in Angola (around €0.4), which may mean little to many, but bring color to the life of a Zungueira. Beyond the subjectivity of value, the film delves into themes of grief, resilience, and offers a social critique of the police violence that Zungueiras face every day. The entire film was animated frame by frame in Adobe Photoshop, edited in Davinci Resolve, and is the result of a mixture of digital and traditional art (many of the backgrounds and textures were made with watercolour and oil pastel).
Yehya Mohy Eldien · Egypt
A struggling young man faces possible job loss while living with his mother, as one tense night reveals their emotional distance, past regrets, and unfulfilled lives.
Lungisani Lucas Gwadiso · South Africa
A SHEPHERD’S JOY is a heart warming and inspiring Fictional Drama genre short film , set in the current times at the Matatiele villages(Kwamzongwana), it follows the life of a disheartened school dropout who becomes a herd boy. He faces a melancholy journey and overcomes his employer’s cruelty to achieve his dream of becoming a flock owner. When his father send him to a wealthy flock owner, Gcinikhaya’s laziness and negligence provokes his employer’s cruelty which sees him getting paid six barren awes as his annual salary. With the guidance of his father and his own determination, Gcinikhaya learns a solution for the barren awes and excels as a herd boy, using music and kindness to tend the cattle. His efforts earn him respect and fair treatment from his employer. He returns home with a decent payment and expands his flock, joining forces with his father to grow their family business.
Vennessa Hanshaw, Mark Anthony Deacon · Jamaica
Ren, a twelve-year-old girl, is forced to keep the household together as her mother, Catherine, drowns her sorrows with alcohol after the untimely passing of her husband, Winston, Ren’s father. That unexpected loss changed everything for both mother and daughter as they tried to cope in their own way. Things took a turn for the worse as Catherine now had to take on the role of a single mother, trying to find her way into the workforce, where she had not been in years. Now the real possibility of them being evicted has presented itself. Amidst her frustration, Catherine has verbally and physically abused Ren and resented her for the type of relationship she had with Winston. One morning, after one of Catherine's drunken, abusive outbursts, Ren decides to confront her. During this conflict, Catherine is reminded of memorabilia from her husband and decides to sit and talk with Ren. Ren took the opportunity to speak her mind and pleaded with her to change because she could only do so much; the rest was now up to Catherine.
Boubecrine Ibrahim El mamy · Mauritania
Anima is a silent, poetic human drama that follows a Mauritanian young man with albinism, rejected by a society that sees only his appearance. In a world filled with unspoken fear and exclusion, he searches for his true self—Anima, the inner light that protects him from outer darkness. His paralyzed mother, silent and immobile, is the only one who truly sees him, not with her eyes, but with her heart. The film uses silence, visual storytelling, light, and gesture to explore isolation, dignity, and the human soul beyond words.
Tarik Rasmi · Morocco
After revealing his life-threatening illness, Souleiman embarks on a desperate search for someone to look after his sick brother. As hope fades and reality closes in, he is driven to make an unexpected decision that changes everything and leads to an unpredictable ending.
Aria Analise Dines · United States
"And when great souls die, after a period peace blooms, slowly and always irregularly. Spaces fill with a kind of soothing electric vibration. Our senses, restored, never to be the same, whisper to us. They existed. They existed. We can be. Be and be better. For they existed." - Maya Angelou
Michael Wilson · South Africa
A young DC and his high school crush Jen sit together on a porch in a Sowetan Township and write music together. DC suffers from a stutter which has broken his confidence and his ability to tell Jen how he truly feels about her. When a man arrives and takes Jen on a date all DC wants to do is ask her stay but can’t get the words out. When Jen leaves DC finds the words in his music but leaves. Five years later a famous DC, his Manager and entourage celebrate on the eve of his world tour at an upper market restaurant in Soweto. During the celebrations DC spots Jen across the restaurant on a date with another man. Now all DC wants is the opportunity to speak to her but faces all the challenges of the past plus his new challenges of not sabotaging his world tour and upsetting his Manager. DC and Jen through circumstance bump into each other in the restaurant with Jen doing most of the talking and DC once again unable to tell her how he feels. However, he does find out that Jen and her date are going to a local tavern after dinner where DC first performed to an audience. He conspires to escape from his Manager and entourage to meet Jen there. DC’s Manager is against DC but after seeing how determined DC is and reading a song that DC has written for Jen that he believes would be a huge hit for them he agrees to help DC. DC joins the band on stage at the tavern and performs the song he wrote for Jen and can express all his feelings for her. Jen leaves her date and tells DC that it is about time. DC and Jen dance together as the band play.
Soliman Mohamed Hamza · Egypt
The film tells the story of a young man in his twenties who works in a remote field. On his journey, he tries to buy a donkey to help him with the hardship of work, but when he fails, he himself becomes the donkey.
Oluwafikayomi Oyewole · Nigeria
In the bustling city of Abeokuta, we meet two lovers, Adekola and Ewa, both unsure of what the future holds for them. After making promises of staying together forever, the society puts them to test. Will their love be strong enough to overcome it ? Find out in the film.
Rabia joy Danladi · Not Specified
Being a Man follows an ordinary man crushed under the silent expectations society places on masculinity. Through his sleepless nights, solitary walks, and the way he watches his son play, the film explores the inner world of a man collapsing unseen. Carried by an intimate voice-over, this short film questions the quiet violence of masculine injunctions: be strong, stay silent, keep moving forward. Always. Until suffocation.
Hazar Abbassi · Tunisia
On the day when songs celebrate her union with her cousin — the man who broke her — Nour searches for a way out behind the veils of silence. A fragile yet furious escape begins, unfolding between the forest and the sea.
Irene Smalls · United States
True story of Black History's beginning with Antoney and Isabella, two of the first documented Africans brought to the US in 1619, and parents of the first documented African-American in 1624
Uchenna Francis-Ukwuoma · Nigeria
Born 2 Be Great is a powerful African animated short film that explores the silent battles we fight within ourselves. Through the story of a boxer confronting his fears, the film examines self-talk, resilience, and the unbreakable spirit required to rise above doubt. Rooted in African strength and symbolism, this inspirational animated drama reminds us that the longest conversation we will ever have is the one we have with ourselves, and that victory begins the moment we choose Belief over Fear.
Zzizinga Patrick Nsimbe · Not Specified
Kamyuka steals a bag from an elderly man, expecting valuables, but instead finds medicine and a phone reminding its owner to take it. Realizing the man depends on it, guilt overwhelms him. He returns to make things right, setting off on a path of redemption.
Kopedi Aphane · South Africa
Lerato has endured an abusive relationship with Zulu for years, accepting her situation as an unchangeable reality. When she discovers she is pregnant, Lerato is driven to escape Zulu’s grasp and seek a stable environment for her child. However, Zulu refuses to let her go, leading to a violent confrontation. Their new neighbor, Pule, who witnessed his own mother’s death at the hands of his father, is determined to intervene and stop Zulu before he can harm Lerato.
Oluwatamilore Adeshiyan, Eriifeoluwa Olurin · Nigeria
Bridging the Gap follows the intense encounter between Nedu, a physically impaired young protester, and Officer Danjuma, a conflicted police officer, during a violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrations in Lagos, Nigeria. As both men hide together in the aftermath of a protest, they are forced to confront their opposing views on Nigeria’s social and political crisis. Through a tense dialogue, they explore themes of generational conflict, police brutality, and the fight for justice. Featuring real footage from the 2020 EndSARS protests, this film captures the emotional and ideological divide while ultimately questioning what it means to build a better future for a divided nation.
Andrew Brow Mayaba · Zambia
CHECK Synopsis A man sits alone in an open field, contemplating the weight of inherited expectations. Through raw internal monologue, he explores the burden of masculine silence the pressure to break invisibly while the world watches. Using chess as metaphor, he reveals how boys become men through damage, how they're crowned kings before understanding the rules. In a moment of clarity, he makes a choice that refuses to pass down a broken system. A haunting meditation on what strength really means when you didn't choose the game and what freedom looks like when you finally decide to rewrite it.
Fernand Mazidar · Cameroon
CHEDECHE, a 70‑year‑old man, lives secluded in his room, almost abandoned by his family, in an atmosphere of loneliness and emotional coldness. One morning, he discovers that he has been transformed into a vampire dependent on human light.
Zakaria Shinali Inyende · Uganda
An ordinary school day turns terrifying when strangers arrive. But a child’s quick thinking proves that safety begins with what we teach at home.
Toavina Michel Rakotosoa · Madagascar
A battle of ideas between freedom and authoritarianism in a land called Nanisland through the war of colors
Jackie Shawn · United States
A young fashionista, Kennedy, battles living in her mother's legendary shadow. While competing to redefine her own legacy in the fashion world.
Jesualdo Muvuma · Angola
“Dipanda Dya N’Ngola” (“The Independence of Angola”) is a short animated film that, through a single unmoving frame, traces the symbolic formation of a nation’s “body.” As time passes, a statue (a symbol of Angola's independence) rises where there was once only landscape, before the arrival of Portuguese colonizers. It is not simply built — it is forged in the fire of conflict, shaped by violence, and purified by rain, until it finally stands complete beneath the blue skies of Luanda. The film revisits, in a symbolic manner, Angola’s process of independence, reminding us that Dipanda was not an isolated historical event, but a long and collective journey marked by struggle, loss, resilience, and hope. The statue of Agostinho Neto — poet, revolutionary, and Angola’s first President — emerges as a silent witness to the cost of freedom and the weight of memory. This is a film that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Angola's independence, celebrated in 2025.
Mohamed El khodary · Morocco
In a world overwhelmed by screens, a young man finds himself trapped in an endless cycle of scrolling through social media stories. When his smartphone addiction begins to erase his sense of time, identity, and connection to reality, he enters an experimental therapy designed to cure digital dependency. Through this unusual process, he is forced to confront his fears, his loneliness, and the silence he has long avoided. The film explores our collective addiction to smartphones and questions whether true disconnection is still possible.
Mohamett Derman · Somalia
A young man crosses the desert seeking a better life, but isolation, fading memories, and silence force him to confront his past, his pain—and the truth about himself. Dust Will Remember Me is a critically recognized short film, reviewed by Film Threat.
Akono François Mvondo, Alexandre Kévin Elang Mana · Cameroon
EBOTE is an orphan and she’s born into a country divided into four. EBOTE wanders in every country and suffers scornful looks and violence of every inhabitant from all these countries. Affected with albinism, no one has the slightest consideration for her. However, EBOTE who has not been to school and whose existence is worthless to the inhabitants of the four countries; that had been at war for a very long time, takes the initiative to reconcile them so that peace will reign.
AYODEJI SANNI · United Kingdom
Jade, British African found herself at the tail end of a new immigrant policy in the UK that tried to erase her from the system, but she was not alone.
Ayobami Temitope shittu · Nigeria
### **Eid Mubarak – Short Film Summary** **Eid Mubarak** is a reflective cinematic short film told through the eyes of Haleemat, who revisits the sights, sounds, and emotions of Eid from childhood to adulthood. Beginning with the quiet anticipation of Eid morning, the film follows Haleemat as she observes a bustling household preparing for the day, families making their way to the Eid ground, and a community coming together in prayer. Through poetic narration, she reflects on the excitement of waking up on Eid, the beauty of seeing thousands gathered in worship, and the sense of unity that transcends individual struggles. As the day unfolds, the film captures the joy of celebration—hugs, laughter, photographs, and children receiving Eid gifts—before shifting to the deeper meaning of sacrifice, generosity, and sharing through the preparation and distribution of food. By evening, Haleemat reflects on how her understanding of Eid has evolved. What once seemed to be about new clothes, food, and festivities is revealed to be something more profound: togetherness, community, and the rare opportunity for people to reconnect with one another. At its heart, **Eid Mubarak** is a visual essay about faith, memory, belonging, and the enduring power of community. It celebrates not just the traditions of Eid, but the human connections that make the day meaningful.
Keyur Maharaj · South Africa
An existential journey of Love and Loss. In Exodus 4, we follow Hildegard as he comes to terms with a Love he lost and the internal battle of it ever having existed.
Mohamed kentaoui · Morocco
Two brothers endure a suffocating isolation one paralyzed, the other torn between sacrifice and burnout. The minutiae of daily life morph into an existential battle against illness, mortality, and the weight of family ties. Tensions mount, culminating in a single moment that changes everything.
SEKKOURI ALAOUI AYOUB · Morocco
A fourteen-year-old orphan lives in an orphanage where his innocence, stubbornness, and naivety constantly get him into trouble. The other children mock him, bully him, and beat him, while the staff, exasperated by his clumsiness and mistakes, often shout at him in frustration. Despite the daily violence and humiliation, he refuses to surrender his dignity or his rights. He defends himself the only way he knows how, even though it often leaves him angry, hurt, and deeply frustrated. His only refuge is a small diary he has secretly kept for a long time. In it, he writes down everything he endures, every injustice, every insult, every humiliation, clinging to the hope that one day he will be able to tell it all to God.
Keoagile Evangelist · South Africa
In a tale of love, disappointment, hurt, and alcohol abuse, Thapelo faces a deeply personal and harrowing truth. For two years, he has kept a devastating secret from his wife: he was responsible for their daughter's death in a car accident while driving under the influence. As the guilt becomes unbearable, Thapelo is forced to confess, shattering their relationship. The film explores the consequences of mixing two things that should never go hand in hand—drinking and driving, and the weight of personal responsibility. It leads audiences through an emotional journey, revealing how a single mistake can unravel lives.
Hicham Elladdaqi · Morocco
After being abandoned by his beloved, Khaled leaves the city of his childhood, where he now feels like a stranger. He sets out in search of someone to help him escape this place, seeing this journey as a final farewell to a lost love.
Daniele Gobbin · Ethiopia, Italy
In Addis Ababa, Robba dreams of becoming an athlete. Torn between work and family duties, he gives up running. His sister Nardos and their friends turn a vacant lot into a track, offering him one last chance to race. “Great Games” was born in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and is performed by teenagers who, until recently, were living on the streets. Young people who have experienced the city from the ground up: sidewalks, nights outdoors, drugs, and days without promises. Part of the crew also comes from similar backgrounds. For this reason, the film is not just a story being told, but a shared journey: a creative process in which real lives have found space within cinema, giving a voice to those who are rarely heard. The film explores that suspended age in which one is still a child yet already forced to grow up. For those who grow up on the margins of the city, pursuing a dream means confronting poverty, uncertainty, and choices that come far too early every single day. “Grandi Giochi” observes these young people as they search for their place in the world, balancing between the street and the possibility of a future. This short film, shot between January and February 2026, is not only a narrative but also an experience of participation and learning. Through cinema, the young people involved were able to explore new possibilities, working together both in front of and behind the camera, and contributing to the creation of a project with a unique human and creative value—transforming their own lives into images.
Jomana Nasser · Egypt
On Mother’s Day, two sisters try to create a warm moment amid the cold of violence, life’s contradictions, and painful memories—but the day ends with an “unexpected gift” for their mother.
Odaro Eguavoen · Nigeria
Born deaf but blessed with extraordinary healing abilities, Ovie has become both the pride and lifeline of his community. People come to him seeking his touch, while his guardian, Tega, quietly profits from each session. When an NGO scholarship offers Ovie the opportunity to pursue university education in a distant town, he glimpses a life beyond the silence that has always defined him. But his departure threatens to upend the status quo, and the community rallies to keep their healer home. Ovie’s future lies in the crossroads between the dreams he has never been allowed to voice and the obligation he has only ever known.
Micheal Ajayi · Nigeria
AdeJazz, Africa celebrated jazz artist, during an interview sessions learns of allegations strung against him by his girlfriend accusing him of sexual assault. The story unfolds inside a Lagos courtroom. The prosecution presents an audio recording of a heated argument, medical reports detailing severe injuries, and testimony from Cynthia and her best friend, all pointing toward abuse and sexual assault. The defense counters with claims of manipulation, inconsistencies in Cynthia’s story, and questions about motive. As AdeJazz takes the stand, he admits to a volatile argument but denies violence. He introduces a new layer to the case: their relationship involved consensual BDSM practices. What Cynthia calls assault, he describes as consensual intimacy that escalated after a fight. The courtroom becomes a battleground for larger themes — celebrity power, consent, feminism, male vulnerability, public perception, and the weaponization of social media. Careers collapse, reputations fracture, and private details become public spectacle.
Karim Mohamed Mekkawy · Egypt
A lonely, introverted child escapes his apartment during a heated argument between his parents and meets a puppeteer on the building staircase who is on his way to sell his puppet box to pay the rent. The puppeteer decides to give one last performance for the child.
Yuba Habi · Algeria
Experimental , Psychological Drama , Surrealist Logline : In a world where reality blurs with memory, a child confronts the reflection of his past in the mirror, seeking to understand the invisible scars left by adults and the silence that hides his broken innocence. Synopsis : Set in a space between dream and memory, the film follows a child trapped among recurring images, familiar faces, and echoing voices. Through his gaze and reflections, an inner world of fear, longing, and confusion unfolds. It is a visual and emotional journey into the memory of a generation marked by inherited wounds rather than chosen ones. Scenes repeat like fractured mirrors of the same moment, turning innocence into a painful question about the traces adults leave within children often without realizing it. Through image, gesture, and silence, the film exposes the hidden side of memory, where every reflection becomes a confrontation with the self.
Isvânia Morázia, Luis Figo Sanda · Angola
After the birth of her son, Fató goes through days filled with silence, looks that pass her by, and a body she no longer recognizes. Between inherited gestures, restrained affections, and words that weigh heavily, motherhood reveals itself as an intimate and lonely territory, where being seen becomes an urgency once again.
Abdelaziz Elraghy · Egypt
In a dark alley amid the chaos of war, a terrified young man named Kirolos flees from gunfire and explosions, seeking temporary shelter inside an abandoned garage. There, he encounters Abdullah, another young man hiding from the same fate. Despite their different religious backgrounds, the two sit side by side, sharing fear, silence, and what may be the final moments of their lives. Their whispered prayers—blending Christian and Muslim faith—reveal a shared humanity that transcends division. As danger draws closer, their brief conversation turns into a quiet reflection on life, death, and all that remains unlived. But when the sound of a soldier’s footsteps reaches their hiding place, a wedding ring lying on the ground becomes a haunting symbol of everything that can be lost in an instant.
Salimata Ouedraogo · Burkina Faso
Selma, une jeune étudiante en Master tombe amoureuse de JAMES, le mari de sa voisine. Sa meilleure amie la pousse à sortir avec ce dernier mais son éducation et son sens d'humanisme la retiennent. N'en pouvait plus à cette situation Selma se rend chez un marabout pour séparer JAMES de sa femme.
Devonte Infinity, CAOZTICPRAYER · United States
𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 is a deeply personal narration of an incident involving non-consensual acts — a story that has long sparked debate and reflection. SA is a tragedy that occurs far more often than we realize. This film is a survivor’s story — not intended to target or cast blame on any particular group, but to shed light on a difficult truth. Our hope is that this project serves as a platform to raise awareness, encourage empathy, and spark necessary conversations around this topic.
Devonte Infinity, CAOZTICPRAYER · United States
𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 is a deeply personal narration of an incident involving non-consensual acts — a story that has long sparked debate and reflection. SA is a tragedy that occurs far more often than we realize. This film is a survivor’s story — not intended to target or cast blame on any particular group, but to shed light on a difficult truth. Our hope is that this project serves as a platform to raise awareness, encourage empathy, and spark necessary conversations around this topic.
Tommy Lungu · Zambia
Two look-alike ladies accidentally discover that they are dating the same guy. they plan to get back at him secretly.
Elie Mulap · South Africa
Jarago, Hermann, Chadrack, and Salva discover the beach for the first time. None of them knows how to swim, so they stay near the shore, cautious. But Jarago, eager to stand out, ventures farther in. His friends cheer him on… until he starts struggling with the water and then disappears beneath the surface. Panicked and unable to get back up, Jarago thinks he’s going to die. A rope thrown by rescuers becomes his only hope. He clings to it between life and death. He eventually resurfaces. Changed forever.
Henry Kumbanga · Malawi
Last page is a silent, observational short film that brings awareness to the vandalism of electricity infrastructure in Malawi and its human cost. The film opens on a lit house at night, then moves inside to follow a female student studying on her table. Through close, intimate shots we see her handwriting notes, fully focused on her future. In a single moment the electricity dies. The room goes black. Her frustration is seen and clear as she lights a candle to keep working. A final voiceover addresses the audience directly. Those who steal electricity equipment add to the load shedding. The film ends with a call to action to report vandalism to police or authorities.
Jaisyn Passmore · United States
Confined to his home, a film producer moves through a familiar morning routine disrupted by physical limitation and technical delay. As deadlines loom and footage buffers, Late, But On Time explores presence, process, and the quiet persistence of creative labor.
Sora Saqr · Egypt
Layla returns home after work. She tears off the calendar page and throws it into a trash bin full of pages. Her mother asks her if she wants to eat, but she declines. She decides to go out for lunch. She eats, sits, lost in thought. She sees a message about an urgent meeting at 7 pm. When she gets home, she finds it past 7 pm. The internet is down, she can’t fix it... her world is collapsing. In the midst of it, she receives a message, making her pause and reconsider her day, and maybe her life.
Fatimata Larba Tibo Ouédraogo · Burkina Faso
Monica est d'une jeune femme consciente de ses droits et devoirs. Elle vit dans une société où subir une déception amoureuse est devenu une règle et c'est le plus fort mentalité qui gagne. Cependant, Monica refuse cette réalité, c'est ainsi qu'elle poursuit son ex fiancé Gildas en justice après que Celui ait rompu leur relation de manière brutale. Un jugement qui va remettre en cause certaines croyances dans cette société.
Meried Birhanu · Ethiopia
An ethiopian mother waiting for her children on hollyday but non of them are comming then she recall her memories by watching her old family photoes and she griefs.
Uchenna Francis-Ukwuoma · Nigeria
The story of two brothers bound by a love that transcends life on earth. A touching tale of brotherhood, love, loss, and redemption. Through grief, memory, and rediscovery, this book reminds us that even in pain, love endures. To the One Who Is Made with Love
Anahela Makumba · Zambia
Two kids suddenly loose both their parents in a road traffic accident and the tragedy changes their lives drastically.
Oluwatamilore Adeshiyan · Nigeria
During a sweltering night in Lagos, a power outage leaves a young couple exposed in their apartment. When two intruders break in searching for hidden money, the night spirals into a tense psychological standoff where fear, secrecy, and moral limits are tested. As the darkness deepens, Midnight Visitors explores the fragile boundaries between survival, guilt, and the choices that haunt us long after the lights return.
Zakaria Shinali Inyende · Uganda
When 8-year-old Bianca overhears her father say that only a miracle can save her dying mother, she open her savings tin and sets out to buy one. Her innocent quest touches the heart of a visiting doctor, who ends up giving her mother the life-saving surgery she needs—proving that miracles do exist, sometimes paid for with nothing more than love and a few coins.
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Manuelly Leshika N'landou-Tchibindat · Congo, Côte d'Ivoire
Fleure, a young girl with a generous heart, possesses a unique gift: her tears make flowers, plants, and marvelous fruits grow. In her village struck by drought, where a bitter king deprives his people of food, Fleure discovers that her power may be the key to saving all the inhabitants.
Rabia Joy Danladi · Burkina Faso
In a world where insolence clashes with tradition, we find Myriam a disrespectful and contemptuous young woman. She falls victim to a fake curse orchestrated by her grandmother, designed to force her into a long-overdue confrontation with herself.
Gabi Bania · United Kingdom
Suzy and Billy are an unhappy middle-aged couple whose affection has long faded away. Suzy feels used by her careless husband, enslaved by the role of a subordinate housewife. She escapes from her worries and loneliness into an addiction of night's gluttony, spending night hours next to the kitchen’s refrigerator. However, one night, her depressing fate is going to change thanks to a visit of two female vampires, who become for her a model of the strong, independent, and emancipated woman she always wanted to be. "Nibbling of the Night" is a women-empowering film and a black comedy with an inspiring moral, which, under a mask of humour, presents a story about the mutual understanding of three women who help each other, creating a female alliance. Although they seem to be the exact opposite of one another, they are united by a common desire for freedom, happiness and living as independent and emancipated. The film also tells the problem of unhappy people who lack the strength to make the necessary changes in their lives and who need the stimulus given to them by others to take control of their fate again. The animation contains numerous references to Gothic literature, and all the characters' dialogues are spoken in rhymes similarly to the Polish stage dramas of the Romantic era. The film was made using the classic stop-motion puppet animation technique. Everything in the animation was hand-made, hand-painted, and hand-animated. This 12-minute long film took over three years of hard work to create.
Anahela M Makumba · Zambia
After the tragic death of his fiancée Nina, Suzyo struggles to move on as strange and disturbing encounters begin to haunt him in his flat. Nina’s presence appears in dreams, reflections, and whispers, blurring the line between grief and supernatural reality. Desperate for answers and closure, Suzyo seeks the help of a spiritualist who claims to communicate with the dead. During a spiritual ritual, Nina’s spirit finally manifests, revealing a dark truth behind her death.
SIPHO DEE ZENA · South Africa
A powerful historical drama, “Nongqawuse” tells the story of a young Xhosa girl whose visions ignite one of the most tragic movements in South African history. As colonial pressure tightens and her people search for hope, Nongqawuse’s prophecy promises renewal — but demands an unimaginable sacrifice. The film explores faith, leadership, and the devastating cost of belief, revealing how one voice changed the destiny of a nation forever.
Zzizinga Patrick Nsimbe · Uganda
Kikonyongo is a young university graduate searching desperately for work. As opportunities slip away, rejection and hardship force him into a corner, revealing the painful reality of unemployment and the quiet struggle of a generation fighting to survive.
mahmoud Mohamed Ismail · Egypt
Noah wakes up to another heavy morning, carrying the invisible weight of a life that feels increasingly suffocating. His movements are slow, his body tense, and every small action reveals the silent battle happening inside him. Through fragments of his day, we begin to see a man trapped between memory and reality. Physical pain, emotional numbness, and the quiet pressure of the world around him blur together. Noah tries to function normally, but something inside him is clearly breaking. In the final moments, a disturbing discovery hints that Noah’s struggle may be deeper than anyone realizes, setting the stage for a darker journey ahead.
Robert Alvarado · United States
“Oh Henry” follows Jason, a man tormented by his past. When a stranger named Henry suddenly appears, Jason must confront the question haunting him most—is Henry a friend, or something far more sinister? As the night unfolds, reality blurs and terror takes hold in this chilling tale of guilt, madness, and the ghosts we invite in.
Paul Danmole · Nigeria
A terrifying Lagos abduction spirals into mythic warfare when a nation collapsing under insurgency awakens an ancient force known only as Jakuta.
Medouda Soheyb Aymen, Rdawniya Abd Mohaymn · Algeria
A Guy suffering from Maladaptive daydreaming gets shaken up by a bizarre incident
Jesualdo Muvuma · Angola
Stopped at a traffic light in the streets of Maianga, a neighborhood in Luanda, a man—to the sound of Paulo Flores’s 'Planos'—succumbs to the exhaustion of a grueling life and momentarily detaches from the real world. Inside the car, the music transforms the cabin into a portal to another dimension: his inner universe. Between the rawness of the city and the lightness of a dream, we are taken on a visual journey where he revisits his youth, his fears, lost loves, and unfulfilled plans. A story about memories, freedom and music, merging reality and animation into a single emotional flow.
Rym Maincerp · New Caledonia
On a beach in Nouméa, New Caledonia, Rose and Mahdi reconnect after years apart. Rose is deeply rooted in her land. Mahdi, a descendant of Algerian deportees, carries multiple histories across continents. Over the course of one night, their encounter unfolds around a simple question: to stay, or to leave. Together, they are trying to imagine a world that can stand and hold. Blending series, music, and visual storytelling, RESONANCE explores identity, memory, and belonging not as fixed answers, but as a movement toward connection. Artificial intelligence is used as a creative tool to support new narratives of connection and care. Designed as a participatory experience, the audience is invited to take part in the story and shape its ending. RESONANCE explores not only the relationship between humans and nature, but also the invisible ecosystems connecting memory, culture, technology, and the living world. Between the sound of a heartbeat and the rhythm of the ocean, something intimate begins to open toward the collective.
Dave Mitz · United States
Dating can be hard, and it doesn’t matter who you are. Written, Directed, Produced, Shot & Edited by Dave Mitz
Faical Hlimi · Morocco
A man suddenly wakes up inside a sterile, windowless room, with no memory of how he got there. Soon, two others join him, each holding a key. None of them knows the reason for their confinement. Are they dead? Prisoners? Or part of some experiment? The quest to escape the room becomes an illusion, revealing a repeating cycle tied to conscience, regret, and the search for self.
Jackie Shawn Simmons · United States
After breaking into an empty studio for one last thrill, a reckless young couple is forced to confront their incompatible futures when a stranger’s heated divorce call shatters the illusion of their love.
Loyiso Paul Pududu · South Africa
A 16-year old boy, lamenting his failure to mourn his mother finds the distance between him and his alcoholic father growing wider.
Oluwagbenga Stephen Edun · Nigeria
In a private school led by a principal who is easily controlled by money, we meet Tiwa. Tiwa is a shy girl and a stammerer who is a new student. Tiwa's arrival in the school is welcomed by a bullying scene involving Victor, a young man as the victim of Olamide, the daughter of the school principal financier. The scene is led to various bullying attempt from Olamide with backing up from the principal. Tiwa suddenly decides to take a revenge after a shocking revelation. Will she succeed in her revenge? or will it take a twist?
jasper Noland · United States
As the four friends struggle to navigate grief, ambition, and survival, their paths begin to diverge. Daren becomes entangled in a darker lifestyle, and Noah is forced to confront the weight of loyalty and the promise of opportunity. With college on the horizon, Noah stands at a crossroads: one road leads back to the streets and the family that embraced him in his lowest moments; the other, toward uncertain freedom.
Azarias Mehta · Kenya
A short portrait of the life of an alcoholic university graduate , wrestling with boredom , unemployment and existential dread
Simon Freitas · United States
The 5th of July follows Ashley Turner in the tense aftermath of a violent Fourth of July incident she’s desperate to leave behind. When a seemingly harmless energy provider salesman named Jeff Carson shows up at her door, the conversation starts off routine — but quickly becomes something far more unsettling. As Jeff continues pressing her with oddly specific questions, Ashley realizes he may know exactly what happened that night. Trapped inside an increasingly intense confrontation, she struggles to maintain control as the walls begin closing in and the truth threatens to surface.
Elie Mulap · South Africa
Jarago, Hermann, Chadrack, and Salva discover the beach for the first time. None of them knows how to swim, so they stay near the shore, cautious. But Jarago, eager to stand out, ventures farther in. His friends cheer him on... until he starts struggling with the water and then disappears beneath the surface. Panicked and unable to get back up, Jarago thinks he’s going to die. A rope thrown by rescuers becomes his only hope. He clings to it between life and death. He eventually resurfaces. Changed forever.
Fidae Sbaai · Morocco
A young man lives in a dark, strange chamber, unsuitable for a decent life, trying to cope with constant disturbances from outside. One day, strange people bring him something that will change his life and lead him on a journey of contradictions, troubles and uncertainties.
Zakaria Shinali Inyende · Uganda
A young woman reflects on her past mistakes and the harmful ways she once lived. Confronting who she has become, she chooses to let go of her old self and start anew—changing her actions, seeking what is right, and finding spiritual grounding as she begins a transformed life.
Mazen Mohamed Elsayed · Egypt
A journalist arrives to cover a major environmental event, only to be stopped by a security gate that triggers a continuous alarm, despite him removing every metal object he possesses. In a spiraling and humiliating ordeal, he is forced to strip off his clothing piece by piece amidst the mockery of the onlookers. Ultimately, he discovers that the 'contraband' the scanner is hunting for is not what anyone suspects—and that ignoring a minute detail in the instructions has landed him in an utterly mortifying situation.
Gaby Ngassa Jeanne céleste · Cameroon
Cameroun, 1914 a king arises against German colonisation in Douala. Behind him stands all the Douala people.
MURYELLE ALEXANDRA KOFFI YIWOH N'GUESSAN · Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa
After 15 years of silence, a heartbroken mother receives the unexpected visit of her estranged father. As they face their painful past and long-buried wounds, she uncovers a life-altering truth about her father.
Simamkele Mrwetyana · South Africa
After Zenzele gets humiliated and rejected by her aunt for her differing beliefs about umemulo, the documentary Zenzele, Khumo and Amina are making gets side tracked. Throughout their journey to complete the documentary, the three are faced with personal obstacles dealing with external rejection: political, cultural and romantic.
Odaro Eguavoen · Nigeria
After the sudden death of a husband and father, a widow and her three children find themselves at the center of a burial that offers more spectacle than solace. Set against the backdrop of Nigerian tradition, the film quietly observes how communal ritual can deepen the family’s isolation rather than ease their grief. The Noise Around Her Black is a portrait of mourning, exploring how culture’s insistence on outward display can obscure the quiet needs of a family left behind.
Ben Guest · Namibia
A girl, sent to the store to buy milk, has to overcome a series of obstacles.
Sibusiso Calvin Zulu · South Africa
Slow Burning Candle is a poetic short film that explores the emotional legacy of poverty, trauma, and generational resilience through the eyes of a young woman named Lesedi. Inspired by a moving poem by Peloentle Olifant, the film unfolds as a visual meditation on light, pain, and hope. Told through evocative imagery and layered voiceover, the story follows Lesedi as she reflects on her upbringing — her mother’s quiet strength, her father’s absence, and the weight of survival in a world dimly lit by struggle. The candle becomes a central metaphor: fragile yet persistent, quietly burning through darkness. As Lesedi journeys through memory, hardship, and self-discovery, she confronts the fear of becoming what she has inherited — but dares to dream beyond it. In the film’s powerful conclusion, she chooses not to remain the candle, but to become the sun. Slow Burning Candle is an artistic tribute to Black womanhood, generational endurance, and the quiet flames that keep communities alive — until they rise.
Mohamed Anaanaa · Morocco
A secret place inside a public high school embraces students’ freedom and an indirect bond between admirers, serving also as a private passage for the other. Once exposed to the administration, surveillance cameras are installed and everyone abandons it. Later, the walls are repainted and the writings erased, so the memories of the place vanish and its trace dies as if it had never existed.
Yana Bille-Chung · United States
When a kind young couple is offered the chance of a lifetime to purchase their dream house from an ailing octogenarian at a fraction of its asking price, they eagerly accept. However, the deal comes with a significant catch: the older woman must live with them until her death, at which point the house will become theirs.
Katerina Sigala · United States
Five spoiled heirs gather at a remote farm for the reading of their uncle’s will. The inheritance they receive is not what they expected—and certainly not what they want. As tensions rise and facades collapse, a ruthless power struggle unfolds. Narrated by horses and donkeys, the film satirizes vanity, greed, and the moral decay of the modern elite.
Youssef Ghariani · Tunisia
During a civil war, a rebel army commander finds himself trapped inside a cave with a soldier from the enemy army — his sworn adversary. The cave is filled with landmines, and any movement could mean instant death. With no escape in sight, they are forced into stillness, waiting for a miracle. Will they find a way out, or is death the only fate that awaits them?
Akua Agyekumwaa · Ghana
UNREAD follows a successful young woman whose polished online life hides a deep emotional struggle. As social media praise, workplace pressure, and emotional isolation close in around her, an unanswered cry for help forces her to confront the painful truth behind perfection, and the silent battles people hide every day.
Short · Documentary · 14
Gianna Isabella Palmer · United States
Set against the backdrop of a city where loyalty runs as deep as its roots, this experimental documentary traces a father’s unwavering devotion to the Pittsburgh Steelers, reframing it as a kind of modern civic Catholicism, where stadiums become sanctuaries, game days feel like ritual, and fandom borders on faith. Through an intimate and reflective lens, the film explores how this devotion is inherited, passed down through generations as both identity and language of love, ultimately asking what it truly means to belong, to a team, a family, and a place like Pittsburgh.
Oluwatamilore Adeshiyan · Nigeria
I Went Looking for Lions follows Nigerian filmmaker Tamilore Adeshiyan on a journey that began with simple curiosity—and turned into an awakening. What started as a safari in South Africa soon revealed a deeper truth: a world where the wild is shrinking, species are vanishing, and human “progress” leaves scars across the land. Blending personal reflection with urgent ecological realities, Tamilore’s lens captures not just the grandeur of African wildlife, but the silent battles threatening its survival—from poaching to habitat destruction, to the unseen cost of exclusion. Set against the breathtaking beauty of Africa’s reserves, I Went Looking for Lions is a story of loss, legacy, and pride—a call to protect not just animals, but the ecosystems, histories, and futures intertwined with them. Because nature can’t speak for itself. But we can.
Joshua Buyukyilmaz · United Kingdom
A short documentary to commemorate the 60th commemoration of his assassination and the life and times of president John Fitzgerald Kennedy and what makes him the most popular president in American history.
WeTalk Digital Production · Nigeria
“Mara Mania” explores the rise of Mara music from the streets of Lagos, tracing how DJs, dancers, and digital culture transformed a raw underground sound into one of the city’s most explosive new movements.
Okpeyejesu Ayoola, Simpa Onimisi Samson · Nigeria
MY EYES MY LIFE. NANA Theresa's Story traces her path as a child who was bullied for years because of the colour of her eyes. Without knowledge of what her condition is, her family decides to stand by her as she navigates all the bullying and negativity as a child with 2 different colours of eyes.
Mohammed hamed salama · Egypt
توثيق الحرف اليدوية التي كادت أن تندثر من خلال شخصية عم سيد documentary about distinctive Egyptian handcrafts through Am sayed
Ahmed Roshdy · Egypt
In a black-and-white school ruled by discipline and punishment, the violence exercised over students slowly reveals itself as a portrait of authority itself.
John Mills · United States
A Connecticut genealogist works to reclaim the lives of African Americans erased from history, reuniting descendants, restoring memorials, and bringing forgotten stories back into the American narrative.
Ricky Derby · United States
A frivolous French travel "influencer" takes her audience on an exclusive safari adventure, but is more interested in expounding on French exceptionalism (as well as insulting the Brits and Yanks) than marveling at the magnificent wildlife in front of her.
Hans Cosmas Ngoteya · Tanzania
Across the sweeping rift-valley plains of northern Tanzania, two guardians keep the balance: endangered Masai giraffes and the Maasai pastoralists who share their land. Sentinels of Engaruka offers a rare, ground-level view of this fragile alliance at a time when invasive shrubs, shrinking pasture, and climate change threaten to tip the scales. The story follows Baraka Lesineti, an elder determined to safeguard his cattle; his teenage son Meheti, who treks long distances to find grass; and Maria Eliaz, a young Maasai woman blending traditional knowledge with modern tools to restore rangelands. Their intertwined choices reveal what it means to “stand tall” for people, culture, and nature — together.
Chabel Ngoubili · Congo
Torn from childhood to become a soldier, Alain reveals the invisible scars of war and his struggle to find his place in a world that has cast him aside.
Amira Barrett · Ghana
A short documentary about Ghanaian dance students at the University of Ghana and their final exam, a dance show that they put on by themselves to the public.
Uchenna Francis-Ukwuoma · Nigeria
A soulful short film blending African experiences, spirituality, faith, and ancestral resilience. Inspired by the historic spiritual “Wade in the Water”, this animation tells the story of a soul walking through pain, history, and divine redemption, a reminder that even in troubled waters, God still makes a way. Set in a symbolic world where faith meets struggle, it follows one soul wading through pain, history, and divine revelation, a reflection of African spirituality, resilience, and the eternal search for freedom. Through powerful imagery and storytelling, this piece merges art, scripture, and social reflection, echoing generations who found light in the midst of turmoil.
Amira Barrett · United States
What Is the Black Body, a 14-minute documentary, is where history, identity, and healing converge. Through compelling imagery and layered storytelling, the film traces the shifting perception of the Black body—from sacred in pre-colonial Africa, to commodified during slavery, to politicized and surveilled in the modern era. But amid the scars of history, a revolution pulses as the Black body is reclaimed not as a battleground, but as a site of beauty, resilience, and rebirth. What Is the Black Body is not just a question—it’s a journey toward wholeness.
Other · 11
Natasha Chirambo, Scott Paton-Levin, Simamkele Mrwetyana, Thabiso Holele · South Africa
'4 Letters’ is an experimental anthology film which weaves the interconnected stories of four Johannesburg youths as they attempt to reconcile old wounds using the form of the epistle.
Cristian Cuevas · United States
“Black Ice” follows Diamond, a 29-year-old salesman who moves metal by day and moves souls by night. This fast thriller unravels in the silence between footsteps, in the secrets exchanged behind tinted glass, and in the moments where Diamond must decide which version of himself lives… and which one dies.
Zaki Chris Shinali · Uganda
When a woman discovers she’s pregnant after an affair with her best friend’s partner, she hatches a desperate plan with her friend—who cannot carry a pregnancy—to pass the baby as hers. But secrets, guilt, and buried truths threaten to destroy the fragile web of lies they've built.
Cristian Cuevas · United States
“Foundation” follows a young stepfather soon to get married who buys a newly built home still under construction, hoping to create stability for his family. But as he spends nights there alone, he begins hearing footsteps in unfinished rooms and whispers rising from beneath the concrete slab.
Antonio Del gaudio · Italy
a professor is kidnapped because he teaches without passion
Ashish Kumar Pandey · India
Set in the year 2147, *Jhansi’s Tigress: From 1847 to 2147* reimagines the enduring legacy of Rani Lakshmibai through a bold fusion of history, artificial intelligence, and climate futurism. In a technologically advanced Bharat, Lakshmi—a quantum AI consciousness inspired by the warrior queen—awakens within Neo-Jhansi, a resilient society built on ethical innovation, environmental stewardship, and collective wisdom. When a powerful Algorithm Empire seeks to dominate humanity through opaque systems, surveillance, and resource extraction, Lakshmi confronts the threat not through conquest but through transparency, justice, and collaborative governance. Joined by a diverse network of scholars, coders, farmers, climate scientists, and young leaders, she transforms technology into a force for empowerment and ecological regeneration. Blending Indian cultural heritage with visionary science fiction, the film explores themes of gender equality, digital ethics, climate resilience, and democratic participation. Through striking imagery and a hopeful narrative, *Jhansi’s Tigress: From 1847 to 2147* celebrates the timeless courage of those who challenge oppression and imagine a more inclusive future for generations to come.
Zakaria Shinali Inyende · Uganda
In a Masabaland village steeped in tradition, a young man’s pursuit of marriage takes an unexpected turn when his intended bride fails a crucial test, prompting her dutiful sister to step forward and honor family expectations—challenging love, duty, and the wisdom of tradition.
Hannah Lewis, Darcy-Rose Edwards · Not Specified
Late at night inside Downtown Records, a young man works a quiet shift surrounded by vinyl and music posters. The peace is shattered when he notices subtle signs of a strange intrusion—most chillingly, a missing person flyer that has inexplicably fallen to the floor. When he discovers horrific, lurking creatures waiting for him in the shadows, he is forced out into the pouring rain. Trapped in a dark alleyway with nowhere left to run, he must face the terrifying realization that he has become their next target.
Elie Mulap Mwinkeu · South Africa
Tormented by a violent and disturbing nightmare, Jofray, a teenager searching for direction, finds himself trapped in an invisible battle against darkness. As fear begins to take over, his sister Jemira, driven by an unshakeable faith, enters the fight through prayer. In this night where reality and the supernatural intertwine, only one name proves powerful enough to break the darkness.
Patrick Zzizinga Nsimbe · Not Specified
Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, is a land of extraordinary beauty and diversity. From lush rainforests and winding rivers to vast savannahs teeming with wildlife, the country holds a rich natural and cultural heritage. This documentary explores Uganda’s breathtaking landscapes, iconic wildlife, and the deep connection between nature and the people, revealing why this East African nation remains one of the world’s most treasured gems.
