cross international borders. market." The entire film is available on YouTube, though without English subtitles. "A distinction must be made between the films of the Maghrib Year released: 2014 | Director: Rudolf Buitendach. Yes, there are two Republics of Congo! Waiting for Happiness is a challenging piece of cinema, one that doesn’t provide the audience with any easy answers. Niger is fortunate to have Kirkley, and Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai is one of most exciting entries on this list and one to make a priority on your watchlist; it makes me excited to see what will come from native Nigerien filmmakers in the future. Shahine, Henri Barakat and others-who even inside the industry I have chosen a documentary that doesn’t involve the country’s interactions with Europe, although it is directed by a Saudi Arabian filmmaker. "Filmmaking isn't looked up to known, are aiming to express, above all, the social realities of Most options were documentaries that focus on war and poverty, but we managed to find Paradise Island—a romance featuring an ill-fated pairing of poor boy and rich girl with disapproving parents. As for being a woman director in the Arab world, a topic she says. It is reminiscent of the early work of Ken Loach, but also crafts a distinctly Moroccan identity. When the boy’s cousin falls ill, the despised old woman that he calls “Yaaba”, or “grandmother”, endeavors to cure him. better." country's biannual Carthage International Film Days, founded in To boil Dakan down to a derivative phrase: it’s Africa’s Moonlight. Liberia transcendence as her film, believes her work expresses the "double funeral. A few years ago it was called the young cinema, sought to abandon fantasy for serious subjects. The film is available to watch on Kanopy, but we need to see more from Mauritius to learn what its cinematic identity and cultural occupations are. Of all the countries on this list, Seychelles is the one most in need of cinematic development—the country boasts one movie theater and no film industry to speak of. "One reason I think 'Door to the Sky' has been received well world, for the moment. Year released: 1995 | Director: Jean-Claude Matombe. filmmakers to seek their own financing, have much to do with Director Belkacem Hadjaj's "The Drop"(1982/1989), screened at Instead, Abouna reminds us that, no matter where we’re from, we all experience the anguish that comes from growing up. step to help Mousa climb aboard a donkey demonstrates the Maghribi production since independence has exceeded that of Year released: 2001 | Director: Martin Mhando and Ron Mulvihill. The film follows government minister Elias as he spends everything he has to put together his own “grand marriage”. Attia has attempted to do South Sudan only gained independence in 2011 and still experiences conflict. Maghribi films as a break with the melodrama and musical genres of The alternative for this list, The Gods Must Be Crazy, whilst still held as a cult classic by some, is a deeply problematic film and briefly features in N!ai, The Story of a !Kung Woman. It’s a shame that Ivanga hasn’t directed a feature since 2006, as it’s clear the continent needs more distinctive filmmakers like him to share intimate, relatable stories like Dôlè. Tazi, the Moroccan director. Nigeria with Nollywood) have more prolific film industries than others, we believe there are cinematic gems from all around the continent. The movie manages to find magic and hope amid Mozambique’s civil war, showing how a young boy searches for his mother with the help of an old man and a diary. on the voice, like radio," says Boughedir. In developing nations followed a pattern similar to Egypt's, according diverse topics-urban alienation, bureaucratic fumbling and the The story begins as Like many of the films on this list, it is exceptionally hard to find in any form. Tunisian Nacer Khemir's "The Dove's Lost Necklace"(1990), Lear more about Cairo Station in our full-length review. One of the most well-known films on this list, Tsotsi is one of only three African films to ever win a Foreign Language Film Oscar, and one of only ten to get nominated. While certain African nations (ex. As Djiboutian UNESCO official Ali Moussa Iye reminds us in an interview, Djibouti’s cinematic culture died of fin the 1990s, and hasn’t re-emerged since. Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, fighting against escape cinema that Mauritius is another country with very few feature films to its name. itself as all the alibis on which its place in the world depended As it features the people, culture, and traditions of the Seychelles, Bolot Feray warrants inclusion on this list. moves by carrier pigeon. "The same to define and promote a "national cinema," he observes. sense, this liberates them-they don't have to worry about the However, the only known Seychellois feature film is Bolot Feray, a comedy centered around a wedding. Half live-action documentary and half animated fiction, Liyana presents a new type of storytelling; it literally brings the imagination of children to life. They gave us in the Maghrib the strength to make a cinema One of these is Milenu, which is apparently based on a popular Eritrean story of a women who refuses to marry her brother, against her parents’ wishes. Year released: 1990 | Director: Férid Boughedir. As the movie progresses, we explore Gomis’ increasing alienation and disillusionment. the Maghrib, it is easier to make good films than it is for young Perhaps as a legacy of Italian colonial rule, Eritrea does have more theaters than other African countries but, alas, has only produced a handful of feature films. Of the three, Algerian film is best known in the West, yet Still, Year released: 1993 | Director: Godwin Mawuru. Maghribi However, Paradise Island‘s director, Jimmy B, makes a good effort. It’s impossible to talk about Mauritanian cinema without mentioning Sissako. were much more limited in Morocco because of a lack of both public Tropical island countries have the potential to create exciting new cinema, but what this documentary lacks in flair and innovation, it makes up for in engaging characters. Given Nigerian filmmakers have started getting involved in South Sudan’s burgeoning movie industry, we’re expecting to see even more films to join Jamila soon. of a crew and a lot of money, yet North African receipts cover only Filmfest D.C., presents an eerie and idiosyncratic look, almost The film tracks the increasing impact of the outside world on Ju/ʼhoan people, and how their lives change for the worse over time. Rosen, Algeria imported 140 films in 1987, Tunisia imported 165, Even while they draw inspiration from their roots and seek to Hollander, a film distributor who lives in Paris. Thus, we’ll pick a documentary for its entry. With this brilliant and heartbreaking satire of exploitation, apathy, and manipulation, director Rungano Nyoni cements herself alongside figures like Wanuri Kahiu (Rafiki) as a trailblazer of contemporary African filmmaking. search for meaning, in the context of Islam. "I admire the genius of woman," the Enjoy African film? "But our problems," continues Boughedir, "is, for whom we are In Algeria a state monopoly controls the industry, drained away theater audiences, the directors complain. His objective: to rescue his family and the girl he loves, before the King can sell them to European slave traders. With very few Burundian movies to choose for this list, Leonce Ngabo’s debut Gito l’ingrat (“Gito the ungrateful”) is also Burundi’s first feature film. "Sometimes you can families, responsibilities. If David Lynch came to Rwanda and decided to make a film, the result would be a lot like this. Intellectual Gonaba returns home from abroad—a familiar trope with many of the films in this list—keen to incite change. Known as Swaziland until last year, eSwatini also doesn’t make many movies… so its entry has to be a documentary and not a full narrative feature. Read More: Best Skateboard Movies of All Time 15. women. With no disrespect to the other 53 entries in this list, we start off with the strongest and most powerful film of them all: The Battle of Algiers. —especially back in 1997. With careful staging and orchestration, Chahine clearly wanted to make a film that felt cinematic, even if not innovative. organization that produces Algerian films also controls the number sort of militant Islam that people expect to see, but the way Islam The film’s structure actually has some similarities with Moonlight; it also depicts the resilient love of its two leads in an equally poetic, subtle, and touching way. Directed by the late, great Idrissa Ouedraogo, this simple, beautiful Burkinabe tale is about a young man who befriends an old woman that everyone else insults and ridicules. Belle (2013) ‘Belle’ is a true story about a legitimate African-British, Dido Elizabeth Belle, who is denied her free status in British society, despite being brought up in an genuine renewal." The film is rich Year released: 1997 | Director: Mohamed Camara. We learn about the city of Kinshasa, and come to empathize with the central protagonist. 34.) This is the film that started it all, and possibly the most well-known African movie. really is." for their transgressions. Year released: 2012 | Director: Yor-El Francis. While the country has produced filmmakers like Gaston Bart-Williams and Sorious Samura, it has yet to cultivate filmmakers who want to stay and tell Sierra Leonean stories. moment. There are many ways to address that question, but Cinema Escapist will give you the most comprehensive answer—by highlighting the top films from all 54 African countries. The film also marks a transition in African filmmaking. Sierra Leone is another cinematically sparse country. prejudices, whereas Americans are more open. Benlyazid, who herself "We are the new wave, starting in the Maghrib and spreading to With other African films like Wanuri Kahiu’s Rafiki from Kenya, and John Tengrove’s The Wound from South Africa recently covering similar LGBT subject matter, it cannot be forgotten what a landmark Dakan really was for African cinema. The film's traditional setting and "There is no legislation to protect local films against The civil war serves more as a backdrop, and Mortu Nega focuses more attention on how Diminga and Sako rebuild their lives in its aftermath. There are scores of great African movies. Europe we had more success in distributing 'Desert Rose' because by Albert Sammama-Chickly. A film with clear ties to the US, Maangamizi tells the story of an African-American doctor who visits her boyfriend’s home country. Director Abderrahmane Sissako is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most accomplished and established African filmmaker working today. Year released: 2005 | Director: Gavin Hood. In the process, our protagonist Riva becomes involved in a scheme that could end his life or change it forever. Acutely aware of the dichotomy between colonizer and colonized, Rajaonarivelo is very clear about who Tabataba‘s antagonists are: the villagers only speak Malagasy, and the colonialists only speak French. Take a look at the films that have been making waves locally and internationally, up to 2018 films! problems." spawning markedly individualistic creations. Even though movies like Planet of the Apes (1968), Beau Travail (1999),  Submergence (2017) were shot in Djibouti, we couldn’t find anything of note that truly qualifies as Djiboutian cinema. For us in only thematically but stylistically too. Year released: 1966 | Director: Gillo PontecorvoWith no disrespect to the other 53 entries in this list, we start off with the strongest and most powerful film of them all: The Battle of Algiers. reach a local audience, many directors believe their films can one that is deeply problematic and rooted in colonization. "Created for a mass audience and "Women have more strength than finds a way to transcend the taboos, to find spaces of happiness United States of "Door's" vision was demonstrated by the overflow A touching and delicate observation of youth, Halfaouine also provides unique and intricate insight into the Halfaouine district of Tunisia’s capital city, Tunis. My favorite film from Sub-Saharan Africa, Adanggaman highlights the hypocrisy of those in power, and the horrendous role certain Africans played in the Atlantic slave trade. The famous Italian-Algerian "Battle of Algiers" is the best-known Although unsuccessful in its Oscar bid, Yaaba stands as a charming, touching example of the kind of films being produced by Africa’s master filmmakers, Year released: 1993 | Director: Léonce Ngabo. Chad: “Un homme qui crie” (A Screaming Man) “A Screaming Man,” originally titled “A Screaming Man is Not a Dancing Bear,” is a film by Chadian director Mahamat Saleh Haroun, released on September 29, 2010. in the United States, film is to entertain, not to educate. viewers to forget reality. The film took Gerima 14 years to make; at one point he had to suspend production for two years. In The Cursed Ones, Nana Obiri-Yeboah and Maximilian Claussen offer a chilling atmospheric look at witchcraft accusation in West Africa, one that beats The Wicker Man. "Egyptian cinema is based Commercial cinema in India and other To a jarring score of This Congo (without the “Democratic”), however, is the less prolific of the two in terms of film production. Year released: 2000 | Director: Nabil Ayouch. close your eyes and continue understanding the action. This shouldn’t be surprising, given she worked as Gillo Pontecorvo’s assistant on The Battle of Algiers. Liyana is truly one of a kind. Perhaps the publicized South Sudanese movie so far is Jamila, which also was the country’s first truly local feature. Year released: 2006 | Director: Harrikrisna Anenden. Read more about how Martin Scorsese is helping to restore African cinematic classics, or learn more about the national cinemas of countries like Uganda and Burkina Faso. critics who gathered in Washington during the festival describe the Year released: 2008 | Director: Teresa Prata. A film that owes a debt to the likes of Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino, Djo Munga’s second feature is nonetheless a slick and distinctive piece of African filmmaking. We are fighting the cliches the West holds nuanced truth than that," she says. along with his wife. In the film, director Newton I. Aduaka decides to focus on the rehabilitation of a Sierra Leonean child soldier named Ezra, who must come to terms with his horrific past actions. On the other, he cannot gain acceptance from the adult men in his life, who still think he’s a child. Following Madagascar’s independence in 1960, a handful of students—including director Raymond Rajaonarivelo—were sent to France to study film. neighbors, even though it boasts good production facilities and the most beautiful film she had ever seen. Year released: 1981 | Director: Moustapha Akkad. The new North African films break with Egyptian tradition not We're not so young anymore," he laughs. Year released: 2006 | Director: Marion Hänsel. apparently fulfilling no more than an entertainment function, these Living in a figurative bubble “under siege”, the film’s characters wait for news from outside but hear nothing but rumors. In this drama, a young girl has an unexpected pregnancy that dashes her hopes and dreams of attending university. visual refinement" of Moroccan films. Eritrea is another country that’s difficult to cover from a cinematic perspective. Disillusioned with the country’s unwillingness to reform as he wishes, he encounters a Pygmy tribe and attempts to help them, only to realize he is treating them as white European colonialists would have done. Madagascar is separated from the rest of Africa by the Indian Ocean but, like many of its mainland counterparts, its cinema is limited and intriguing. What Captain Alex lacks in finesse and profundity, it more than makes up for with well-choreographed action, excessive charm, and genuinely great humor. Director Isaac Nabwana, who created the film as a labor of love with a ~US$200 budget, managed to harness Captain Alex‘s viral success and create an entire industry of genre filmmaking called Wakaliwood. As he tries to find his way back into the community, he has to contend with a rival for Tajouj’s affections. A man trapped in a tomb is beset by visions that The Sudanese film industry is one that has a fascinating and little-reported history, and Gubara’s feature is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. African eyes. Year released: 1966 | Director: Gillo Pontecorvo. from the rest of the Maghrib's, Rosen says, "To me Algerian cinema The film treads familiar ground, as our lead character returns home from abroad and ends up reconnecting with his heritage and homeland. age. Explore and connect the world through a cinematic lens. I have purposely not chosen a Nollywood film here—the third largest film industry in the world is a culture unto itself. A stylized genre flick that has some serious production value, Viva Riva! work in its use of the irrational and the mystical as a doorway to crowds attracted by the film in Washington, and its warm reception Year released: 1988 | Director: Flora Gomes. a genre of significance. Besides entertainment value, Captain Alex represents one of Africa’s most wonderful cinematic success stories. While other African auteurs were keen to move past European filmmaking styles, Cairo Station embraced them. Year released: 1989 | Director:  Idrissa Ouedraogo. Egypt in 1935, soon turning Cairo into what Miriam Rosen, Paris However, it’s fair to say Sierra Leone’s film industry has a long way to go—of all 54 countries, it’s attracted the least international attention even as a filming location. still sometimes so today, tomorrow they will be pushing forward a is the harshest-there's an austerity in the vision that I can't If you’re interested in African cinema, or just good cinema in general, you should see at least one of Gerima’s movies. Director Tazi is more blunt. Algeria already had a modern cinema by the mid-1960s. old woman did this, but to stop the spectacle. critic Hala Salmane. scented ink, a pomegranate inscribed with 60 Arabic names for love what to do." Nadia, a young Moroccan, returns from France for her father's and Seattle, exemplifies what Rosen describes as the "intimacy and Probably the most well-known Gabonese film is the biopic The Great White of Lambarene, in which Bassek Ba Kobhio (director of our Central African Republic entry The Silence of the Forest) examines the life of missionary Albert Schweitzer. threatened by murmuring barbarians who gather ominously outside the The film is truly a throwback to elaborate epics like Cleopatra, Ben-Hur, and Lawrence of Arabia, with spectacular action sequences that show clear passion from Akkad and his crew. 16 Best South African Movies Of All Time - Up to 2019 Films The South African cinema scene is filled with talent, class and chemistry! Starring superstar Isaac de Bankolé (Black Panther, Casino Royale) and directed by British/South African filmmaker Rudolf Buitendach, this feel good romantic drama depicts a disillusioned academic who returns home to teach local children and find himself. Nianankoro journeys across the Mali Empire to track down his uncle to aid him in the fight against his father (who is afraid that his son will kill him). Year released: 2015 | Director: Christopher Kirkley, The most unique film on this list, Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai is a Nigerien (not Nigerian) homage to Prince’s 1984 rock drama Purple Rain. 152 likes.

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