BANNED – Review by Timothy Niwamanya
IN SEARCH OF SOUTH AFRICA’S CENSORED PAST The concerted push for more-inclusive story-telling that gives visibility to disenfranchised sections of society is a central tenet of the global contemporary creative zeitgeist. This is helping in the undoing of decades of omission and misrepresentation of many marginalised communities in the arts. Naledi Bogacwi’s documentary feature film, […]
London Recruits – Review by Tony Asankomah
Unsung Heroes Who Fought Apartheid. “London Recruits,” directed by Gordon Main, is a compelling documentary that delves into an often overlooked chapter of the anti-apartheid movement. Based on the book “London Recruits,” the film recounts the courageous efforts of several individuals from London who were recruited to support the African National Congress (ANC) in their […]
Temperature Rising – Review by Youssra el-Sharkawy
African activities fight against climate change at Temperature Rising “Africa produces less greenhouse gases than any other continent, but faces some of the worst impacts of the climate crisis”. With this brief phrase, the documentary Temperature Rising summarizes its idea as it tackles how climate change is affecting different parts of Africa. Directed by the […]
CAPE-HELENA – Review by Timothy Niwamanya
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A SAINT? Picking up a camera to tell a story requires a considerable degree of courage on the part of afilmmaker. It requires an even greater level of vulnerability and introspection to turn that camera onyourself. Cape Helena, written and directed by first time documentary feature filmmaker DamianSean Samuels, […]
BLACK PEOPLE DON’T GET DEPRESSED – Review by Timothy Niwamanya
UNPACKING MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA IN BLACK COMMUNITIES Sara Chitambo-Hatira is a filmmaker intent on telling timely stories that matter. Her short documentary films, Climate Theatre, tackles Climate Change while, Reflecting Her, deals with issues surrounding African women’s reproductive health and rights. Her debut feature-length documentary film, Black People Don’t Get Depressed, addresses mental health stigma […]
MY MERCURY – Review by Timothy Niwamanya
A CONSERVATIONIST’S LONELY FIGHT TO RESTORE ECOLOGICAL BALANCE The world owes a big debt of gratitude to the numerous nature conservationists on the planet. Their tireless efforts to fend off the devastating effects of human activity on various ecosystems often gounder the radar. My Mercury, directed by Joelle Chesselet and Pippa Ehrlich, casts a light […]
Made in Ethiopia – Review by Bob Perfect
A Nuanced Exploration of Neocolonialism Made in Ethiopia, the debut offering from the directing team of Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan, is a nuanced and empathetic look at the effects of Chinese industrial expansion in Ethiopia. Since the establishment of the Eastern Industry Park by private Chinese investors in 2008, Ethiopia has steadily been built […]
Dairy of an Elephant Orphan – Review by Tony Asankomah
The documentary film, “Diary of an Elephant Orphan,” written and directed by Hermain Roelvert-Van Gils, is about wildlife conservation and tells a very moving story about a tragic, orphaned baby elephant called Khanyisa. Filmed in the backdrop of beautiful landscapes and vistas of Hoedspruit, Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa. This documentary narrative captures and […]
Al Djanat, the Original Paradise – Review by Youssra el-Sharkawy
After her uncle’s death, Chloé Aïcha Boro returned to her homeland in Burkina Faso to find that the long years she spent abroad had changed the place and the people. In her documentary Al Djanat, the Original Paradise, Chloé Aïcha Boro is delving into the life of her family members, while they dispute the property […]
MILISUTHANDO – Critique par Gaël T. HOUNKPATIN
Et si l’apartheid n’avait jamais existé ? Une femme se déshabille devant la statue de Nelson Mandela. C’est sur ces images d’archives que la réalisatrice, scénariste et narratrice, Milisuthando Bongela attire notre attention en guise d’introduction à son film documentaire historique et éponyme qui durera en tout 115 mn. Nous sommes en Afrique du Sud, […]
