Dahomey and Black Tea open and close Film Africa
Photo: Black Tea - “After saying "no" on her wedding day, Joice leaves the Ivory Coast to start a new life in Guangzhou, China.
Mati Diop’s Dahomey and Abderrahmane Sissako’s Black Tea to Open and Close Film Africa 2024: London’s Biggest Celebration of African Cinema
Film Africa, one of the most anticipated and celebrated showcases of African cinema in Europe, returns from 25 October to 3 November. This year’s festival promises an array of films, virtual events, director Q&As, panel discussions, professional workshops, masterclasses, school screenings, and family activities.
The festival’s opening night will feature the award-winning documentary Dahomey, directed by award-winning Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop, who won the Golden Bear at the 2024 Berlinale. Set against the backdrop of the historic Kingdom of Dahomey, (modern-day Republic of Benin) Dahomey presents a dramatised account of the return of 26 royal treasures from a museum in France to their rightful home. Through meticulous storytelling and powerful imagery, the film delves into the complexities of cultural repatriation and captures the profound of the Beninese people as they reconnect with their heritage.
Closing the festival is Black Tea, another Berlinale finalist. `It is a poignant romantic drama by award-winning Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako. Starring Nina Mélo and Chang Han, the film follows the journey of a young Ivorian woman who embarks on a transformative odyssey to China, where she finds unexpected love and confronts the complexities of cultural assimilation. It reveals a narrative of aspirational migration across the rarely addressed axis of Asia and Africa.
In addition to the opening and closing films, Film Africa 2024 will showcase an eclectic lineup of features, documentaries, and shorts.
Film Africa also recognises and supports new film-making talent through the Baobab Award for Best Short Film and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film.
About Film Africa
Film Africa is London’s biggest biennial festival celebrating the best African cinema from across the continent and diaspora brought to you by the Royal African Society. Established in 2011, the festival brings diverse London and UK audiences a high-quality and wide-ranging film program accompanied by a vibrant series of events, including director Q&As, talks, and panel discussions; workshops and masterclasses; Film Africa Young Audiences school screenings and family activities; and Film Africa LIVE! music nights. Film Africa also recognises and supports new film-making talent through the Baobab Award for Best Short Film and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film.