Film Africa announces the Opening and Closing films of its 2024 film festival

Film Africa announces the Opening and Closing films of its 2024 film festival edition. Mati Diop’s
Dahomey and Abderrahmane Sissako’s Black Tea to Open and Close London’s Biggest Celebration of
African Cinema. We will announce the line-up when we unveil the complete program in September
along with ticketing and volunteer opportunities.

The Royal African Society is delighted to announce that Film Africa, one of the
most anticipated and celebrated showcases of African cinema in Europe, will return for its 2024
edition from 25 October to 3 November. This year’s festival promises an exhilarating array of films,
virtual events, director Q&As, panel discussions, professional workshops, master classes, school
screenings, and family activities.

The grand Opening Night of the festival 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 reactions of the
Beninese people as they reconnect with their heritage.

Closing the festival is “Black Tea,” another Berlinale finalist. “Black Tea” 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.

For more information about the festival- https://www.filmafrica.org/
Submit your film – https://filmfreeway.com/FilmAfrica