The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) will kick off its 14th edition on November 2nd, running until November 9th in Lagos, Nigeria.
The theme of this year’s festival is Rhythms of the Continent: The Afrobeats Film Movement. An ode to Afrobeats, this theme is focused on how the genre transcends beyond music and also seeks to define filmmaking.
The opening film is Oluseyi Asurf’s 3 Cold Dishes, executive produced by musical artist and co-founder of Spaceship Films, Burna Boy, and actor Osas Ighodaro of Imuetiyan Productions.
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This year’s selections feature about 100 titles spanning feature films, documentaries, student films, and short films from across Africa and the diaspora. The lineup includes a couple of titles having their international and Nigerian premieres at the festival. Titles such as Zoey Martinson’s The Fisherman, South African Lottery Love, Zheng Yunchang’s The Answer To Forever, documentary Eyes of Ghana, Kenyan feature Nawi, and Zimbabwean Matabeleland will make their Nigerian premieres. While Nwamaka Chikezie’s To Adaego with love, Uche Chukwu’s Njem, Kayode Kasum’s The Good Gift, Austrian documentary Lace Relations and Obi Emelonye’s Safari are some titles set for their world premieres.
The 14th edition is expected to feature a lineup of workshops and masterclasses covering key areas of filmmaking, led by industry professionals. Among other topics, the audience can look forward to workshops and panels such as Demystifying Film Distribution Deals and Rhythms of the Continent: The Afrobeat Movement and its Impact on African Films. These sessions will be held by creatives & film professionals from across the continent, like Blessing Uzzi, Moses Babatope, Davido, and Bimbo Akintola.
Also, for the first time, AFRIFF will introduce the AFRIFF Film & Content Market (AFCM) from November 3rd to 6th. The film market will look to foster business exchange within the continent’s creative industry.
For AFRIFF’s 14th edition, the jury panel features filmmakers who have worn many hats. Led by Tim McNeal, the jury president for AFRIFF 2025, the jury members for the Feature Film category are Andrea Voges, Kayode Jegede, and Jackie Lyanga. The Documentary category will have Stephen ‘Dr’ Love (the jury president at AFRIFF 2023), Ranada Shepard, and Carl Rumbaugh. And for the Shorts/Student/Animation, Ahmad Al-Othman will be joined by Victor Sanchez Aghahowa.
See the full AFRIFF 2025 selections across thirteen categories below.
Features — In Competition (Africa)
Untamable (Cameroon/France) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Thomas Ngijol
3 Cold Dishes (Cote d’Ivoire/France/Nigeria) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi
The Fisherman (Ghana) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Zoey Martinson
Nawi (Kenya) – Nigerian Premiere
Directors: Kevin Schmutzler, Toby Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine Munyes, Vallentine Chelluget
Aljana (Nigeria) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Grace Yakubu
Fractured (Nigeria) – World Premiere
Director: Kayode Kasum
The Boy Who Gave (Nigeria)
Director: Allison Precious Emmanuel
To Adaego With Love (Nigeria) – World Premiere
Director: Nwamaka Priscilia Chikezie
Features — In Competition (International)
Pasa Faho (Australia) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Kalu Oji
The Answer To Forever (China) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Zheng Yunchang
After Us, The Flood (Finland) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Arto Tapio Halonen
Features — Out Of Competition
The Funeral Of Kwadae (Ghana) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Nana Obiri-Yeboah
Njem (Nigeria) – World Premiere
Director: Uche Chukwu
Safari (Nigeria) – World Premiere
Director: Obi Emelonye
The Good Gift (Nigeria) – World Premiere
Director: Kayode Kasum
Three Tramps And The Law (Nigeria) – World Premiere
Director: Yibo Koko
The Memory Of The Mango Tree (Senegal) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Nicolas Sawalo Cisse
Lottery Love (South Africa) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Mlungisi Mhlanga
Mikoko (Togo) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Angela Aquereburu
Son Of The Soil (United Kingdom) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Chee Keong Cheung
Welcome (United States) – Nigerian Premiere
Director: Jevon Boreland
Shorts — In Competition (Africa)
Choices (Nigeria)
Director: Nwamaka Priscilia Chikezie
Ẹlẹ́ Da Àyànmọ́ (Nigeria)
Director: Stanley Obi Arinze
Mr Rogers (Nigeria)
Director: Daniel Aigbokhaivbo
Seed (Nigeria)
Directors: Chawuko Enakadia, Muhammad Atta Ahmed
Telephone (Nigeria)
Director: Fimisinuola Adejonwo
The Day The Heart Died (Nigeria)
Director: Russell Oru
Lapeng (South Africa)
Director: Paballo Mokwena
Rearview (South Africa)
Director: Chris Djuma
Boy No Fear (Uganda)
Director: Jonathan Curtiss
Shorts — In Competition (International)
The General’s Son (Canada)
Director: Angela Onuora
Majini (Germany)
Directors: Joshua Neubert, Victor Muhagachi
Echoes From The Past (United Kingdom)
Director: Ayodeji Sanni
Becoming Sidney (United States)
Director: Ken Gregory
Food For The Soul (United States)
Director: Chisom Chieke
Shorts — Out Of Competition
Nativity Scene (Brazil)
Director: Felipe Bibian
Echoes (Canada)
Director: Ifenna Okeke
Les Semelles Du Quartier (Canada)
Director: Dominique Caron
Sugar Dumplin (Canada)
Director: Tristan Barrocks
Kieupe (DRC)
Director: Melanie Zawadi Kaduku
Behind A Lie (Ghana)
Director: Juliet Ibrahim
Mann Aasai (India)
Director: Arivasaran R.
Aicha (Morocco)
Director: Sanaa El Alaoui
Akoko (Nigeria)
Director: S.I. Abrams
Irin Ajo (The Journey) (Nigeria)
Director: Myde Glover
Isekonu (Nigeria)
Director: Emmanuel “Story Priest” Adejo
On Our Skin (Nigeria)
Directors: Abiodun Udom, Emmanuel Adejo
Steal. Kill. Destroy! (Nigeria)
Director: Joy Isi Bewaji
The Girl Who Cannot Love (Nigeria)
Director: Oluwafemi Peter Atoyebi
The Moral High Court (Nigeria)
Director: Chisom Valerie Ifeakandu
What Emma Wants (Nigeria)
Director: Samuel Kehinde Njoku
Idia (Nigeria)
Director: Winifred Iguwa
Let It Burn (Poland)
Director: Piotr Karol Balua
Amazeze (South Africa)
Director: Jordy Sank
Bleeding Canvas (South Africa)
Director: Taze Mhlanga
Indlu Yenkomo (South Africa)
Directors: Thozama Busakwe, Khule Mayisa
Members Only (South Africa)
Director: Mangatsila Hlaise
Millenial Dad (South Africa)
Director: Maishe Mosala
The Letter (South Africa)
Directors: Wadelin Mckuur, Lesego Motlana
Jimbi (Uganda)
Director: Tusabe Ivan
Leaving Ikorodu In 1999 (United Kingdom)
Director: Rashida Seriki
Shall We Meet Tonight (United Kingdom)
Director: Wapah Ezeigwe
A Beauty Supply In Queens (United States)
Directors: Oluseyi Olatujoye, Princess Adenike
Frangible (United States)
Director: Marie France Louis
Whispers Of Light (United States)
Directors: Emeka Ojukwu, Jumoke Omojola
Documentaries — In Competition (Africa)
Of Mud And Blood (Democratic Republic Of Congo)
Director: Jean-Gabriel Leynaud
Finding Home: The Art Of Black Women In Their Diaspora (Ghana)
Director: Akosua Gyamma Busia
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of Afrobeat (Nigeria)
Director: Louis Ejiofor
Matabeleland (Zimbabwe)
Director: Nyasha Kadandara
Documentaries — In Competition (International)
Lace Relations (Austria)
Directors: Anette Baldauf, Chioma Onyenwe, Joana Adesuwa Reiterer, Katharina Weingartner
Tukki: From Roots To Bayou (France)
Directors: Vincent Le Gal, Alune Wade
Where Two Oceans Meet (France/New Zealand/South Africa)
Director: Lulu Scott
Didy (France/Rwanda/Switzerland)
Directors: Gael Kamilindi, Francois-Xavier Destors
Nteregu (A Story To Be Sung) (Portugal)
Directors: Manuel Loureiro, Roger Mor
Lobito Bound: A Journey To Africa’s New Frontier (United Kingdom)
Director: Leopold Belanger
The Eyes Of Ghana (United States)
Director: Ben Proudfoot
Documentaries — Out Of Competition
Operation Lights Out: The Story Of Canairelief (Canada)
Director: Angela Onuora
Shades Of Survival (Nigeria/United Kingdom)
Director: David Ayeni
Animation — In Competition (Africa)
Jabari (Ghana)
Director: Francis Y. Brown
Hadu (Nigeria)
Director: Damilola Solesi
Leon and the Professor (Nigeria)
Director: Chekwube Okonkwo
Melon Street (Nigeria)
Director: Adeoye Adetunji
No One Hears Us (Nigeria)
Director: Esther Kemi Gbadamosi
Animation — In Competition (International)
Plea or Protest (Pan African)
Director: S. Awuor, A. Căprariu, C. Lwansa, O. Omololu, C. Okoli
Cafunè (Spain)
Director: Carlos F. De Vigo, Lorena Ares
Mother Tongue (United Kingdom)
Director: Duncan Senkumba
Scars of Love (United Kingdom)
Director: Joshua Ibejigba
Life & Us (United States)
Director: Nkem DenChukwu
Student Shorts — In Competition
The Labyrinth (Nigeria)
Director: Toluwalope Okunade Ebiseni
The Professional (United States)
Director: Kunle Fasasi
Student Shorts — Out Of Competition
Angel In The Stone (Nigeria)
Director: Doyinsola Ajayi
Brushed Dreams (Nigeria)
Director: Itorobong Joan Asanga
Soeur Celeste (United States)
Director: Itorobong Joan Asanga
This year’s AFRIFF will take place from 2-9 November 2025, with an opening event on the first day and a Globe Awards Night on the final day.
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