As selected filmmakers have been sharing announcements on social media since last week, the first details of this year’s AFRIFF have now been officially confirmed.
Set to open the 15th edition of the festival is Olive Nwosu’s Lady, while Hakeem Kae-Kazim’s directorial debut It’s the Blackness is named the closing night film.
The announcements were made during an AFRIFF press conference ahead of the festival, which takes place from November 1 to 7 in Lagos under the “Frames of the Future: Africa’s Creative Intelligence” theme.
Lady, written and directed by Nwosu, follows a cab driver in Lagos who becomes close to a group of sex workers. The Nigerian-British feature stars Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemisey, Agu Ghineye Esthyraph, Precious Agu Eke, Fadesaye Olateru-Olabegi, Eva Ibiam, Seun Kuti and Bucci Franklin.
The AFRIFF screening would mark Lady’s first publicly documented festival outing on the African continent, following stops at Sundance (where it won the Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble), Berlinale and BFI London Film Festival.
The closing film It’s the Blackness marks Kae-Kazim’s first feature as a director. Written by Dapo Oshiyemi, the British dark comedy film follows two Black graduates dealing with unemployment, relationships and family pressures. Daniel Davids, Matthew Morrison, Kierath Jandoo, Dolapo Oni and Kalu Ikeagwu are among its cast.
The festival’s wider film programme includes a Special Presentations section featuring films from Africa and diaspora. Among the titles are Walter Thompson-Hernandez’s If I Go Will They Miss Me, Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value (presented in partnership with the Norwegian Embassy) Marco Bellocchio’s The Traitor, Kaelo Iyizoba’s TIFF-premiered The Spectacular Death of Prisca and Ted Magerman’s The Trouble With Us All.
Also, AFRIFF has partnered with Pulse Nigeria to introduce the Rising Star Award, a new Globe Awards category recognising emerging filmmakers.
In a new addition, Rise Interactive Studios’ founder Toyosi Akerele will host an AI filmmaking and content lab, in collaboration with TikTok, taking place on November 6 amid a wider AI presence at the festival which also includes masterclass sessions.
The festival’s industry activities continue with the second Africa Film & Content Market (AFCM), scheduled for November 2 to 5. The four-day market covers areas such as production, financing and distribution, while connecting filmmakers with investors, buyers and other industry professionals.
Some of the projects pitched at AFCM could also find their way to Cannes next year. AFRIFF founder Chioma Ude announced at the press conference that the festival has been selected once again to participate in the 2027 Goes to Cannes programme.
According to figures shared during the press conference, 85 percent of the selected films were either made by women or tell stories about women.
AFRIFF 2026 runs from November 1 to 7, with screenings, industry events, masterclasses and other activities across the week before the Globe Awards on the final day. This year brings a shift in access, with the festival introducing paid ticketing for screenings and events.
The full official film selection and additional festival details will be announced soon.
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