When we saw the list of films showing at this year’s Lights, Camera, Africa Film Festival, we were impressed. There is so much variety from all over the world…which made it hard to come up with favourites. So go ahead and watch every film but if time is not on your side, Nolly Silver Screen has got you covered. We present to you our top 8 picks.
Title: Olu Amoda: A Metallic Journey
Directors: Tam Fiofori and Joel Benson
Olu Amoda: A Metallic Journey is a documentary that explores Olu Amoda’s creative journey as a metal artist for three decades. Fiofori and Benson interview Omoba Yemisi Shyllon (renowned art collector and founder OYASAF), Adebisi Aderonke Arije (artist/art critic) and Chief Arthur Mbanefo (art collector/former Nigerian Ambassador to the UN).
Watch this…if you love history, arts and culture.And if you’re looking to be more enlightened about the creative sector, this is a must-watch.
Title: Soko Sonko
Director: Ekwa Msangi
Told in KiSwahili and Sheng, Soko Sonko is a hilarious, fish-out of-water roller-coaster of a journey, about a well-intended dad who braves the fires and goes where no man has gone before because only women have been there!
Watch this…if you love a light-hearted flick and want to laugh. With a running time of 22 minutes, you have no reason to miss this flick.
Title: Boat Girls
Director: Roger Young
In the aftermath of a one night stand Kirsty, now a visitor in her hometown is forced to turn to Jessica in order to get back to her luxury hotel. As they drive the two women reveal the different paths that their lives have taken since their life long trust was broken.
Watch this…if you love drama, romance and intrigue. The short film debuted at this year’s Durban International Film Festival.
Title: Sex, Okra and Salted Butter
Director: Mahamat Saleh Haroun
Hortense, a nurse of African origin in her forties, abandons her family to be with her lover, Jean- Paul – an oyster cultivator in the Arcachon Bay. Her husband, Malik remains in denial about his wife’s departure as he is left to look after their children – two boys aged 12 and 6. While Malik dreams of returning home to Mali, the rest of his family embrace life in France.
Watch this…if you love stories set in the African Diaspora with complex characters.
Title: The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo
Director: Yaba Badoe
The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo explores the artistic contribution of one of Africa’s foremost woman writers, a trailblazer for an entire generation of exciting new talent. The film charts Ama Ata Aidoo’s creative journey in a life that spans 7 decades from colonial Ghana through the tumultuous era of independence to a more sober present day Africa where nurturing women’s creative talent remains as hard as ever.
Watch this…if you enjoy African Literature and have read any of Ama Ata Aidoo’s works.
Title: Once
Director: Jay-Franklyn Jituboh
This story is about a 10-year-old Plateau boy called Panshak whose closest friend is Abubakar, an 11-year-old Muslim boy. Panshak
and Abubakar do almost everything together but when Abubakar starts to push him away, Panshak tries to find ways to be like him so as to get closer to him again.
Watch This…if you love movies with a message as it was produced as part of the Afrinolly Cinema 4 Change.
Title: Gone Too Far
Director: Destiny Ekaragha
When London teenager Yemi’s big brother comes to live with him from Nigeria, Ikudayisi’s terrible fashion sense, broad Yoruba accent and misplaced confidence with the opposite sex threaten to destroy Yemi’s already small amount of street cred. When the pair are forced to spend the day together on their Peckham estate Yemi is forced to confront local bullies, the unattainable girl of his dreams and his own African heritage, eventually teaching both of them the values of family and self-respect.
Watch this…if you want an intelligent comedy that will make you laugh, reflect and think. A typical London story told with wit and creativity.
Title: Timbuktu
Director: Abderrahmane Sissako
Not far from the ancient Malian city of Timbuktu, proud cattle herder Kidane lives peacefully in the dunes with his wife Satima, his daughter Toya, and Issan, their twelve year- old shepherd. In town, the people suffer, powerless, from the regime of terror imposed by the Jihadists determined to control their faith. Kidane and his family are being spared the chaos that prevails in Timbuktu. But
their destiny changes abruptly.
Watch this…because it is just that good. Did we mention that it was nominated for an Oscar this year?
Story: Isabella Akinseye
This story was first published in Issue 16 of Nolly Silver Screen magazine.
Click here to read the magazine online.