Our films about Africa this year are as diverse as the continent itself. They include family stories, focus on ecology, highlight social tensions and draw attention to the (post)colonial presence. Alongside documentaries, we also feature one exceptional narrative film: The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos, created by a seven-member team. Inspired by the criminal eviction of slums to make way for developers, the film juggles genres in an unconventional way—part crime drama, part social drama, with touches of magical realism. It follows a single mother who stumbles upon a huge sum of money, only to find that, instead of bringing happiness, it unleashes a host of problems. Whether you view it as a gangster tale or a commentary on the marginalization of the socially disadvantaged, the film is bound to leave a lasting impression.

Thanks to the visually striking Rising up at Night, we travel to Kinshasa, where entire neighborhoods in this city of 17 million are left without electricity for months due to heavy rains and energy poverty. After torrential downpours, residents often find themselves waist-deep in water, the darkness concealing crimes and causing injuries—yet also fostering a sense of solidarity. A journey into this world, illuminated only by sporadically working flashlights, highlights the struggles of energy poverty while showcasing the remarkable resilience of those affected.

In Kenya, the longest drought in history takes center stage in the climate thriller The Battle for Laikipia. The scarcity of food for livestock disrupts the delicate balance between impoverished herders and the descendants of British colonialists, who fight to protect both their land and the region’s unique ecosystem. This ethical and environmental conflict, pitting two communities whose survival is at stake, reflects a broader global issue—the escalation of violence driven by poverty.

When Harmattan Blows delves into trauma and its aftermath. The protagonist, a young woman, was sold into domestic servitude by her parents as a child. Years later, she returns home, seeking to understand whether they were aware—or simply turned a blind eye—to the suffering she endured. The film sheds light on the grim reality faced by 10,000 Ghanaian children and explores the complexities of healing, as well as the challenge of seeing another’s perspective.

The latest addition to our programme is Khartoum, which arrives at One World following its premiere at Sundance and a screening at Berlinale. Directed by five filmmakers, it tells the stories of individuals who, like ten million other Sudanese, were forced to flee their country after a military coup. Through re-enacted memories and visions performed against a green screen, the film creates an aesthetically unique journey into the minds and experiences of those displaced by war.