Africa in Motion: Edinburgh African Film Festival

Xala, Ousmane Sembene, Senegal (still courtesy BFI)

Now the biggest African film festival in the UK, Africa in Motion takes place annually in Edinburgh, celebrating the best of African cinema, past and present. Screenings are accompanied by talks and discussions, filmmaker Q&As and workshops, art exhibitions and music events. The third annual festival will take place in late October 2008, with a UK-wide touring programme taking off in November.

You can look at the photo gallery, read through the audience comments and browse the press archive of the festival.

We have opened a call for entries for AiM 2008, for a new short film competition for emerging African filmmakers.

Endorsements

Midge Ure: "Live Aid was an entertainment format that was used to highlight the humanitarian issues in Africa through music. Now, through Africa in Motion some great African filmmakers are being given a long overdue opportunity to screen their work and tell their own thought-provoking and innovative stories about Africa".

Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP, First Minister of Scotland (2001 - 2007): "The Africa in Motion film festival is a brilliant addition to Edinburgh's annual programme of festivals. Too often the common perception of Africa is a continent plagued by poverty and disease. It does face many, many, challenges, but it also has wonderfully rich and diverse cultures, and I'm particularly pleased that Scotland provides this great showcase for African filmmakers."