Blog
Opening Day: Human Rights Watch Film Festival
16th March 2023
We here at Africa in Motion are absolutely thrilled to be teaming up with the Human Rights Watch Film Festival down in London in order to support and champion three vital stories from the continent and its diaspora. "Human rights are personal.
A tribute to Safi Faye (IN HER OWN WORDS)
27th February 2023
Rest in Power Safi Faye (November 22, 1943 – February 22, 2023)
A giant of Senegalese and World cinema has sadly left us. Safi Faye, Fadial's daughter, passed away on the night of 22 February 2023.
MEET OUR 2022 JURY
31st October 2022
Our annual Short Film Competition returns in 2022, for online and in-person viewings, showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers from across the continent and its rich diaspora.
AiM Announces 2022 Short Film Competition Finalists
14th October 2022
Africa in Motion Film Festival (AiM) is delighted to announce the shortlist for the annual Short Film Competition.
Africa in Motion Announces Emerging Curator Finalists
30th September 2022
We are thrilled to announce the first cohort of our new Emerging Curators programme. This exciting new pathway is designed to open new opportunities in the exhibition sector and help prevent the gatekeeping of roles within the film industry.
Apply: Call for New Trustees
15th September 2022
Africa in Motion is seeking new Trustees to join our board at an exciting time in our development.
Get Involved: Apply Now to be a Short Film Pre-Selector!
19th July 2022
Do you love films? Or get excited by the discovery of new stories?
If so, Africa in Motion invites you to apply for a paid opportunity to join the pre-selection panel, which will review submissions for our 2022 short film competition.
Watch: Steve McQueen in conversation with Paul Gilroy, Maria Balshaw and Gary Younge
17th June 2022
Portrait of Steve McQueen in Year 3 at Tate Britain ©Tate.
A Long Time Coming: Our Return to In-Person Events
31st May 2022
Earlier this month, we were delighted to celebrate Africa in Motion’s inaugural Coconut & Cane event - an exciting new series of gatherings to strengthen ties within the Black diaspora using film, poetry, music, and food as a way to communally connect, learn, and grow.
Submit Your Film!
18th May 2022
Filmmakers of African nationality, from the African diaspora or who identify themselves as African are invited to submit short films of no longer than 30 minutes for the 16th edition of Africa in Motion's prestigious annual short film competition.
Apply for the New Promoter post!
29th April 2022
We are thrilled to partner with Film Hub Scotland again to offer an exciting training opportunity for people who’d like to better understand how to curate films for audiences in Scotland.
"Dorlis" is Africa in Motion's 2021 Audience Award Winner
3rd November 2021
The votes are in! We are pleased to announce that Dorlis (2021) directed by Enricka MH, has been selected as this year’s audience award winner of the Africa in Motion Short Film Competition.
"Al-Sit" wins Africa in Motion's 2021 Short Film Competition Jury Award
31st October 2021
We are pleased to announce that Al-Sit (2020) directed by Suzannah Mirghani, has been selected as this year’s jury award winner of the Africa in Motion Short Film Competition.
FESPACO Winners Screening at Africa in Motion 2021
25th October 2021
Congratulations to all filmmakers selected for the 27th edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou! FESPACO is the largest African film festival in the world and is bi-annual. It took place from 16 to 23 October 2021.
Meet Our 2021 Jury
4th October 2021
Our annual Short Film Competition returns for the fourteenth year, showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers from across the continent and the diaspora. This year's shortlist was selected from over 600 entries, and the finalists comprise a broad range of films, each with a unique style, narrative and voice.
Interview with Artist Olamide Ogunade
3rd October 2021
Our 2021 artist commission for our festival identity was awarded to Nigeria-based Olamide Ogunade. We held an interview with him about his process, influences and personal mission for his artistic vision.
The Soaring Legend of Philippe Lacôte's "Night of the Kings"
12th September 2021
By Grace Coletta Feinmann
Philippe Lacôte’s The Night of the Kings (La Nuit des Rois) unravels with the urgency of anarchic survival and mythic ties.
AiM Announces Poetry World Premieres, 2021 Short Film Jury & Competition Finalists
30th August 2021
Monday 30 August 2021, Glasgow. Africa in Motion Film Festival (AiM) is delighted to announce three world premieres as part of the 2021 festival edition. The festival has commissioned new poetry from three Black female poets with support from the Scottish Poetry Library and Obsidian Foundation.
Interview with activist and 'Amussu' producer Naima Ouchtoubane
18th August 2021
Co-curators Finn Daniels-Yeomans and Carmen Thompson interview Naima OUCHTOUBANE about documentary Amussu, a collaborative film project about the protest movement in Imider, Morocco, whose villagers are resisting one of Africa’s biggest silver mines to save their oasis. Naima is 27 years old, with a bachelor degree in sociology.
Watch "Night of the Kings" with our AiM discount
22nd July 2021
Night of the Kings / Philippe Lacôte/ Côte d'Ivoire / 2020 / 93 min / French, Dioula, Nouchi
When a young man is incarcerated in Côte d’Ivoire’s largest prison, La MACA, he finds himself entering a world as dangerous and complex as the one he was navigating on the outside.
Apply for the New Promoter post!
5th July 2021
We are delighted to partner with FIlmhub Scotland on the New Promoters scheme which offers a paid opportunity for those who’d like to better understand how to programme films for audiences in the exhibition sector.
Submit Your Films
1st April 2021
Filmmakers of African nationality, from the African diaspora or who identify themselves as African are invited to submit short films of no longer than 30 minutes for the 16th edition of Africa in Motion's prestigious annual short film competition.
On restoring Farida Benlyazid's "Door to the Sky"
27th November 2020
This year, Africa in Motion is presenting a newly restored version of Farida Benlyazid’s Bab Al-Sama Maftuh (Door to the Sky) (1989). The film explores numerous themes such as grief, religion, and community in a journey of self-discovery and female emancipation.
"Da Yie" is Africa in Motion's 2020 Short Film Competition Jury Award Winner
27th November 2020
We are pleased to announce that "Da Yie" (Good Night) has been chosen as this year’s jury award winner of the Africa in Motion Short Film Competition.
Staff Pick: Luna Issa, Marketing Intern
25th November 2020
Our Lady of the Nile, based on the novel of the same name, tells the story of a group of girls who attend a Belgian-run boarding school in Rwanda. Set in 1973, the story addresses some of the issues which led to the genocide.
Staff Pick: Carmen Thompson, Festival Co-director
23rd November 2020
“We’re at Malika’s place… the gatekeeper of the void. ”
– Chawki Amari (Algerian journalist, writer and actor)
Algerian filmmaker Hassan Ferhani brings us an understated gem in his second feature-length documentary 143 rue du désert (143 Sahara Street).
Staff Pick: Ane Lopez Lopez, Marketing Coordinator
17th November 2020
South African filmmaker, visual artist and film theorist Jyoti Mistry leaves us speechless with her film Cause of Death; a poetic yet painful and visceral experimental autopsy report on how women have been written out of history.
Staff Pick: Liz Chege, Festival Director
13th November 2020
"He goes all the way to the madness of the act of questioning"
-António Tavares
Nuno Miranda and the Negrume Collective's vision Kmêdeus (EatGod) is a spell-binding tapestry blending folktale, collective memory and an inquiry into the notion of legacy.
Interview with Joel Haikali
6th November 2020
Interview with Joel Haikali, director of KaunaPawa (Invisibles), conducted by Ilia Ryzhenko, member of the Short Film Competition Viewing Committee. IR: Before we start, I'd like to say that your film, for me, was one of the most memorable cinematic experiences of this year.
My Experience Volunteering with Africa in Motion
3rd November 2020
By Rebecca Lee, Member of the Short Film Competition Viewing Committee
I first volunteered to be a part of the Africa in Motion Film Festival team all the way back in March of this year.
Staff Pick: Myriam Mouflih, Programme Coordinator
2nd November 2020
J’ai Tante Aimé (I Loved So Much) follows the life of seventy five year old Fadma, who at the age of twenty, was recruited as sex worker by the French Army during the Indochina war.
Interview with Mouaad Al Salem
30th October 2020
Interview with Mouaad Al Salem, director of This Day Won't Last, conducted by Milda Valiulytė, member of the Short Film Competition Viewing Committee.
Thoughts on Sun and Moon by Amira El Badry
28th October 2020
By Chang Xu, member of the Africa in Motion Short Film Competition Viewing Committee. My name is Chang, I am graduated master’s student from University of Glasgow and a current volunteer for Africa in Motion.
Interview with Olive Nwosu
28th October 2020
Interview with Olive Nwosu, director of Troublemaker, conducted by Ilia Ryzhenko, member of the Short Film Competition Viewing Committee. IR: Before we start, I would like to say just how much I admired your short film.
Interview with Shehab Satti
22nd October 2020
Interview with Shehab Satti, director of Serotonin, conducted by Federica Bianco, Postgraduate in Film and Television Studies 2020/2021, University of Glasgow, and member of the Short Film Competition Viewing Committee. FB: First of all, I want to thank you again for allowing me to set up this written interview.
Free Events at Africa in Motion 2020
21st October 2020
This year AiM will be held entirely online and will be available to audiences across the UK. The festival runs 30 October - 29 November, with new films and events taking place each day.
Africa in Motion Announces Finalists for Short Film Competition & Jury
21st October 2020
Africa in Motion Film Festival (AiM) is delighted to announce the shortlist for the annual Short Film Competition. Due to the unique circumstances of this year’s competition, the screenings of the films will be completely free and online for the duration of the festival.
URGENT CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF HAJOOJ KUKA AND THE FOUR ARTISTS IMPRISONED WITH HIM
28th September 2020
To increase awareness of Hajooj Kuka’s wrongful imprisonment and demonstrate the value of artistic and political expression, we at Africa in Motion film festival along with the TANO consoritium of African film festivals in the UK are calling for the immediate release of Kuka and the four other artists who have been jailed…
Notes on Fatma 75 by Tharwa Boulifi
20th July 2020
Girls of my generation grew up with the idea that men and women are perfectly equal, that fundamental rights (access to education, to the labour market, individual freedoms etc…) are natural and evident.
Experience Africa in Motion from home this June
26th May 2020
We may not be able to meet in the cinema at the moment, but Africa in Motion (AiM) Film Festival will continue to bring amazing cinema to our audiences in Scotland, and beyond – at home.
AiM 2019: Meet The Curators
21st October 2019
This year, for the 14th edition of Africa in Motion Film Festival, we have taken a collaborative approach to the curation of our programme.
Staff Pick: Stefanie Van de Peer, Curator
18th October 2019
Battledream Chronicle
This animated feature film from the diaspora is an underappreciated master stroke.
Staff Pick: Myriam Mouflih, Programme Coordinator
14th October 2019
I first saw Mostafa Derkaoui’s ‘De Quelques Evenments Sans Signification’ at Berlinale in February. People crowded into a small cinema to watch the film for the first time.
Staff Pick: Fiona Halliday, Volunteer Coordinator
10th October 2019
I am most excited about the documentary Tchindas, which follows the life of Tchinda and her trans sisters as they prepare for a Carnival. Shot in Mindelo, the island of Sao Vicente, this documentary is a beautiful depiction of a trans inclusive community.
AiM 2019: LIVE
7th October 2019
This year we have a host of unforgettable live events taking place across Edinburgh and Glasgow. From an Afrofuturist dance party to a restored classic with a brand new live score, get ready to experience film from Africa and diaspora like you never have before.
STAFF PICK: NENE CAMARA, PROGRAMMING TRAINEE
25th October 2018
My staff pick for AiM 2018 is Djon Africa, a colourful film that follows Djon, a young endearing rebellious boy caught between the transitional period of teen-hood into adulthood.
Staff Pick: Wacera Kamonji, Marketing Coordinator
25th October 2018
Supa Modo a Kenyan film by Likarion Wainaina, follows a young girl battling a terminal illness, who finds comfort and strength through a super hero alter ego she creates inspired by the action films that she has watched.
A New Wave of South African Cinema at AiM 2018
25th October 2018
South African film scholar Lizelle Bisschoff reflects on the new wave of South African cinema on offer at AiM 2018
Some have called it a new wave of South African cinema, and whatever you’d like to call it, it is clear that South African cinema has come of age and internationally…
An evening of reggae, reflection and Caribbean beats
23rd October 2018
What an amazing phenomenon reggae is; a unique genre of music created in a small island that can now be heard in every corner of the globe.
STAFF PICK: Stefanie, North Africa Programme Co-ordinator
22nd October 2018
AiM has always lived by a pan-African spirit, and includes films from North of the Sahara on its diverse programme every year. Among the recent crop of films by Morocco's star directors, Volubilis really stands out.
STAFF PICK: Justine, Festival Producer
18th October 2018
This year marks the centenary of not one South African icon, but two. The legacy of Nelson Mandela is known all over the world, however this year we are also remembering the ‘mother of the nation’ – Albertina Sisulu.
STAFF PICK: Myriam, Programme Assistant
16th October 2018
I found it so difficult to choose a staff pick as this year’s programme is jam packed with a huge array of amazing films.
Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) announce new directorship
4th October 2018
We are delighted that one of our partner festivals, the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), have appointed new directors for their 22nd edition, influential South African film duo Faith Isiakpere as CEO, and Firdoze Bulbulia as Festival Director.
Africa in Motion 2018 programme launch!
23rd September 2018
Africa in Motion is Scotland’s major annual celebration of African cinema, and is delighted to return for the 13th year to bring audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow a wide variety of creative stories from across the African continent.
Tentative Thoughts on Metalepsis in Black by Finn Daniels-Yeomans
29th October 2017
Finn Daniels-Yeomans is sharing some tentative thoughts regarding Aryan Kaganof’s difficult yet vital documentary about Fallism in contemporary South Africa, Metalepsis in Black.
STAFF PICK: KATIE, Marketing Volunteer
26th October 2017
This is my second year with Africa in Motion and in this short time I’ve already had the opportunity to experience some fantastic films from across Africa.
ENJOY AiM 2017 ‘FREE FEST’ IN GLASGOW
24th October 2017
Tragically the festival is coming at the end of the month and we can picture you browsing the programme and thinking you will miss on the fun? Don't worry we thought of everything with 16 free events taking place in Glasgow next week!
AFRICA’S LOST CLASSICS
Our symposium on Saturday 28 is…
Staff Pick: Myriam, AiM Trainee
23rd October 2017
My pick of the fest is the stunning debut feature of writer and filmmaker Abdellah Taïa. Set in Casablanca, L’Armée du Salut (Salvation Army) tells the story of a young gay Moroccan boy who is teased by his mother and sisters and idolises his older brother.
Get your fill at AiM2017!
23rd October 2017
Discover the diverse tastes of Africa this autumn at Africa in Motion!
This year the festival has a range of exciting food events to enable the people of Scotland to sample unique and exciting flavours from across Africa.
AiM 2017 INTERVIEW | Women and Film in Tunisia : An Interview with Filmmaker Selma Baccar
17th October 2017
By Hélène Audureau
I had the great opportunity recently to interview the first female film director in Tunisia, Selma Baccar, a few days before the screening of her pioneering movie on female activism in North Africa called FATMA 75.
Staff Pick: Stefanie, Africa's Lost Classics Curator
17th October 2017
I have worked on and off in different positions for AiM since 2007. It was first established in 2006, so I only really missed one year of films. I have loved the festival with all my heart from the start.
Staff Pick: Justine, Festival Producer
11th October 2017
I’m Justine Atkinson, Festival Producer. I’ve been working for Africa in Motion for the last five years now, and over that time I’ve seen many incredible films from across the African continent. My staff pick for this year is the new documentary-animation hybrid Liyana.
AiM 2017 Interview | An Interview with Justin Sihera, Producer
11th October 2017
Justin Sihera is the producer of Vanishing Sails and will be in attendance at the film's Edinburgh screening on Thursday 2 November
How did the idea for the film come about and how long did it take to make?
The director, Alexis Andrews is a commercial photographer based in Antigua for the…
Staff Pick: Manon, Marketing Coordinator
10th October 2017
I could not be prouder to work for a festival showing films such as Tess! It is a very brave film which highly deserves to be seen I can think of no better context than the Africa in Motion film festival to catch this little gem of a film.
AiM 2017 Interview | Restoring Joe Bullet: An Interview with Ben Cowley (Gravel Road)
10th October 2017
When a mysterious gangster begins to sabotage the chances of The Eagles football team of winning an important cup final, only one man has what it takes to find out the identity of the criminal mastermind behind the scandel and take them down: Joe Bullet (played by Ken Gampu).
Animated Africa - Stories behind the films
10th October 2017
Some of Disney’s favourite fairy tales were developed from the Grimm brother’s folktales and poems of medieval Europe, while 20th Century Fox brought us Anastasia (1997) based on the story of the legendary lost Russian princess.
Breaking Slavery Silence -The Transatlantic Slave Trade and its Effects by Ailsa Cole
9th October 2017
My history classes at school taught me about William Wallace and both World Wars, yet colonialism and empire were never discussed. 1745 (Gordon Napier, 2017) is one of the films screened on the night.
AiM 2017 at Filmhouse Edinburgh!
5th October 2017
Bookings for Africa in Motion screenings at Filmhouse are now open!
Are you feeling a little lost in the programme? Our historic venue Filmhouse has something for everyone so let us guide you through what’s on offer!
A FESTIVE OPENING
Do not miss the Africa in Motion opening! It is your chance to…
From Grenada to Glasgow – Curating inspired by personal experiences by Elizabeth Williams
3rd October 2017
Sitting in the Africa in Motion offices in Glasgow one day this summer, I felt very emotional.
Welcome to AiM 2017!
23rd September 2017
Africa in Motion is Scotland’s major annual celebration of African cinema, and is delighted to return for the 12th year to bring audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow a wide variety of creative stories from across the African continent.