Festival director Lizelle Bisschoff opened the festival before the screening of Ousmane Sembene's Xala

The opening screening was followed by a reception and music event.

African food was served at the opening event.

Guests enjoying the food which featured dishes from all over Africa.

The opening celebrations included drumming...

...and dancing!

Scottish/Ghanaian musician Benny Tetteh-Lartey performed at the opening event.

Benny Tetteh-Lartey and band.

Ghanaian musician Sam Achampon.

Kari Ann Shiff, member of AiM's organisation committee, enjoying the music on the opening night.

Malawian filmmaker Villant Ndasowa and Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP, First Minister of Scotland (2001 - 2007), in front of the Scottish Parliament.

FLTR: Festival director Lizelle Bisschoff, Malawian filmmaker Villant Ndasowa, MSP Jack McConnell, and Audrey Cash from the Scotland-Malawi Partnership.

The festival was complemented by an exhibition by Nigerian cartoonist Tayo Fatunla, featuring drawings from his OUR ROOTS series.

Tayo Fatunla's exhibition featured a print of Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene, created exclusively for AiM.

David Murphy, a member of AiM's Board of Advisors and author of a book on Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene, gave a tribute to Sembene before the screening of Black Girl.

Namibian director Richard Pakleppa and Mozambican director Gabriel Mondlane spoke to the audience after the screenings of their films, in a discussion hosted by Noe Mendelle, member of AiM's Board of Advisors and Director of the Scottish Documentary Institute.

An academic symposium on African cinema took place on the first Saturday of the festival.

Symposium speakers Mbye Cham, Professor of Literature and Film in the Department of African Studies at Howard University, Washington, D.C.; and Jacqueline Maingard, Senior Lecturer and Head of Education in the Department of Drama: Theatre, Film and Television at the University of Bristol.

Astrid Treffry-Goatley, a researcher from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, presenting at the symposium.

Saër Maty Bâ, Postdoctoral Research Development Officer at the University of Wales Bangor during his symposium presentation.

Beti Ellerson, lecturer in the African and African American Studies Program in the Department of Social Sciences at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, USA, took part in the African film symposium.

David Murphy and Teddy Mattera at the symposium.

David Murphy led the panel discussion on female African directors after the screenings of three classic films by pioneering women directors.

Beti Ellerson, a professor at Winston-Salem State University, and June Givanni, curator and film festival organiser, took part in the discussion on women directors.

Ben Young from Jubilee Scotland gave a talk before the screening of Burkinabe film Wend Kunni.

Mark Cousins, well-known film critic, writer and producer, and a member of AiM's Board of Advisors, introduced Youssef Chahine's The Sparrow.

Prof Paul Nugent, member of AiM's Board of Advisors and Director of the Centre of African Studies at Edinburgh University, introduced the screening of Ghanaian film Heritage Africa.

Teddy Mattera (in the front), director of South African film Max and Mona, and the film's producer Tendeka Matatu, attended the screening.

Dan Hammett, member of AiM's organising committee, hosted a discussion with Teddy and Tendeka after the screening of Max and Mona.

South African director Teddy Mattera in discussion with the audience.

Kari Ann Shiff introduced the screening of Asylum.

Kari Ann hosted a discussion with the director, Rumbi Katedza (in the middle), and producer, Helen Goossens, of Asylum.

Fiona McAlistair (on the left), who has worked with Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour, introduced the screening of the documentary Return to Goree, about the singer.

Singer-songwriter David Ferrard presented a selection of songs about slavery and emancipation.

Drumming and dancing led by Ghanaian musician Sam Achampon.

Sam Achampon and group.

Musician Gameli Tordzro.

Dancing in Filmhouse café.

French/Ivorian director Isabelle Boni-Claverie attended the screening of her short film Pour la Nuit.

Lizelle Bisschoff hosted a disucssion with Isabelle after the screening.

South African filmmaker Vincent Moloi spoke to audiences after the screening of his film A Pair of Boots and a Bicycle in a discussion hosted by Noe Mendelle.

Audiences thoroughly enjoyed the presence of filmmakers at the festival.

Kelone Khudu-Petersen from Botswana took part in a discussion on storytelling and African cinema.

Amadu Khan - journalist, performer-poet and storyteller - took part in the discussion exploring the links between storytelling and African cinema.

Sold-out screenings were a common sight at AiM07.

African food was served in the Filmhouse café during the festival.

A packed audience at AiM07.

Festival director Lizelle Bisschoff closed the festival with a word of thanks before the final screening of South African film Son of Man.

Senegalese musician Samba Sene and fellow musicians entertained the audience on the closing night of the festival.

Senegalese musician Samba Sene.

Festival director Lizelle Bisschoff opened the festival before the screening of Yeelen.

African vocal group, Temwa Cultural Group, entertained the audience on the opening night.

An African cinema symposium, hosted by the Centre of African Studies, took place on the first Saturday of AiM.

Eminent film theorist, director and producer Imruh Bakari was one of the speakers at the symposium.

South African film theorist Jacqueline Maingard presented a paper on post-apartheid South African cinema at the symposium.

Paul Nugent, Director of the Centre of African Studies and a member of AiM's Board of Advisors, speaking to the audience at the symposium.

The symposium panel, from left to right: Imruh Bakari, David Murphy, Roy Armes, Noe Mendelle, and Jacqueline Maingard.

AiM audience members in the Filmhouse café.

A stall selling African books was run in the foyer of the Filmhouse during the festival.

There was some time for socialising in between screenings!

Film theorist David Murphy and film critic Mark Cousins hosted a discussion entitled "African Cinema Paradiso: Ten Films to Fall in Love With".

David and Mark are both members of AiM's Board of Advisors.

All screenings had short introductions, giving audiences some background to the film's context.

Noe Mendelle, Director of the Scottish Documentary Institute and member of AiM's Board of Advisors, hosted a masterclass on documentary making in Angola.

African dishes were served in the Filmhouse café during the festival.

AiM created a permanent buzz in the Filmhouse!

From left to right: Nasim and Alastair Christie, Lizelle Bisschoff and Mukami McCrum, after the screening of the documentary programme. The programme was sponsored by Global Concerns Trust, a charity doing projects in Africa and Asia, of which Alastair is Chair. Mukami, CEO of the Central Scotland Racial Equality Council, took part in a discussion after the screening.

Performance poet Kokumo Rocks enthralled audiences with her powerful poetry.

Tanzanian musician Tumi Lumbo performed in the Filmhouse café.

Lizelle and Melissa told audiences about plans for AiM 2007 before the closing screening of Zulu Love Letter.

Edinburgh-based musicians Edimbira and Amadinda entertained audiences on the last night of the festival.

The closing party involved lots of dancing.

Senegalese musician Samba performed in the café accompanied by traditional African instruments.

Melissa, David and Lizelle finally relaxing at the end of a tiring but very rewarding first AiM festival.

Melissa was persuaded into some dancing at the closing party.

Live music provided the perfect setting for celebrating the success of the first Africa in Motion festival.