Ezra

Films

With over 40 films from 22 African countries, Africa in Motion 2008 is a celebration and exploration of the multiplicity of forms, themes, styles and approaches we find in the African film industries today.

We open with a classic from Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine - a hugely important pioneering figure who sadly passed away in July this year.

We are screening retrospectives of the work of Malian director Souleymane Cissé and Gaston Kaboré with both directors in attendance to talk to audiences after screenings.

New genres are being introduced - African animation shorts from all over the continent will be screened in two sessions, one for children and one for adults, consisting of various types of animation such as cut-out, claymation, stop-motion and computer animation. These screenings will be complemented by an African storytelling event and an animation workshop for young people.

We have a focus on popular African cinema to explore what Africans are watching - we hope to delight audiences with a slice of Nollywood, the prolific Nigerian video industry which has taken the continent by storm over the last decade.

As part of AiM's commitment to supporting filmmaking activity on the continent, we are hosting a short film competition for emerging African filmmakers. We received entries from almost 20 African countries and here audiences will have the chance to view the eight films which were selected for the shortlist and vote for their favourite.

An audacious new strand is our AiM After Hours series - late-night screenings over Halloween weekend of African horrors and experimental work.

We also have a focus on the Bushmen of Southern Africa, with documentary screenings, a panel discussion and an accompanying exhibition of Bushmen art work and jewellery in the Filmhouse café.

Contemporary films will feature prominently - highlights include Nigerian director Newton Aduaka's Ezra which won the grand prize at the FESPACO film festival in 2007 and Guinean director Cheick Fantamady Camara's Clouds over Conakry, the closing screening of the festival.

Click on the film titles on the left to read more about the films.