NYC PREMIERE Hailing from the African nation of Cape Verde, and gifted with an indisputable talent, singer-songwriter Cesária Évora rose to global fame later in life. Peppered with colorful anecdotes of this generous, down-to-earth, fiercely independent “Barefoot Diva,” this charming documentary follows “Cize” at home on her native island of São Vicente, backstage with beloved […]
US PREMIERE Students across the African continent come together for an annual contest of oratory skills and knowledge of the law. The film follows diverse teams of law students as they prepare for this prestigious, high-stakes mock trial, the African Human Rights Moot Competition. In her feature film debut, former lawyer-turned-filmmaker Shameela Seedat gives us […]
WORLD PREMIERE Gazi “Dusty” Simelane and Linda “Stones” are country music singers living in Swaziland. The film captures their wondrous ten-day road trip through the American south, gifting us with great music and leaving us questioning the intersectional issues of race, power, and whether any demographic can lay claim to country music, or any other […]
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE A Ghanaian mother of five survives the perilous journey to Europe in search of a better life, only to return to her village to reunite with her children, much to the disdain of family and neighbors. Steadfast in her convictions of what’s best, first-time filmmaker Fatimah Dadzie tells her own unique story […]
NYC PREMIERE Filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish) returns with another explosive exposé. On a global scale, governments and uber-wealthy private investors move to secure control of the natural resources that will provide food and water to the world’s population for the next century and beyond, working either in the shadows or waging smokescreen wars to ruthlessly […]
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE In the early ’90s, Nigeria was a nation mired in political unrest, economic struggle and social upheaval. In the midst of these difficult circumstances, the Nigerian mens’ national (football/soccer) team, soared to unprecedented heights. Known fittingly as the Super Eagles, the team captured the hearts of a nation on their magical gold-medal run […]
US PREMIERE In the deserts of Benin, shepherds struggle with the changing landscapes and droughts as they herd animals through ancestral lands. – Samah Ali All in-person screening venues provide hearing impaired listening devices upon request with venue management. All guests & staff will be required to comply with our Health & Safety protocols while […]
NYC PREMIERE In love with the ocean, a father and son reflect on what it means to represent South Africa as a professional surfer on the world stage. – Samah Ali All in-person screening venues provide hearing impaired listening devices upon request with venue management. All guests & staff will be required to comply with our […]
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE: After her 2009 victory at the World Championships, South African runner Caster Semenya’s win came under invasive public scrutiny. When the International Amateur Athletics Federation (now World Athletics) ruled that targeted women with naturally high androgen levels must medically alter their bodies in order to compete, a generation of athletes have their lives […]
Using khat, a stimulant leaf chewed by Sufi Imams seeking eternity, as a connecting thread, Faya Dayi takes us on an ethereal journey through Harar, Ethiopia, dipping into the lives of its Oromo denizens as we follow the crop from harvest to consumption. In this hypnotic tribute to the beauty of the land of her […]