African Directors

Click on the pictures to check out the best directors from each country.

Other countries will be added as we add director’s profiles of that nationality.

A Brief History of African Cinema

African cinema began in the early 20th century with colonial film productions that were primarily documentaries reflecting the European colonial perspective. These films were often used as propaganda tools to justify colonial rule. However, following the independence movements of the 1950s and 1960s, a new wave of African filmmakers emerged, intent on telling African stories through an African lens. This era saw the establishment of film festivals, like the Carthage Film Festival in Tunisia and the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso, which became pivotal platforms for African directors to showcase their work.

African directors like Ousmane Sembène from Senegal, often referred to as the “father of African cinema,” began creating films that addressed issues such as post-colonial identity, social injustice, and the clash between tradition and modernity. Sembène’s seminal work, “La Noire de…” (Black Girl), released in 1966, was the first Sub-Saharan African film by an African filmmaker to gain international attention. In Egypt, Youssef Chahine‘s career spanned more than 50 years, during which he made films like “Cairo Station” that depicted Egyptian society and politics. Haile Gerima, with his award-winning film “Sankofa,” powerfully confronted issues of slavery and African identity.

In the modern era, African cinema has continued to evolve, with directors such as Abderrahmane Sissako from Mauritania, whose film “Timbuktu” was nominated for an Academy Award in 2014, and Nigerian director Kunle Afolayan, whose work on films like “The Figurine” has been part of the rise of Nollywood as a global force. The digital revolution has democratised filmmaking, allowing for a more vibrant and diverse representation of African voices and stories. This period is characterised by a burgeoning industry that sees African filmmakers gaining more visibility in international film circles, with many films being showcased in prominent international film festivals and on streaming platforms.