'Adam' by William Armstrong
👏🏿 Botswana-born William Armstrong, who won the Emerging Director Award at last week's One Screen Short Film Festival, organised by The One Club for Creativity. He won for 'Adam,' his short documentary on Adam Voigt, a surfer with leukemia, which we featured last year after it became a Vimeo Staff Pick. Watch below or on Africa.film.
Obongjayar 'Endless,' directed by Matilda Finn
🙌🏿 all the African-linked winners at last night's uk music video awards:
• Childish Gambino 'This Is America,' choreographed by Rwanda's Sherrie Silver, won Music Video of the Year, Best Cinematography & Urban Video - International
• Sevdaliza 'Shahmaran,' directed by Ghana's Emmanuel Adjei, won Best Alternative Video - International & Best VFX
• The Blaze 'Queens,' co-directed by Cote d'Ivoire-born Jonathan Alric, won Best Dance Video
If you follow our page, we're pretty sure you've seen of all these already though, so #fbf to Obongjayar 'Endless,' last year's Best Dance Video - Newcomer winner, which also won Best New Director for Matilda Finn.
You can watch all of this year's African-linked winners and nominees at http://ow.ly/5AVV30mnH9H.
'Oreina' trailer
👏🏿 Koldo Almandoz: 'Oreina | Deer' won Best Basque film this weekend at San Sebastian Film Festival, the largest in the Spanish-speaking world.
Khalil (Laulad Ahmed) is an immigrant from Western Sahara, who lives in the city’s margins, where industrial estates bank onto the river and the marsh. He survives as well as he can, spending his days with a poacher who shares a house on the riverbank with a brother he has not talked to for years. On the shores of the marsh, the tides mark the time for love and indifference, friendship and revenge.
Now in good company on Africa.film in our collection of the best movies linked to Africa; we'll let you know when it's available to stream on the continent.
NEW DAY :: A Kormac music video by William Armstrong
👏🏿 Botswana-born William Armstrong: his Bulawayo-set train-surfing music video for Kormac is a Vimeo Staff Pick - his second this year.
Please don't try this at home...
Watch 148 other African-linked Vimeo Staff Picks: https://africa.film/africa-vimeo-staff-picks/
Nommer 37 trailer
Looking for a Sunday night movie? Nommer37Film is now streaming in Africa on BoxOffice. The Cape Flats noir won Nosipho Dumisa Best Director at Fantasia International Film Festival this year and was nominated for the Gamechanger Award at SXSW.
As Variety wrote in their rave review, "Far more substantial than a run-of-the-mill Hitchcock homage, 'Number 37' is richly satisfying on its own terms as a singularly crafty and strikingly well-crafted thriller that signals the arrival of a promising filmmaking talent."
Read more: https://africa.film/nommer-37-a-nosipho-dumisa-movie/.
'The Battle of Algiers' trailer
La Biennale di Venezia ends this Saturday, so #tbt to when 'The Battle of Algiers' won the Golden Lion and the Fipresci Critics Prize at Venice in 1966.
Banned in France, this story of the Algerian fight for independence was nominated for three Oscars and is currently 26th on Rotten Tomatoes list of the Top 100 Movies Of All Time.
Watch it for free: https://africa.film/the-battle-of-algiers-a-gillo-pontecorvo-feature-film/
'Beats of The Antonov' trailer
Wishing we were at La Biennale di Venezia, which started yesterday and is traditionally seen as one of the big three film festivals with Cannes and Berlin.
There are two African films screening as part of Critics Week: Hajooj Kuka's Sudanese comedy, 'The Roundup | Akasha', and Abdelhamid Bouchnak's Tunisian horror, Dachra, which is the closing night film.
Neither has a trailer out yet sadly, so for those not in Venice, #tbt to Hajooj's debut documentary, Beats of the Antonov, which won the Audience Award at Toronto in 2014, among other awards.
Read more about it at https://africa.film/beats-of-the-antonov-a-hajooj-kuka-documentary/, then stream it via Vimeo On Demand.
Abyusif 'Azrael' - directed by Wael Alaa
👏🏿 Egyptian director Wael Alaa. - 'Azrael,' his new music video for Abyusif, is now a Vimeo Staff Pick - his second this year!
It's now in good company with nearly 150 other African-linked Vimeo Staff Picks at https://africa.film/africa-vimeo-staff-picks/.
'Five Fingers For Marseilles' trailer
Congrats to Five Fingers for Marseilles: the most nominated feature at this year's African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).
The Western has 10 nominations:
• Best Film
• Best Film In An African Language
• Best First Film (Michael Matthews)
• Best Director: Michael Matthews
• Best Actor (Vuyo 'Gadaffi' Dabula)
• Best Screenplay (Sean Drummond)
• Best Cinematography (Shaun Lee)
• Best Make-Up (Julene Paton & Carol Mtshiselwa Djieutcheu)
• Best Costume Design (Pierre Vienings)
• Best Production Design (Franz Lewis)
Winners will be announced on 22 September 2018.
Stream now on BoxOffice: http://ow.ly/pn7G30l8RkI
Now in good company at https://africa.film/best-african-movies/.
'New Moon' trailer :: A Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann documentary
👏🏿 Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann: 'New Moon' won Best Documentary at Durban International Film Festival - now one of 28 festivals around the world where this category winner automatically qualifies for Oscar consideration.
'New Moon' is set in the stone town of Lamu on the north eastern coastline of Kenya. A gigantic port project and coal plant are the external elements that threaten to disrupt the rhythm of Lamu, but the real disruption in 'New Moon' is Philippa's journey of self-discovery within Sufi Islam.
'New Moon' also won The Ladima Award for African Women Documentary Filmmaker at Zanzibar International Film Festival and the Artistic Achievement Award in a Long Documentary at Luxor African Film Festival 2018.
It's now in good company at https://africa.film/best-african-documentaries/; we'll let you know when it's available to stream online.
'Five Fingers For Marseilles,' now streaming on BoxOffice
Looking for something to stream this weekend? Five Fingers for Marseilles is finally available on BoxOffice in Africa.
Here are five rave reviews for Michael Matthews' Western, which has a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes:
• "Don’t go and see 'Five Fingers for Marseilles' because it is local – go because it is so good." Gayle Mahala Edmunds, City Press
• "Stunning... A towering work of art unlike any local feature I've ever seen." Kervyn Cloete, Critical Hit Entertainment
• "Offers a scathing social narrative, endless gritty drama and sharp suspense that immediately positions it as one of the best local productions ever made." Emmanuel Tjiya, Sowetan LIVE
• "Two thumbs up... Objectively thrilling. Through a combination of stunning cinematography, complex characters and great performances 'Five Fingers for Marseilles' manages to become so engrossing that you hardly notice that you have chewed your finger down to the knuckle." Yolisa Mkele,Sunday Times
• "Almost too entertaining for its own good." Variety
Stream now: http://ow.ly/pn7G30l8RkI
If you've already seen this, explore more classic African movies at https://africa.film/best-african-movies/.
'Timbuktu' trailer
Durban International Film Festival starts tonight, so #tbt to when one of our favourite African films, Abderrahmane Sissako's 'Timbuktu,' won Best Feature, Best Cinematography (Sofian el Fani) and Best Actor (Ibrahim Ahmed Pino) in 2014.
As the DIFF jury said then, the Oscar-nominated film is “an impressively well-made film that makes us aware, in an extraordinarily human and gentle way, of the fight for dignity and freedom of individuals against oppression and violence. Beautifully crafted and showing mature accomplishment on all levels the film illustrates the absurdity of war and ideological dogmatism and offers humour, gentility and humaneness as a possible solution to the madness that seems to engulf so many regions in the world and on our continent. It embraces cinema as a weapon of love against violence and intolerance.”
'Timbuktu' won over 30 international awards, including the Francois Chalais Award and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at Cannes.
Sadly, 'Timbuktu' is not available to stream in Africa at the moment; we'll let you know when that changes. Please help us speed that up by asking Netflix to add it at https://help.netflix.com/en/titlerequest.
'Welcome To Sodom' trailer
👏🏿 Austrian directing duo Christian Krönes & Florian Weigensamer: 'Welcome To Sodom' won a Honourary Mention: One Future Prize at Filmfest München last week.
"A dark and sensuous film from a landfill in Ghana, where electronic waste from the West is being recycled. An unforgettable experience, told by the workers themselves." CPH:DOX
It's now streaming on Festival Scope Pro and in good company at https://africa.film/best-african-documentaries/.
This soccer-themed KFC ad will have you rolling with laughter
🙌🏿 director Karien Cherry of Giant Films: her hilarious KFC spot for Ogilvy & Mather SA has hijacked the FIFA World Cup with over 20m views online and features everywhere from 9Gag to ESPN, Fortune to Newsweek.
Note to Neymar Jr.: you may be on a roll, but why make a meal of it for a free kick when you can you can make a meal of it with a Streetwise 2 for R29.90!
Ambush-marketing at its best.
'Supa Modo' trailer
Congrats to director Likarion Wainaina, Ginger Ink Films (Kenya) and One Fine Day Films: 'Supa Modo' earned a Special Mention at last week's Edinburgh International Film Festival for its "excellent portrait of community and family." This follows an early special mention at Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival and four other wins.
Jo, a witty 9-year old terminally ill girl, is taken back to her rural village to live out the rest of her short life. Her only comfort during these dull times are her dreams of being a superhero - dreams her rebellious teenage sister Mwix, overprotective mother Kathryn and the entire village of Maweni think they can fulfill.
Can't wait til this is available to stream in Africa...
'Watu Wote' trailer
Delighted that 2018 Oscar-nominee WATU WOTE - All of us is now streaming in Africa on Vimeo On Demand.
"For almost a decade, Kenya has been targeted by al-Shabaab terrorist attacks. An atmosphere of anxiety and mistrust between Muslims and Christians was growing until December 2015, when Muslim bus passengers said that solidarity can prevail."
In addition to being nominated for the Oscar as best live action short, 'Watu Wote' won the Student Academy Award and over 60 other prizes around the world. It has a rare 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch now: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/watuwote, then let us know what you thought at https://africa.film/watu-wote-all-of-us-a-katja-benrath-short-film/.
'Amal' trailer :: a documentary by Mohamed Siam
👏🏿 Egyptian director Mohamed Siam, who won the Youth Jury Award last night at Sheffield Doc/Fest, the UK's premier documentary film festival.
'Amal' follows five wild years in the life of a young, Egyptian woman, from fearless 14-year-old on the barricades of Tahrir Square to adult woman with dreams for the future.
The Youth Jury said it "perfectly represents what the Youth Jury stands for."
'Amal' was also the opening night film at IDFA, the world's biggest non-fiction festival. We'll let you know as soon as it's available to stream in Africa...
'Kinshasa Makambo' trailer :: A Dieudo Hamadi documentary
👏🏿 Dieudo Hamadi, who last night won the Tim Hetherington Award for 'Kinshasa Makambo' at Sheffield Doc/Fest, the most important documentary festival in the UK.
In 'Kinshasa Makambo.' three DRC activists risk everything trying to mobilise a rebel generation to unseat Joseph Kabila and his brutal police state.
The jury praised the documentary for “brave filming with a raw quality.”
Hamadi is the first director born in Africa to win the award, although Egyptian-American director Jehane Noujaim won for 'The Square' in 2013. Three of the five previous winners went on to earn Oscar nominations ('The Square.' 'Strong Island,' & 'Cartel Land').
If you're a filmmaker, you can watch 'Kinshasa Makambo' on Festival Scope Pro. It's now also in good company at https://africa.film/best-african-documentaries/.
'The Highway Rat,' a Magic Light Pictures animation
An adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s bestseller, 'The Highway Rat' is a swashbuckling tale of a greedy rat who craves buns and biscuits and comes to a sticky end. People’s Choice winner David Tennant ('Doctor Who', 'Broadchurch') leads an impressive cast in the title role.
Animated in South Africa by Triggerfish Animation for Magic Light Pictures, 'The Highway Rat' is currently competing at Festival international du film d'animation d'Annecy, which starts today.
For everyone who can't be in France this week for the world's most prestigious animation festival, the good news is that 'The Highway Rat' is now streaming in Africa on Showmax.
Holding thumbs for a hat-trick for Magic Light and Triggerfish, who've won the TV category for two years in a row for 'Stick Man' and 'Revolting Rhymes.'
In other great news, Triggerfish's new short film, 'Belly Flop,' codirected by Jeremy Collins and Kelly Dillon, is one of three short films screening during the closing ceremony. We'll let you know as soon as that's online too...
'Revolting Rhymes' trailer
“I guess you think you know this story. You don’t. The real one’s much more gory."
We're delighted that 'Revolting Rhymes,' the first Oscar nominee animated in Africa, is now streaming here on Showmax.
Partly animated in Cape Town by Triggerfish Animation, 'Revolting Rhymes' is based on Roald Dahl's classic collection of rebooted fairytales, starring everyone from a pistol-packing Red Riding Hood to seven jockies with gambling debts to three little property developing pigs.
The two-part special won 15 of the world’s biggest animation awards, including the International Emmy Kids Award for Animation; Best Animation at the BAFTA Children’s Awards; Best Animated Special at the Annie Awards; and Best One-Off Special at Kidscreen.
It's now in good company at https://africa.film/best-african-animation/.
