London International Pan-African Film Festival (London PAFF 2024) showcasing outstanding Pan-African films produced in Africa and the Diaspora (Europe, Caribbean countries, USA, Latina America), and from all over the world, at the West Norwood Picturehouse from 18 to 25 October 2024. See today’s line-up below!
16h40 EMPALIKINO (FORGIVENESS)
Eric Mwangi, Documentary Short Film (Kenya), 2022, 5 min
In the picturesque Ol Kinyei conservancy, Dalton, a Maasai tribesman, grapples with the intricate dance of coexistence between his community's cattle and the majestic yet perilous lions, confronting the dualities of significance: the lion's role in the ecosystem versus the livelihood tied to his cattle and the experience of loss in the past. Amidst the tension of restless nights, a poignant internal conflict arises— Living and thriving in the land, juxtaposed with the lion's freedom. As Dalton prays for safety and forgiveness, an elder's prayer marks a powerful moment of acceptance and forgiveness, ultimately shaping Dalton's perspective on the enduring struggle for harmony in this shared land.
16h45 THE CINEMA OF MARIE-JOSEPHE + Q&A
Jil Servant, Documentary Feature Film, (France/Martinique), 2023, 52 min
Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte is the first black editor in French cinema and one of the greatest.
She has worked with the most famous directors of French cinema and has edited unforgettable films such as the “400 Blows” by François Truffaut or “Sugar Cane Alley” by Euzhan Palcy.
Let's re-edit time!
17h55 MOTHER'S BROTHER + Q&A
Derrick Kakembo, Narrative Short Film (UK), 2023, 15 min
Chisom struggles to fill the role of a positive role male model for his nephew Ake, who is growing up without a father. Chisom must decide between preparing Ake for the real world or preserving his innocence.
18h25 MY STORY
Anne Abok, Narrative Short Film (Nigeria), 2023, 30 min
Asabe is a bright 14-year-old girl from Northern Nigeria who dreams of becoming a nurse. She is from a family wrecked by poverty and her parents are unable to provide for her and her 5 sisters. Asabe’s father faces a dilemma to either give her out in marriage to a rich 50-year-old man and use the money to help the family or reel in his debt while risking his family’s survival. My story film paints the picture of the grim realities of forced labour and child marriage which are both prevalent forms of human trafficking in Nigeria.
19h05 MONA WAZEDIWA + Q&A
Herinque SUNGO, Documentary Short Film (Angola), 2024, 13 min
Humberto Paulo is a brave young Angolan and survivor of several wars, including the Angolan armed conflict and polio. After his adolescence he emigrated to Portugal and continued his studies and basketball career for people with disabilities. Now graduated and with a beautiful family, he is leaving several examples of overcoming.
19h19 GEORGE
Charles Browne-Cole & Tom Young, Documentary Feature Film (United Kingdom/Sierra Leonne), 2023, 1h 8min
‘George’ is an intimate portrait of George Wyndham, Sierra Leone’s most famous Paralympian. This is the story about one man’s struggle to avoid homelessness that has wider implications for billions of others living in marginal communities worldwide. Will George succeed in finding a new home? Or will he, like millions of others, be left behind?
20h30 LE COURAGE EN PLUS (EMBODIED BRAVERY)
Billy Touré & Laurent Chevallier, Narrative Feature Film (Guiné), 2023, 1h21min
A theater, music and dance troupe, "Les Handicapables" , was born in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. It is composed of young beggars, paralytics, one-armed people or dwarfs who have chosen to get out of their condition of being assisted by artistic creation. The film tells how these young people have been able to pool their rage for life to become a creative force for change and hope.
Screen 3:
20h00 SHIMONI (THE PIT)
Angela Wanjiku Wamai, Narrative Feature Film (Kenya), 2022, 1h37min
A teacher newly released from prison renegotiates the confines of the physical world while forced to face his nightmare in the flesh.
