2022 Festival Schedule

Friday, September 22 (Click to Expand)

5:30 pm Opening Reception. RSVP Here
7:00 pm The Favor| Director: Wanjiru Njendu (Kenya/USA) 10 mins | English
Sira | Director Apolline Traore (Burkina Faso, Senegal, France, Mali) 121 mins | French, Fula with English Subtitle
Saturday, September 23 (Click to Expand)

Shimoni

8:30 am

6th Annual Symposium: Vulnerability/Fragility and Cinema

with
Alexie Tcheuyap (Keynote)
and
Dr. Arthur Anyaduba (University of Winnipeg)
Wanjiru Njendu (Filmmaker/Director, Boxed and The Favor, Los Angeles)
Susan Bater (Project Manager, Community Futures, Rural Manitoba and Saskachewan )
Steven Kohm (Professor, University of Winnipeg)

Moderated by Dr. Etienne-Marie Lassi (University of Manitoba),

12:15 pm Boxed | Director: Wanjiru Njendu (Kenya/USA) |6 mins | English
Talia’s Journey | Director: Christophe Rolin (Belgium, Senegal, Luxembourg) | 80 mins | French/Wolof with English Subtitle
2:15 pm Halves & Doubles | Director: Adam Mbowe (Canada) |15 mins | English
Myth of a Black Woman | Directors: Ayana O’Shun  (Canada) | 94 mins | French with English Subtitle
4:25 pm Mirror Mirror | Director: Sandulela Asanda (South Africa) | 9 mins | English
Shimoni | Director: Wanjiku Wamal (Kenya) | 97 mins | Swahili/English with English Subtitle
6:35 pm Kolonga | Martin Makinatow (DR Congo) | 20 mins | French with English Subtitle
Sada’s Sheep | Director: Pape Bounam Lopy (Senegal) | 62 mins | Wolof/French with English Subtitle
8:25 pm Patient 115 | Director: Jules François Preira (Senegal) | 12 mins | French with English Subtitle
Banel and Adama | Director: Ramata-Toulaye Sy (Senegal/France/Mali) | 87 mins | Pulaar with English Subtitle
Sunday, September 24 (Click to Expand)
1:00 pm Short Program
Umwali | Director: Inès Girihirwe (Rwanda) | 18 mins | English Subtitle
Butterfly Cinema | Director: Ekramy Maher (Egypt) 18 mins | English
Anonymes | Director: Rama Reyane Sow (Senegal) | 15 mins | Russian with English Subtitle
L’envoye de dieu/The Envoy of God | Director: Amina Absoulaye Mamani (Niger/Burkina Faso/Rwanda) 25 mins | French with English Subtitle
Here Ends the World we Know/ Ici s’achève le monde connu | Director: Anne-Sophie Nanki (Guadeloupe) 25 mins | Sranan tongo, Aluku tongo, French with English Subtitle
3:00 pm Ulwandle Lushile/Meeting the Tides | Director: Tembisa Jordaan (South Africa) | 10 mins | English Subtitle
Gazing at Stars/Simin Zetwal/Meeting the Tides | Director: David Constantin (Mauritius) 93 mins | French/Creole with English Subtitle
5:00 pm Maybe Tomorrow | Director: Orinthia Shondell Babb (Canada) 6 mins | English 
Sadrack | Director: Nacisse Wandji (Cameroun) 91 mins | French with English Subtitle
7:00 pm Home Away From Home | Director: Rohit Srinath (Canada) 8 mins | English 
Mami Wata | Director: C.J. Obasi (Nigeria) 108 mins | Pidgin English/English

About the Festival

Welcome to the African Movie Festival in Manitoba, the premier event celebrating the best of African cinema! Get ready to immerse yourself in a thrilling cinematic experience like no other, as we showcase the finest films from across the African continent, as well as from Africans in Canada, the USA, Europe, and beyond.

Our fall event promises to be a captivating and unforgettable celebration of black culture and artistry. In addition to screening outstanding films, the festival also hosts a symposium featuring keynote speakers and panelists who share their insights on black cinema, its impact on society, and its role in shaping culture.

At the African Movie Festival in Manitoba, you will be transported on a journey of discovery, as you witness the diversity, richness, and creativity of African cinema. From powerful dramas to heartwarming comedies, from thought-provoking documentaries to experimental films, our festival offers a range of genres and styles that will leave you inspired, enlightened, and entertained.

Join us for an unforgettable celebration of African cinema and culture at the African Movie Festival in Manitoba. We can’t wait to share this exciting experience with you!

6th Annual Symposium: Fragility/Vulnerability and Cinema

Keynote: Alexie Tcheuyap

Prof. Alexie Tcheuyap is the Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto, and a Professor at the Department of French of the University of Toronto.

Professor Tcheuyap was educated in Cameroon (École Normale Supérieure & University of Yaoundé), Scotland (Moray House College) and Canada (Queen’s University). He is currently a Full Professor in the Department of French where he was Associate Chair and Chair before his appointment as Vice-Dean Faculty, Academic Life & Equity in the Faculty of Arts & Science, a position he held from 2019 to 2021.

A Senior Fellow of the European Institutes for Advanced Study, Professor Tcheuyap has also taught at the University of Calgary and been Visiting Professor at universities across Europe, Africa and the US. A recipient of several SSHRC research grants, amongst other funding and awards, his scholarship focuses on African literary, cinema and media studies, fields in which he has published extensively in journals like Politique Africaine, Research in African Literatures, Présence Africaine, Études Littéraires, Présence Francophone or Études françaises, to name a few. A selection of his many noteworthy book publications includes: De l’écrit à l’écran (Presses de l’Université d’Ottawa, 2005); Postnationalist African Cinemas (Manchester UP, 2011); Autoritarisme, presse et violence au Cameroun (Karthala, 2014) and Avoir peur. Insécurité et roman en Afrique francophone (Presses de l’Université Laval, 2019; with Hervé Tchumkam).

Image Credit: University of Toronto

Now Showing

The Favor

Director: Wanjiru Njendu (Kenya/USA) 10min | English
Showing September 22, 2023 | 7pm

baltringue-poster-web

Sira

Director: Apolline Traore (Burkina Faso)
121 mins | French with English Subtitle
Showing Sept 22, 2023 | 7pm

poster_prisonertest-low

Boxed

Director: Wanjiru Njendu (Kenya/USA) 6mins| English
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 12:15pm

Talia’s Journey

Director: Christophe Rolin (Senegal) |80mins | Wolof/French with English Subtitles
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 12:15pm

Halves & Doubles

Director: Adam Mbowe (Canada) |15 mins | English
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 2:15pm

Myth of a Black Woman

Director: Ayana O’Shun (Canada) 94min | French with English subtitles
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 2:15pm

Mirror Mirror

Director: Sandulela Asanda (South Africa) 9mins | English
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 4:25pm

Shimoni

Director: Wanjiku Wamal (Kenya) 97min | Swahili/English
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 4:25pm

Kolonga (Make it out)

Director: Martin Makinatow (DR Congo) 20min | French with English subtitles
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 6:35pm

Sada’s Sheep

Director: Pape Bounam Lopy (Senegal) 62min | French with English subtitles
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 6:35pm

Patient 115

Director: Jules françois Preira (Senegal) 12 mins | French with English Subtitle
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 8:25pm

Tembele

Director: Morris Mugisha (Uganda) 76 min | English Subtitles
Showing Sept 23, 2023 | 8:25pm

Umwali

Director: Inès Girihirwe (Rwanda)
18 min | English Subtitles
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 1:00 pm

Butterfly Cinema

Director: Ekramy Maher (Egypt)
18 min | English
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 1:00 pm

Anonymes

Director: Fama Reyane SOW (Senegal) 15 min | Wolof/French with English Subtitles
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 1:00 pm

The Envoy of God/L’envoyee de dieu

Director: Amina Abdoulaye Mamani (Niger/Burkina Faso/Rwanda ) 25 min | Hausa/French with English Subtitles
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 1:00 pm

Here Ends the World We Know / Ici s’achève le monde connu

Director: Anne-Sophie Nanki (Guadeloupe)
25 min | Sranan tongo, Aluku tongo, Français with English Subtitles
Showing Sept 25, 2022 | 1:00 pm

Ulwandle Lushile / Meeting the Tides

Director: Tembisa Jordaan (South Africa) 10 mins | English Subtitles
Showing Sept 24, 2023 |3:00 pm

Gazing at Stars / Simin Zetwal / Regarde les étoiles

Directors: David Constantin (Mauritius) 93 min |  French/Creole with English Subtitle
Showing Sept 24, 2022 | 3:00 pm

Mama Lova

Maybe Tomorrow

Director: Orinthia Shondell Babb (Canada) 6 min | English
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 5:00pm

Mama Lova

Sadrack

Director: Nacisse Wandji (Cameroun) 91 min | French with English Subtitles
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 5:00pm

Home Away From Home

Director: Rohit Srinath (Canada) 8 min | English
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 7:00pm

Mami Wata

Director: C.J. Obasi (Nigeria) 108 min | Nigerian Pidgin/English
Showing Sept 24, 2023 | 7:00 pm

A Special Thanks to Our Funders and Sponsors

Co-presenters and Festival Partners

Gold Partners

Silver Partners

Media Partners and Host Support

Meet our Team

BEN AKOH

BEN AKOH

Founder/President

Founder/President/Artistic Director and Advisory Committee Chair, Manitoba African Film Festival Inc.
BRENDA AUSTIN-SMITH

BRENDA AUSTIN-SMITH

Adviser

Brenda Austin-Smith, Associate professor, Department of English, Film and Theatre, University of Manitoba.
SHEILA PETTY

SHEILA PETTY

Adviser

Sheila Petty, Ph.D., Professor, media studies, University of Regina.
MBYE CHAM

MBYE CHAM

Adviser

Mbye Cham, Ph.D., Professor, Department of African Studies and Director of the Center for African Studies, Howard University in Washington, D. C.
ONOOKOME OKOME

ONOOKOME OKOME

Adviser

Onookome Okome, Ph.D., Professor, Arts, English and Film Studies, University of Alberta.
SARAH B. BUCHANAN

SARAH B. BUCHANAN

Adviser

Sarah B. Buchanan, Ph.D., Associate professor, University of Minnesota, Morris, USA.
CHIGBO ARTHUR ANYADUBA

CHIGBO ARTHUR ANYADUBA

Adviser

Dr. Chigbo Arthur Anyaduba is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, The University of Winnipeg.
ÉTIENNE-MARIE LASSI

ÉTIENNE-MARIE LASSI

Adviser

Étienne-Marie Lassi is an  Associate Professor of French and Francophone Literature at the University of Manitoba.
NANDOZIE EKEOCHA

NANDOZIE EKEOCHA

Volunteer

Nandozie Ekeocha, M.Sc., Avid film enthusiast and movie critique, writer and director of various screenplays and short films. Volunteer on Social media, marketing and promotion.
BABATUNDE O. ONIKOYI

BABATUNDE O. ONIKOYI

Volunteer

Babatunde O. Onikoyi is coeditor of The Cinema of Tunde Kelan: Aesthetics, Theatricalities and Visual Performance (Cambridge Scholars, 2021). He currently teaches African Screen Media and Postcolonial Studies in Adeleke University, Nigeria.
ANA CAMILA ESTEVES

ANA CAMILA ESTEVES

Colaborator

Co-founder and curator of Mostra de Cinemas Africanos (Brazil). Specialized in African cinemas, she holds a PhD in the field, and her research interests include curatorship, festivals and streaming platforms.

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