International film curator and champion of African cinema Keith Shiri appointed Lead Curator to Film Africa 2024 – now open for submissions

 

Keith Shiri

The Royal African Society is honoured that Keith will lead Film Africa’s curation, bringing his extraordinarily rich and wide experience in international curation and film festivals, as well as a record of championing African cinema and its profile in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean.

As well as being the founder and director of Africa at the Pictures, a London-based festival of African cinema, Keith is a programme adviser to the London Film Festival and a founder member and current chair of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, and has advised the curation of international film festivals including the Venice Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Dubai International Film Festival, the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou and the Tampere Film Festival. He is also the Regional Secretary (Europe) for the Federation of African Filmmakers (FEPACI), and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media (CREAM) at the University of Westminster.

Keith sits on the advisory board of New York’s Focus Features Africa First Programmed, which has long supported young African filmmakers through its mentorship programme.

In keeping with the Royal African Society and Film Africa’s ethos of expanding access to, and inclusion within, African culture and perspectives, the festival’s programme and emphases will reflect input from and be enriched by a diverse range of curators, filmmakers, and critics, to reflect the complexity and nuances of different African and diasporic voices.

Keith Shiri said: “I am excited to join Film Africa as a curator. African artistry – especially in cinema – is experiencing a period of unparalleled invention and experimentation, and Film Africa provides the ideal forum in which to share these cultural treasures with audiences from the continent, as well as Britain’s various diaspora communities and the wider British public. I look forward to working to assemble a bench of films and speakers to progress our collective conversation about African film – as well as African cultural trends and the perspectives of those whose continent will, this century, emerge as the world’s most important and populous.”

Film Africa 2024

Film Africa, London’s unrivalled celebration of African and African diaspora cinema presented by the Royal African Society, is delighted to announce the appointment of Keith Shiri – a titan of African cinema and visual culture – as the Festival’s Lead Curator. In 2024, Film Africa will take place from Friday 25 October until Sunday November 3 continuing its mission of highlighting African and African diaspora filmmaking. The Festival is now open to submissions from African and African diasporic filmmakers.

All entries will be considered for inclusion in the Festival and prizes will be awarded to two entries: The Baobab Award for best short film and the Film Africa Audience Award for best feature-length entry. Both awards have a £1000 cash prize.

In 2022, the 10th edition of Film Africa spanned over 10 days from 28 October – 6 November. The festival hosted screenings at 7 venues across London – Picturehouse Central, BFI Southbank, Rich Mix, The Ritzy, Bertha DocHouse, South London Gallery and The Africa Centre – as well as featuring a selection of 7 narrative and documentary films on the BFI Player. Film Africa 2022 presented an eclectic hybrid programme of 47 films from 16 countries (including 22 World, European or UK premieres).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Royal African Society.

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About Film Africa: 
Film Africa is London’s biggest biennial festival celebrating the best African cinema from across the continent and diaspora brought to you by the Royal African Society. Established in 2011, the festival brings diverse London and UK audiences a high quality and wide-ranging film programme accompanied by a vibrant series of events, including director Q&As, talks and panel discussions; workshops and masterclasses; Film Africa Young Audiences school screenings and family activities; and Film Africa LIVE! music nights. Film Africa also recognises and supports new film-making talent through the Baobab Award for Best Short Film and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film.

For more information about Film Africa, visit www.FilmAfrica.org

1.  Film Africa accepts films of all lengths and genres, including fiction, documentary, shorts and experimental.

2. Year of production must be 2020 or after – any films made before this will not be    considered.

3.  Our main objective is to represent a wide range of films and filmmakers stemming from Africa and the African diaspora. We only accept submissions from African and African diaspora filmmakers.

Established in 2011, the Film Africa Baobab Award for Best Short Film exists to recognise and support filmmaking in Africa and to find new voices emerging from the continent. The Award consists of a £1,000 cash prize and is judged by a panel of filmmakers and industry professionals.

Established in 2015, the Film Africa Audience Award is selected by our audience at eligible screenings throughout the festival. The winning filmmaker receives a prize of £1,000.

About the Royal African Society: 
The Royal African Society is a UK-based charity dedicated to promoting Africa in business, politics, culture, and academia. It provides a critical platform for disseminating informed commentary and analysis on African issues and fostering a more nuanced understanding of the continent.

For more information about the Royal African Society, visit www.RoyalAfricanSociety.org.