Films Around the World

Field guide · A–Z

Africa

56 published guides across Africa, with 489 films selected and ranked by hand.

A route into African cinema

African cinema is not one tradition but a continent of film cultures: post-independence modernism, popular video industries, intimate social dramas, documentary practice, and genre filmmaking all meet here.

Start with the countries below for a deliberately varied route. The native selections foreground films shaped by their own cinemas; the outside-view selections show how filmmakers from elsewhere have imagined the same places.

Native voices to start with

  1. Black GirlSenegal
  2. Touki BoukiSenegal
  3. Living in BondageNigeria
  4. The FigurineNigeria
  5. Cairo StationEgypt
  6. The Night of Counting the YearsEgypt
  7. MapantsulaSouth Africa
  8. TsotsiSouth Africa
  9. WechmaMorocco
  10. Alyam AlyamMorocco
  11. TezaEthiopia
  12. Harvest: 3,000 YearsEthiopia

Outside views to compare

  1. Coup de TorchonSenegal
  2. RamataSenegal
  3. Mister JohnsonNigeria
  4. Half of a Yellow SunNigeria
  5. The Prince of EgyptEgypt
  6. Asterix and CleopatraEgypt
  7. Searching for Sugar ManSouth Africa
  8. District 9South Africa
  9. CasablancaMorocco
  10. BabelMorocco
  11. The Great AppealEthiopia
  12. Piccoli naufraghiEthiopia

Continue with a curated route

Country film guides

56 Africa country film guides

Browse every published Africa guide. Each country pairs ranked Native Voice films with Outside View films for comparison.

56 guides

ContinentAfrica guides
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