The New York African Film Festival opens this month, showcasing more than 100 films from across Africa and its diaspora on screens citywide through May.
The 33rd edition of the event lands amid rising global demand for African storytelling, with a mix of first-time directors and established names, including Hollywood star Idris Elba and Congolese music legend Fally Ipupa.
French-Senegalese actress Aïssa Maïga stars in the opening film Promised Sky, the story of three Ivorian women in Tunis, by French-Tunisian director Erige Sehiri.
There’s also a lot of excitement around a 2025 documentary called The Eyes of Ghana, which is backed by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production house. It uncovers footage of Ghana’s first leader, Kwame Nkrumah, that was believed to have been destroyed.