Tag: 30 October – 2 November

Jali Film Weekender announces full programme

FILMHOUSE: 30th OCTOBER – 2nd NOVEMBER

 Jali Collective is proud to reveal the full programme for the first ever Jali Film Weekender, taking place at Filmhouse, Edinburgh from 30 October – 2 November 2025, with tickets now on sale.

Following the earlier announcement of the festival’s opening and closing films and its Extended Realities exhibition, the complete line-up now brings together a dynamic mix of award-winning features, Scottish and UK premieres, discussions, workshops and short films under the festival’s inaugural theme, Dreams and Apparitions.

Spanning more than a dozen countries across Africa, the diaspora and beyond, the programme presents stories that move between the intimate and the cosmic, the past and the future. With premieres direct from major festivals including Berlin, Sundance and Locarno, and films representing their countries at the Academy Awards, Jali Film Weekender positions Edinburgh as a new gathering place for Black, African and diasporic cinema.

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

In addition to opening film Memory of Princess Mumbi and closing film Promised Sky, among the headline feature film titles is the Scottish Premiere of Imran Hamdulay’s The Heart is a Muscle, fresh from its award-winning premiere at Berlinale in February and selection as South Africa’s official Oscar submission. 

Other highlights include a special preview of Sofia Alaoui’s Sundance prize-winning sci-fi thriller Animalia, ahead of its highly anticipated UK and Ireland theatrical release later in the year and the Scottish Premiere of Denise Fernandes’ award-winning  Hanami, which offers a dreamlike coming-of-age story set on the volcanic islands of Cape Verde.

Acknowledging the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, Jali Film Weekender will also present the Scottish Premiere of Berlinale stand-out Khartoum, in partnership with Scottish Documentary Institute, which offers a moving portrait of life amidst revolution and war. The screening will be followed by an in-conversation with Talal Afifi, producer and founder of Sudan Film Factory.

“We are honoured to be partners of the Jali Film Weekender as it launches in Edinburgh’s cultural landscape,” says Flore Cosquer, Director of Scottish Documentary Institute. 

She continues: “The festival’s dedication to building authentic community connections through exceptional cinema resonates deeply with our own values, reflecting our shared belief that communities across Scotland deserve access to storytelling that speaks to the richness of our collective experiences.

“The Jali Collective has poured their passion into this project and created something truly special: a layered, magical programme that goes beyond traditional screenings to foster meaningful conversations.

“This is cinema as community-building at its finest. We are proud to be part of its first chapter, and to get the opportunity to bring to Edinburgh audiences the genre-defying, bold and poetic documentary Khartoum.”

Another documentary work featured in the programme is the Scottish Premiere of Celia Boussebaa‘s Amakki, presented in partnership with maona art, a lyrical meditation on womanhood and motherhood in Ethiopia. The festival also proudly honours cinematic legacy of the late Souleymane Cissé who passed away earlier this year, with a screening of his seminal work Yeelen, now restored in 2K by Les Films Cissé, the production company of Souleymane Cissé. 

Finally, the festival’s short film programme spans multiple continents, with new works from across Africa, the Caribbean, North America and Europe, demonstrating the depth and range of diasporic storytelling today.

The programme includes the European premiere of Jard Lerebours’ LESPRI,  the UK premiere of Justice Rutikara’s Ibuka, Justice, and Scottish premieres of Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoume’s Dédé (Ancestor), Barbara Minishi’s Inheritance, Samuel Suffren’s Blue Heart (Coeur Bleu), Tomisin Adepeju’s Journey Mercies and many more.

TALKS, WORKSHOPS & GATHERINGS

The Weekender is as much about conversation and participation as it is about film. A central highlight is a public discussion on how to centre Black, African and diaspora audiences in Scotland. Rooted in Jali Collective values of representation and co-creation, the session will bring together creative practitioners, programmers, and community organisers  to explore challenges and best practices in making Scotland’s cultural landscape more inclusive, and to share approaches such as community-centred outreach, intentional partnerships and co-programming.

Workshops and interactive experiences also offer audiences ways to connect beyond the cinema screen. The festival will host hands-on creative activities and the previously announced Extended Realities (XR) Exhibition, which will runevery day of the festival and is free to attend. 

This includes ARGO, an augmented reality experience designed with children in mind, offering fun and engaging activities for younger audiences, alongside Enkang’ Ang’, an immersive VR journey into Maasai heritage.

Together, these elements ensure that the Weekender is a space for gathering, dialogue and play, welcoming audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

“From films and extended realities to conversations and workshops, our first programme brings together stories that are as urgent as they are visionary” say Jali Collective members Tomiwa Folorunso, Isabel Moura Mendes and Carmen Thompson. 

“We are proud to have curated an intentional programme which we hope will resonate with both Edinburgh’s Black, African and diaspora communities as well as the city’s wider filmgoing community. We cannot wait to share it with our audiences!”.

All events will take place at Filmhouse, Edinburgh, which reopened earlier this year as a renewed hub for independent and international cinema.

Jali Film Weekender 2025 is supported by Screen Scotland and Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery), alongside the British Council and The Africa Centre, programme partners Scottish Documentary Institute, maona art, and additional support from Jack Arts, Premiere Scotland.

Jali Film Weekender 2025 artwork and branding by 080 Studio, based in Lagos, Nigeria.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW VIA FILMHOUSE

Jali Collective launches Film Weekender: Edinburgh’s New Black, Africa and Diaspora Festival

Jali Collective launches its inaugural Jali Film Weekender, a new film festival celebrating Black, African and diaspora stories to be held in Edinburgh from 30 October – 2 November 2025 at the city’s newly reopened Filmhouse Cinema.

The theme of the 2025 Weekender edition is Dreams and Apparitions, which will weave through the programme’s films and events, exploring subjects such as grief, memory, imagination, new and alternate futures, and the seen and unseen in the African and diasporic experience.

The Weekender is rooted in fostering community, connection and representation, with a focus on platforming a range of voices, styles and stories from across the African continent and its global diaspora. A key ambition of the new collective and festival is to build intentional relationships with Black, African and diaspora audiences in Edinburgh and Scotland.

FILM HIGHLIGHTS

Opening Film – MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI: The festival will open with the Scottish Premiere of Memory of Princess Mumbi, the groundbreaking new afro-futurist film from Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser.

Fresh from its World Premiere at Venice Film Festival’s Giornate degli Autori in September (the first Kenyan film in history to do so), Memory of Princess Mumbi unfolds in a post-technological future African continent and is a joy-filled love letter to cinema, showcasing a beautifully unique, imaginative approach to filmmaking and use of AI.

Closing Film – PROMISED SKY: The festival will close with the Scottish Premiere of Promised Sky (Promis le Ciel), the acclaimed drama by Tunisian director Erige Sehiri that opened this year’s Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. 

Promised Sky follows the intertwined fates of three women from sub-Saharan Africa living in Tunis and has drawn international praise for its humanistic storytelling and powerful portrayal of sisterhood and resilience.

Full Programme Coming Soon: Audiences can expect a vibrant mix of narrative features, documentaries, animation, shorts and archive films, each offering distinct visions from Africa and the diaspora. The full programme, to be announced 6 October, will also feature filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, workshops and other gatherings.

EXTENDED REALITY EXHIBITION

The inaugural edition will also showcase a special Extended Reality (XR) exhibition, which will run alongside film screenings. The exhibition is supported by the British Council and The Africa Centre as part of the UK/Kenya Season, a cultural programme celebrating creativity and innovation in both countries. The XR exhibition will be free to access during the festival.  It features the first Scottish presentation of two immersive works by Kenyan artists that invite audiences to engage with nature, heritage, and technology:

  • ENKANG’ ANG’ – Created by Kenyan multimedia artist Naitiemu, Enkang’ Ang’ (meaning “Our Home” in Maasai) is an immersive VR experiencethat transports viewers into a traditional Maasai enkang’ (homestead). Through virtual reality and recorded conversations, Naitiemu’s project shares the rich indigenous Maasai culture with stories collected from women of the Twala Tenebo village. Enkang’Ang’ asks the poignant question, “How do we learn from our traditions and re-imagine our future?” Audiences will be able to virtually step inside a Maasai manyatta homestead, accompanied by video interviews with Maasai women elders sharing knowledge of their history, daily life and sustainable practices.
  • ARGO– Developed by XR game designer Joanna Oluoch, in collaboration with Nairobi’s Fallohide Studio,  ARGO is Africa’s first public environmental augmented reality game. This cutting-edge AR experience transports players into the heart of Nairobi’s Oloolua Forest, allowing them to explore its serene nature trails, encounter wildlife, and discover hidden gems like a 20-foot waterfall and historic caves. Using a tablet or phone based app, visitors of all ages can take a virtual “nature walk” through digital recreations of the forest, interact with its flora and fauna, and learn about conservation. ARGO was launched in Kenya earlier this year as an innovative way to connect young people with nature, and the Jali Film Weekender will host one of its first public exhibitions outside the African continent. 

ABOUT JALI COLLECTIVE

Founded earlier this year, Jali Collective is a new grassroots collective based in Edinburgh, Scotland, with the mission to widen access to African cinema and to celebrate and elevate Black, African, and diaspora stories through film and culture. The collective curates film screenings, festivals, workshops and related events that bring Black, African and diaspora cinema to audiences. Jali Collective was founded by three core members – Tomiwa Folorunso, Isabel Moura Mendes and Carmen Thompson – each of whom are long-standing producers, programmers and cultural organisers with deep roots in the film, festival and arts sectors in Scotland and beyond.

“Our aim with Jali Collective and the Weekender is to create a welcoming space for community and conversation around Black, African and diaspora cinema,” say Tomiwa, Isabel and Carmen. “These first announcements give a sense of the vision we want to share moving forward. By bringing these incredible works to Edinburgh, we hope to inspire audiences – especially Black and African diaspora communities – and spark dialogues that resonate long after the Weekender. We can’t wait to reveal the full programme very soon!”

Jali Film Weekender 2025 is supported by Screen Scotland and Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery), as well as British Council, the Africa Centre and other partners.

Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Development at Screen Scotland said: “We are very excited to support the launch of the Jali Film Weekender – a thrilling addition to Scotland’s film exhibition calendar, bringing bold, imaginative and deeply resonant Black, African and diaspora stories to communities in Edinburgh.

“At Screen Scotland we’re committed to ensuring that Scotland’s screen culture is representative of the richness and diversity of our communities, and Jali embodies that vision. It’s exciting to see such a dynamic new event create space for connection, conversation and discovery, delivered by the passionate and talented people who make up Jali – and we look forward to this edition, and the future of the Collective.”

Ilia Ryzhenko, Manager at Film Hub Scotland, says: “Our team at Film Hub Scotland is proud to support the inaugural edition of the Jali Film Weekender — a much-needed project delivered by an extremely experienced and knowledgeable team of programmers.

“We cannot wait for the full reveal of the programme, which comprises several art forms and includes many enhanced screenings and discussions.”

The full programme will be announced 6 October 2025 at www.jalicollective.co.uk.

EAST AFRICAN SHORT FILM PROGRAMME: MANYATTA MENGI MASHARIKI

Manyatta Mengi Mashariki is a short film programme spotlighting exciting new voices from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Reunion Island. Curated by filmmaker Hawa Essuman, producer Fibby Kioria and filmmaker Wanjeri Gakuru the programme offers fresh perspectives on the human condition across the genres of comedy, action and drama.

The 7 selected short films are Rolex (2020), Benon Mugumbya (Uganda); Scalp Deep (2020), Naseeba Bagalaaliwo (Uganda), Love & Brain (2020), Semagngeta Aychiluhem (Ethiopia); Stero (2022), Tevin Kimathi & Millan Tarus (Kenya); Transaction (2025), Wanjeri Gakuru (Kenya); An Ode To The Time I Loved Bread (2021), Neema Ngelime (Tanzania);  Set Lam (2023), Vincent Fontano (Reunion Island).

Taking place at Filmhouse on 14 October, tickets will be on sale on 1 October, the screening will be followed by a discussion with Hawa Essuman (Manyatta Mengi Mashariki) and Carmen Thompson (Jali Collective).

The Manyatta Mengi Mashariki screening is supported by the British Council and the Africa Centre as part of the British Council UK/Kenya Season 2025, of which Jali Collective are the Scotland regional partner.

Hawa Essuman, Wanjeri Gakuru and Fibby Kioria of Manyatta Mengi Mashariki say, “This showcase provides a snapshot of the current voices of the makers and watchers emerging in eastern African cinema.

“As members and champions of this ecosystem  we’re incredibly pleased and proud to present the topics and visual language representative of the region. It’s been a joy to create and we can’t wait to share it with UK audiences”.