Portal:African cinema/Selected anniversaries/5



The Africa Film Academy, the organizers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) has opened a call for submissions ahead of its 20th edition. Submissions end in April, 2024.

Real Estate Sisters, Netflix’s South African comedy premiered on the country’s Freedom Day, April 27, and two days ahead of its general elections. Produced by Zoe Ramushu, the series features Galaletsang Koffman and Leera Mthethwa as sister real estate business partners aiming to go upmarket from the township of Atteridgeville to the suburb Waterkloof.

Bob Hearts Abishola (stylized as BOB ❤️ ABISHOLA)  an American television sitcom is having its series finale May 17 after 5 seasons. The show was conceived by producer Chuck Lorre who was inspired to showcase the lives and  contributions of immigrants in the United States. His co-creator includes  British Nigerian comedian and actress Gina Yashere and stars Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku as the respective titular characters, in addition to Shola Adewusi, Barry Shabaka, Bayo Akinfemi, Anthony Okungbowa, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, and Yashere in supporting roles.

Seven films from African filmmakers were selected to screen at the 77th edition of the Cannes Festival taking place May 14-25. These include works by Somalian-born Mo Harawe (The Village Next to Paradise), Egyptian filmmakers Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir (The Brink of Dreams), French-Moroccan screenwriter, director, and producer, Hamich Benlarbi (La Mer Au Loin/ Across the Sea), French-Algerian filmmaker Emma Benestan (Animale), Zambian-Welsh director and screenwriter Rungano Nyoni (On Becoming a Guinea Fowl), Egyptian artist and film director Hala Elkoussy (East Noon), and Franco-Moroccan director, Nabil Ayouch (Everybody Loves Touda).

This Year’s Cannes Film Festival includes a number of African Jury Members for its various sections:French-Senegalese filmmaker Maïmouna Doucouré (Un Certain Regard), Moroccan filmmaker and producer Asmae El Moudir (Un Certain Regard), Belgian-Moroccan actress Lubna Azabal (Cinéfondation and Short Films Competition), Belgian-Congolese singer and filmmaker Baloj i (Caméra d'Or), Dyana Gaye, French-Senegalese filmmaker (L'Œil d'Or), and Eliane Umuhire,Rwandan actress (Critics’ Week),

The biopic of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters and starring Joke Silva, Kehinde Bankole, and is set to premiere in Nigerian cinemas nationwide on May 17. The film chronicles the life of the Nigerian educator, political campaigner, suffragist, and women's rights activist and the mother of the Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti.