A still from ‘Of Good Report’, which opens Film Africa 2013 on 1st Nov

The Royal African Society, which runs African Arguments, is hosting a big Africa-focused film festival from 1^st – 10^th November. This is most relevant for those readers who are based in London, or able to travel here easily.

The festival features around 60 films at 6 different cinemas and also has post-screening Q&A sessions with the directors, 3 music nights (FilmAfricaLIVE!) and an industry forum on “˜The Business of Film in Africa.’

Some festival highlights:

A focus on 3 directors – Mahamet Saleh-Haroun, Alain Gomis and Mati Diop, who have made classics of African cinema including “˜A Screaming Man’, “˜Tey’ and “˜Mille Soleil’.

“˜Bonfires and Revolutions’ – presenting films of revolution, civil war and shifting power struggles. This includes the work of Haroun, Judy Kibinge (Something Necessary) and Jao Viana (The Battle of Tabato).

Of Good Report (opening night) –  Directed by South African Jahmil T.Qubeka, Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw says: “Qubeka brings some scalding steam-heat with a sensational noir-thriller in black and white…watching this bizarrely shocking and gripping film, I remembered the feeling I had on seeing Christopher Nolan’s low-budget black-and-white debut, Following. Here is a director who is going places.”

Find out more and buy tickets here