Africa Direct (Season 1)

On the White Nile
Director/ Producer: Akuol de Mabior
On the White Nile’, by filmmaker Akuol de Mabior, transports us into the world of Rebecca Lith Chol.From the stern of her long wooden boat, she steers her crew down the White Nile and runs her small fishing business. Rebecca is a woman of resilience and courage, quietly in charge of her boat, her business and her destiny. She operates in a world of men - the dockside ice packers, her crew, the port authorities and fish traders - but holds her ground with dignity and tenacity. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty and knows too well the dangers of her work. Hers is a precarious living and she has a hungry young family back home. Yet despite a life of hardship and challenge, Rebecca asserts her own agency centrally in her life. Her philosophical outlook and strong heart drive her forward. This visually rich and emotionally intelligent journey carries us alongside an inspiring woman and her life on the river.

The Bookmaker
Director/ Producer: Girum Berehanetsehay
‘The Bookmaker’ by filmmaker Girum Berehanetsehay unfolds in the mists of the high Ankober Mountains of Ethiopia. Here, Archbishop Kalehiwot Habtewold sets his young disciples an unusual task: to seek out and buy several high quality goats, for their skins. This is the first step in the ancient craft of parchment bookmaking. While the young men traipse high and low in search of the skins, Kalehiwot Habtewold demonstrates his centuries old art.
These religious books are exquisitely illustrated and decorated and take years, even decades, to produce. This painstaking work is borne with unwavering dedication: the Archbishop meditates on his devotion to the craft: “The benefits surpass the sweat, so the pain is bearable.” He hopes that his sons and the next generation will share his love of parchment books and keep the traditions alive – but modernity has its attractions. Berehanetsehay’s visually sumptuous film immerses us in a remote and traditional world, a world of patience and prayer, ceremony and craft and of fathers and sons.

In The Aluminium Village
Director: Onésiphore M. Adonai Producer: Ayeman Esse
‘In The Aluminium Village’ introduces us to Bernardin Sabadagbo, an engaging young man who must straddle the old ways of his village and his youthful aspirations – not always easily. Cana village in Benin is remote and traditional, with a hierarchy of rules and leaders that doesn’t always match Bernadin’s style. His backbreaking daily work involves sifting through the village rubbish dumps for aluminium refuse, for the village blacksmiths to recycle, smelt and cast into ceremonial and practical pieces. Filmmaker Onésiphore M. Adonai draws us intimately into Bernardin’s world, where we see him struggle with the customs and culture of the village he loves, while he shares his views and visions. This touching film has a universal ring: a young man in search of opportunities for his future, balancing his needs with those of his community and the attitudes of his elders.

Throttle Queens
Director/ Producer: Joan Kabugu
Letting their hair down, riding free and feeling positive is what drives Nairobi’s ‘Throttle Queens’. This breath-of-fresh-air short film from filmmaker Joan Kabugu celebrates Ciku Mbithi and her friends, some of the women motorcyclists of the Throttle Queens club. Ciku calls herself a biker-mum and shares the great joy she gets from riding on the open road. The film follows the Queens through the city and into the countryside, witnessing how their love of motorcycle riding brings them exhilaration, freedom, adventure – and a sense of control over their lives.

The Cave
Director: El Kheyer Zidani
Producer: Boualem Ziani and Amine Hattou
In the remote town of Sidi Bel Abbès in Algeria, in a dark basement theatre, the lights come up and the curtains open to reveal a cavern of puppet characters. Puppeteer and artist Houcine Bensemicha is preparing a new show with his beloved puppet, Kerkouz. As he and his father, Kada Bensemicha, discuss the finer points of costumes and string mechanics, the intimacy of their relationship unfolds. Behind their banter is the story of how they built up their little theatre museum, making a much needed home for both artists and audiences. Here they share the joys of theatre, music and storytelling with wide-eyed local children. Filmmaker El Kheyer Zidani’s weaves a warm and heartfelt story of creativity, community, puppets and a son’s love for his father in ‘The Cave’.

Beirey-Hou: Desert Libraries
Director: Andrey S. Diarra Producer: Ousmane Samassekou
Boubacar Saddeck Najim paces the dusty alleyways of Timbuktu in Mali, in search of hidden troves of old manuscripts. He is one of the few remaining copyists, dedicated to replicating these famous documents for posterity. ‘Beïrey-Hou: Desert Libraries’ by filmmaker Andrey S. Diarra reveals his world of crumbling pages, magnificent ancient texts, inaccessible collections and reluctant lenders. Once a vital scholastic centre, Timbuktu still has around 300,000 manuscripts dating back hundreds of years, now held by a few old families. Boubacar wants everyone to see these and he toils by candle light to help make this possible. This visually rich film explores one man’s quiet determination in the face of disappearing traditions.

The Young Cyclist
Director/ Producer: Yuhi Amuli
In ‘The Young Cyclist’ by filmmaker Yuhi Amuli, Aliane Mugisha tells her story with soft- spoken candor. Once a roadside hawker in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, she was intrigued by the local bicycle taxi riders and decided she wanted a new business. Her perseverance served her well and her story has a surprising and uplifting ending, in this quietly charming film.

Happiness
Director: Valaire Fossi Producer: Dieudonné Alaka
Weddings in Cameroon are a colourful affair but when Yaounde’s deputy mayor Claude Samuel Monthé noticed tensions between a bride and groom, he decided to make some changes to his officiating. ‘Happiness’ is a joyful film by filmmaker Valaire Fossi, in which Monthé tells his story of how he brought back ‘bonheur’ to his wedding ceremonies and made quite a reputation in the process.

Diggers and Merchants
Director: Nelson Makengo Producer: Moimi Wezam
Josué Mukeba relates his story directly to camera, with resolute honesty and poise. He is a manual digger, who has worked the copper quarries around his village in the Democratic Republic of Congo for years, and he deserves a stake in the new order. ‘Diggers and Merchants’, by filmmaker Nelson Makengo, immerses us in the realities of the diggers’ lives. Undaunted by the grueling physically labour and brutal conditions, the latest obstacles to their advancement are the new mining merchants. A recent law requires Congolese mining contractors to mediate with foreign investors, giving the merchants a chance to profit, while local diggers get no benefits. Josue never paints himself as a victim: he stands up for himself and he even tries to play the merchant game, looking out for his village and fellow diggers. In this raw and moving film, Josué and the diggers tell it straight: all they want is a fair chance and some respect.

Settling
Director / Producer: Amelia Umuhire
In Kigali’s School of Architecture, Dr. Josephine Malonza inspires her students to take a people-centred approach to ‘informal housing’ challenges. She’s part of a major urbanisation project in Rwanda’s capital and has her own views on solutions to housing challenges and community engagement. In ‘Settling’ by filmmaker Amelia Umuhire, Josephine takes us on a journey through the city, including to Kigali’s oldest urban settlement, as she explains her ideas of humanising urban design. Woven through this is her own story - of moving countries, challenging gender roles and finding life affirmation after personal tragedy.

The Man Who Plants Baobabs
Director/ Producer : Michel K. Zongo
El Hadji Salifou Ouédraogo has nurtured his baobab trees from tiny seeds to an expansive forest for the past 47 years. The trees in turn help his family, his village and the earth. Filmmaker Michel K Zongo’s uplifting film ‘The Man Who Plants Baobabs’ introduces us to this old man with youthful energy and a lifelong commitment to planting trees. His wisdom and humour light up the screen as he relates his story and shares his knowledge and experiences. In the context of increasing drought and soil erosion, his magnificent plantation is both a lifeline and a legacy, and this energetic man a local star in Siguinoghin village in Burkina Faso.

Kalanda: A Wrestler's Dream
Director: Oumar Ba
Producer: Andrey S. Diarra & Ousmane Samassekou
On the beaches, in the training grounds and in the gyms around Dakar, muscled young men sweat and strain as they train hard for Senegal’s big time wrestling challenges. Kalanda is one of them, a young man determined to make it to the roaring crowds of the main wrestling arena. Filmmaker Oumar Ba’s intimate film ‘Kalanda: A Wrestler’s Dream’ bears witness to his determination despite the odds and gently reveals his balance of friendship and loyalty with hard muscled competition.

Colours Are Alive Here
Director: Seydou Mukali Producer: Ras Mutabaruka
David Ochieng, also known as 'Avido', is a rising star in Kibera, Nairobi's large urban slum. His colourful fashions have adorned many big name celebrities, in Kenya and abroad. 'Colours Are Alive Here' by filmmaker Seydou Mukali steps into Avido's bustling life to follow the young designer in action. He still sews on his original Singer foot-pedal machine, a reminder of his early days. He sources fabric for a new collection and plans a pop up fashion show. He buzzes around the city but his quiet reflections reveal a man still close to his roots
- the slum rooftops inspire a colour scheme, his latest event celebrates local artisans and his workshops employ local people. This uplifting film shares the creative life of this son of the slums, who is both inspirational yet grounded as his successes reach great heights.

Scrapyard Anoumabo
Director: Joël Akafou Producer: Laurent Bitty
David Ochieng, also known as 'Avido', is a rising star in Kibera, Nairobi's large urban slum. His colourful fashions have adorned many big name celebrities, in Kenya and abroad. 'Colours Are Alive Here' by filmmaker Seydou Mukali steps into Avido's bustling life to follow the young designer in action. He still sews on his original Singer foot-pedal machine, a reminder of his early days. He sources fabric for a new collection and plans a pop up fashion show. He buzzes around the city but his quiet reflections reveal a man still close to his roots
- the slum rooftops inspire a colour scheme, his latest event celebrates local artisans and his workshops employ local people. This uplifting film shares the creative life of this son of the slums, who is both inspirational yet grounded as his successes reach great heights.

The Adventures of Boubacar
Director: Ousmane Zoromé Samassékou Producer: Andrey S. Diarra
On the beaches, in the training grounds and in the gyms around Dakar, muscled young men sweat and strain as they train hard for Senegal’s big time wrestling challenges. Kalanda is one of them, a young man determined to make it to the roaring crowds of the main wrestling arena. Filmmaker Oumar Ba’s intimate film ‘Kalanda: A Wrestler’s Dream’ bears witness to his determination despite the odds and gently reveals his balance of friendship and loyalty with hard muscled competition.

Ladoum: The Star Sheep
Director: Moussa Diallo Producer: Mamadou Hady Dia
Ladoum: The Star Sheep’ by filmmaker Moussa Diallo takes us into the world of prize sheep breeding, siring and selling in Senegal. Ladoum is an expensive breed of smooth-haired sheep, popular across west Africa. Breeder Abou Kane runs his breeding business from his urban sheepfold in Dakar, a kind of sheep hostel where the animals are penned, pampered and protected. He shows off his famous ram, Ameth Amar, descended from champions and a prized sire, and we witness the deals, negotiations and business of sheep breeding. This charming film shines a light on an unexpected part Dakar life, with sheep as the stars.

Sounds of Home
Director / Producer: Samuel Ishimwe
Michael Makembe is collecting the authentic sounds of his Rwandan homeland. As a singer, musician and producer, he tracks down and records traditional singers and songs, preserving these important stories and collaborating with people from remote regions to create music. ‘Sounds of Home’ by filmmaker Samuel Ishimwe follows Michael’s journey on Lake Kivu to Nkombo Island, in South West Rwanda, where he meets local singers who share their songs and stories for his Sounds of Home project. The aim is to make an audio museum of indigenous music, accessible to all Rwandans, not taken away to western museums far away. Michael also weaves these songs into his contemporary music back in his Kigali studio. This is music from the heart and these are songs and sounds of home.

The Coach
Director: Mamounata Nikiema
Producer: Andrey S. Diarra and Ousmane Samassekou
Ragnimwendé Eldaa Koama believes in dreaming big – and she helps others dream big too and attain their goals. In ‘The Coach’ by filmmaker Mamounata Nikiema, we see Eldaa at work with some of the many young entrepreneurs in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where she runs her company Improv’You. She trains them in communication, public speaking and confidence building, and teaches them how to tap into their inner talents, all towards their business success. With high unemployment in the city, more and more young people are choosing self-employment and are keen to learn from this dynamic and enterprising woman – who is making many dreams a reality.

The Painter
Director: Ousmane Zoromé Samassékou Producer: Andrey S. Diarra
Adjaratou Ouédraogo is a painter in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. Although she is well known around the world and exhibits internationally, many people back home do not know her work. In ‘The Painter’, by filmmaker Ousmane Zoromé Samassékou, we meet her as she starts to organise a street-art event, ‘My City In Painting’, to encourage locals to celebrate and participate in painting. In this thoughtful, immersive film she contemplates her craft and relates her story, while encouraging the next generation to paint, sharing the sheer happiness that her craft brings her.

Jihan’s Venture
Director: Seydou Mukali Producer: Ras Mutabaruka
In Nairobi, Kenya, Jihan Abass has staked everything on her new business. She is already the CEO and a founder of a tech platform enterprise and now she is branching out into digital insurance products. In ‘Jihan’s Venture’, filmmaker Seydou Mukali plunges us in Jihan’s world of revenues and risk, supply chains and sales, growth and ambition, to
understand what it takes to make a business succeed.

She Saw The Sea
Director / Producer: Karin Slater
Kholofelo Sethebe is a marine biologist in Cape Town, South Africa who teaches youngsters about the ocean and how to protect it - but she has her own challenge to overcome. Having grown up in a landlocked province, where the ocean was unknown and deeply feared, she never learned to swim. In ‘She Saw The Sea’, filmmaker Karin Slater follows Kholofelo as she teaches herself to swim and dives into her first seal-snorkelling adventure in the open sea. The scientist in her must overcome her deep-rooted traditional fears so she can enjoy the beauty of the underwater world.

Azmari
Director/ Producer: Henok Mebratu
Yoseph Gedefaw is a young Azmari, a traditional musician and singer, from Birbuax, Gondar in Ethiopia. He leaves his small village to head to the capital, Addis Ababa, where he hopes to meet other Azmaris, find work and improve his music skills. In ‘Azmari’, by filmmaker Henok Mebratu, we share his expedition, immersed in his world of songs and stories. His quest tells us as much about notions of home and community as it does about musicianship and Azmaris.

Mairabot
Director: Philip Okpokoro
Producer: Bose Oshin and Olabode Moses
‘Mairabot’ is the name of the health assistant robot created by school students in Abuja, Nigeria during the Covid-19 lockdown. Filmmaker Philip Okpokoro introduces us to Nabila Abbas and her fellow students, who share their creative contribution to the pandemic in this inspiring short film.

Trucking
Director: Mireille Niyonsaba Producer: Andrey S. Diarra
Clémentine Zeregbe Goli drives her enormous truck from the Port of San-Pédro, Ivory Coast, on her long distance deliveries. She is a rarity: one woman among 1500 male heavy duty drivers in the area. In ‘Trucking’ by filmmaker Mireille Niyonsaba, she shares her world and her aspirations as we travel alongside her. Even as a grandmother, she attends night classes to improve her qualifications and hopes to get a decent house before she can retire. She contemplates the injustices she sees around
her and searches for ways to change the world, while she navigates the rough roads.

Firewoman
Director/ Producer: Tarryn Lee Crossman
Tarren-Lynn January is a member of the Juliet Crew, the only all-female bush firefighting unit in Cape Town, South Africa. She and her teammates were recruited to encourage more women into the firefighting profession. In ‘Firewoman’ by filmmaker Tarryn Lee Crossman we bunker down with her and the crew for a long stand-by at their barracks on the mountains of the Western Cape. The wildfire season has begun and while they wait for a fire call, they drill, train, bond and recall the hazards of their frontline work. For Tarren this challenging job has helped her fight her own internal fires to find personal strength.

Fresh Farm
Director/ Producer: Rumbi Katedza
Nomaliso Musasiwa is an entrepreneur in Zimbabwe who doesn’t believe in waiting for the government to fix problems. She runs an innovative fresh food tech company, bringing farm produce to tables around the country. This e-commerce platform connects farmers to a range of clients, from locals looking for fresh, affordable food to diaspora Zimbabweans buying produce for their relatives back home. ‘Fresh Farm’ by filmmaker Rumbi Katedza takes us into Nomaliso’s world, where climate change and an unpredictable market are constant challenges for this creative response to Zimbabwe’s food insecurity.

Fishing Wood
Director: Alsanosi Adam Producer: hajooj kuka
Yousif Saaed Hamza is a fisherman - but his catch is not fish. He fishes for driftwood. This old tradition, by which generations made a living, is in crisis these days as drifting wood has become scarce. ‘Fishing Wood’ by filmmaker Alsanosi Adam takes us onto the Blue Nile in Sudan, in Al-Damazin District, to meet Yousif and his fellow fishermen. After a hard and fruitless time on the river, they sit and repair their nets. Amid the gossip, they speculate about the changes that threaten their livelihoods, including the new Ethiopian dam up-river and the increasing debris that tangles their nets. They fear for their children’s future on the
river and wonder if the wood will ever return to the river.

The Charlettes
Director: Gauz Producer: Charly Kodjo
Software engineer Charlette Désiré N'Guessan has developed identity verification software that uses facial recognition. Her useful app is somewhat ironic, given her own identity challenges: Charlette comes from a family where all the women share the same name, Charlette. Her father thought a singular name would help identify the family. In ‘The Charlettes’ by filmmaker Gauz we see how this particular Charlette has made an impact in the tech world in Ivory Coast and Ghana where she works, winning prizes and plaudits for
her AI identity invention.