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Silicon Valley African Film Festival Sets 2026 Lineup With 76 Films From 33 Countries
The 17th edition of SVAFF will run October 8–11 in San Jose, bringing together narrative features, documentaries, shorts and animation from across Africa and its diaspora, with a strong showing from Nigerian filmmakers. The Silicon Valley African Film Festivall (SVAFF) will return to San Jose from October 8 to 11 for its 17th edition, bringing 76 films from 33 countries to the Historic Hoover Theater. This year's programme spans narrative and documentary features and shorts,

Akinwande Jordan
Sep 52 min read


NAACP IMAGE AWARDS ADDS 10 NEW AFRICAN CATEGORIES: A CULTURAL BRIDGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
With categories spanning film, television, and music, the Image Awards formally recognizes African storytelling for the first time in its 59-year history, and BET's broadcast partnership means the world will be watching. By Y. Marie Kiven Kyla Pratt at the 56th NAACP Images Award Source: Instagram The NAACP Images Award have never had a dedicated home for African film, television, or music. until now. For the 58th ceremony, the organization has introduced ten new African c

Y. Marie Kiven
Sep 44 min read


September's Must-Watch Films and Series in Black and African Cinema
1. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother - September 25 Mahershala Ali playing a religious hitman is an intriguing contradiction! Directed by Bassam Tariq, this film is definitely one to watch. It explores themes of faith, fatherhood, and morality while delivering the tension of a crime thriller. Ali stars alongside John Cho and Giancarlo Esposito. Where to watch: In select U.S. cinemas from September 25, with a wider U.S. theatrical release on October 9 through Orion Pictures.

Oluwaseun Mary Temitope
Aug 314 min read


What's Streaming and Showing This August: Black Films & Series to Watch
August is packed with exciting releases across cinemas and streaming platforms, bringing together some of the most anticipated Nollywood productions and Black-led international titles. From historical epics, royal dramas, and family stories to coming-of-age comedies, crime thrillers, and returning fan-favorite series, this month's lineup showcases the depth and diversity of Black storytelling across the globe. Whether you're heading to the cinema, tuning into Netflix, ALLBLK,

Akinwande Jordan
Aug 64 min read


What to Watch on the Plane This Summer: A Black Film Wire Guide to Black and African Cinema at 35,000 Feet
You bored, thinking you will sleep. You scroll the movie menu out of habit. And then, if you know where to look you find something that matters. Here is how to find it. Black Film Wire Staff · Summer 2026Travel Guide The in-flight entertainment screen does not look like a discovery space. It looks like a menu. Rows of studio titles, familiar comedies, the same action films you passed on at home. Most passengers scroll for two minutes, pick something comfortable, and stop th

Sahndra Fon Dufe
Jun 66 min read


What Is MUBI? The Streaming Platform Black and African Film Audiences Should Know About
MUBI You know Tubi. You may have scrolled past Hulu, Netflix and Prime Video looking for a film everybody serious about cinema seems to be discussing. Then someone says, “It’s on MUBI.” That is usually how the introduction happens. For many viewers, MUBI is where they first meet the films that do not always make it to the front page of mainstream streaming: a Nigerian feature, a Senegalese drama, a Berlin or Cannes title, a TIFF discovery, the kind of cinema that shows up in

Sahndra Fon Dufe
Jun 54 min read


Black Film Wire’s June 2026 Selection: 23 + New Additions: Nollywood, International and Hollywood Black Films and Shows to Watch
From Scary Movie and Creed to Nollywood premieres, Cameroonian cinema, MUBI, Hulu and diaspora documentaries, here are Black Film Wire’s essential June 2026 screen picks. The summer movie season is officially open, and June 2026 is delivering more than the mainstream calendar might suggest. Yes, the Wayans family is back in theaters with Scary Movie. Yes, The Blackening is perfectly timed for a Juneteenth-season rewatch. And yes, Nia DaCosta's Hedda remains a Prime Video titl

Sahndra Fon Dufe
Jun 410 min read


Nollywood Actors Who Played The Most Shocking Roles.
There are roles actors play that completely change the way audiences see them. Nollywood has continued to push boundaries with characters, giving actors room to step outside their comfort zones and fully transform on screen. These actors delivered performances that shocked audiences not just because of the storylines, but because of how convincingly they disappeared into the roles. Here are some of the most shocking Nollywood performances that left viewers talking long after
Azeezat Bolanle & Oluwaseun Mary
May 182 min read


Blood Sisters Is Back.
By Oluwaseun Mary Netflix has officially confirmed that Blood Sisters is returning for a second season and yes, the chaos we have seen from pictures shared by the cast is making our mind pump from what we should expect. The official Instagram announcement confirmed the return of fan favourites, including Ini Dima-Okojie, Nancy Isime, Kate Henshaw and Genoveva Umeh, with a fresh lineup of new faces stepping into the already explosive world of the series. For many of us, Blo

Oluwaseun Mary Temitope
May 122 min read


She Holds Both Trophies: Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman Makes History at AMVCA 12 And African Fashion
How a Single Actress Winning Both Lead and Supporting Acting Honours in One Night Produced What May Be a Global First, while Nigeria's Designers Quietly Out-Conceptualised the Met By Sahndra Fon Dufe, Editor-in-Chief | Black Film Wire, Atlanta GA May 10, 2026 Linda Ejiofor-Suleman wins at AMVCA |2026 There is a moment at the end of a great awards season when something tips over from celebration into significance. Last night at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, at the 12th Af

Sahndra Fon Dufe
May 1014 min read


DIifferent Cultural Attires at the AMVCA 12th Cultural Night.
The 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards once again proved that African storytelling is not limited to film screens alone. Before the trophies, speeches and emotional wins, the AMVCA Cultural Night, which happened on Friday, May 9th, 2026, delivered what has now become one of the most anticipated seasons in the awards season. Held as part of the week-long AMVCA festivities themed “Honouring Craft, Celebrating Culture,” this year’s cultural night transformed

Oluwaseun Mary Temitope
May 94 min read


Throwback Thursday: How Crown of Blood Africanized Shakespeare From The Yoruba Lens.
Photos from the Scenes This Throwback Thursday, we’re revisiting one of the most culturally significant Black theatre productions to hit the UK stage this year, the bold Yoruba reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth that took over the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield back in February. Produced by Utopia Theatre in collaboration with Sheffield Theatres, Crown of Blood was more than a stage play. It was an act of cultural reclamation. Written by Oladipo Agboluaje and directed by Mo

Oluwaseun Mary Temitope
May 72 min read


DAY 3 HIGHLIGHT: Craft, Collaboration and Cinema Community Defined a Packed Third Day at CAMIFF.
…………………………………………………………………………. By Njei Ryan FOR BLACK FILM WIRE By Day Three, CAMIFF 2026 had fully hit its stride. The festival grounds carried that unmistakable midpoint energy, where strangers have become collaborators, workshop participants are beginning to sound like filmmakers, and every room seems to be holding a different conversation about the future of African cinema. Thursday was one of those festival days where everything seemed to happen at once. Acting. Directing

Njei Ryan
Apr 246 min read


Silicon Valley African Film Festival Appoints Teresa Chapman to International Advisory Board
Bimbo Ademoye's latest YouTube film arrives with 8 million views, a standout supporting cast, and serious style, but does the dual performance at its centre fully deliver? April 13, 2026 Teresa Chapman The Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) has announced the appointment of Teresa Chapman to its International Advisory Board, effective immediately. Teresa’s addition marks a strategic step for the festival as it continues to expand its influence as a leading platform

Y. Marie Kiven
Apr 132 min read


Diaspora-Based Check Sense Productions Sets International Premiere Tour for 'Lights Out,' Starring Wale Ojo
Dementia psychological drama from the team behind Cameroon's Oscar-submitted Half Heaven opens theatrical rollout across Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ohio in April–May 2026. All distribution territories available. Atlanta, GA March 24, 2026 Lights Out 2026 film poster, Cameroonian psychological drama starring Wale Ojo BTS | From L to R- Iya Lim , Syndy Emade and Irene Nangi Diaspora-based Check Sense Productions has announced the international premiere tour for Lights Out,

African Pictures International
Mar 245 min read


Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde's Directorial Debut 'Mother's Love' Crosses ₦25 Million at Nigerian Box Office in Opening Frame
The Nile Entertainment-distributed family drama, which traveled from TIFF to PAFF before its domestic launch, continues its run nationwide. Noray Nehita stars in Omotola Jalade Ekeinde’s Directorial Debut Mother’s Love Lagos/Los Angeles - Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde 's Mother's Love has crossed the ₦25 million mark (approximately $18,000 USD at current exchange rates) at the Nigerian box office following its opening weekend, distributor The Nile Entertainment confirmed Monday.

Y. Marie Kiven
Mar 132 min read


10 Iconic African Love Stories from the CD and DVD Era
You know that feeling when you stumble on an old Nollywood or Ghallywood film on YouTube and suddenly it's 3 AM and you're crying over a love triangle that involves juju, class warfare, and at least two people pretending to be dead, BlackBerry in hand? That's " jakusco" energy, the beautifully chaotic, melodramatic African love stories from the late 90s to the early 2010s that defined a generation, with raw emotional performances that prioritized drama and cultural depth. I

Sahndra Fon Dufe
Feb 134 min read


Next Narrative Africa Fund Unveils 13-Member Advisory Board To Oversee Deployment of $50 Million in Commercial Equity and Grants
The Akunna Cook-led fund, intending to deploy $50 million in support of audio-visual content made by African and African-diaspora creators, has set up an advisory board. In an exclusive announcement via The Hollywood Reporter , also shared via their newsletter, the Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF), a content and media investment vehicle targeting $50 million in support of audio-visual content made by African and African-diaspora creators, has unveiled a 13-member advisory

John Eriomala
Feb 132 min read


Sundance Film Festival 2026: Olive Nwosu’s Feature Debut “Lady” Is A Spirited But Uneven Portrait Of Gender And Agency In Contemporary Lagos
Review: Olive Nwosu's Sundance 2026 debut Lady explores sisterhood and sex work in Lagos with spirited ambition but uneven execution. Jerry Chiemeke reports Image Credit: Sundance Nigerian-born filmmaker Olive Nwosu 's feature debut Lady (2026) announces itself with ambition as it wafts on an intriguing backdrop: an inverted view of the Lagos lagoon, two childhood friends perched on a dilapidated shack, and the shadow of trauma that will reverberate through the film's 92-min

Jerry Chiemeke
Jan 295 min read


AFFC Storytellers Film Lab Cohort III: Empowering Nairobi's Emerging Female Filmmakers
AFFC Storytellers Film Lab Cohort III is now accepting applications from emerging female filmmakers in Nairobi. 6-week program, apply by February 2. The African Female Filmmakers Collective (AFFC) has announced an open call for its highly anticipated Storytellers Film Lab Cohort III , a transformative opportunity designed specifically for emerging women filmmakers based in Nairobi, Kenya. This intensive six-week program offers hands-on training, professional mentorship, and

Sahndra Fon Dufe
Jan 232 min read
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