Watch. Discover. Share. Experience the best of independent cinema from around the world at our monthly film screenings: all our events are open to the public and free to attend. Come for the films, stay for the conversations. To know more about previous and upcoming programmes, sign up for our newsletter or follow us here and on social media.
2024
November 10: THE GOLDMAN CASE (Le procès Goldman, 2023) by Cédric Kahn | #ArtCinemaDay
In 1975 is held the trial of Pierre Goldman, a fiery and controversial figure of revolutionary left-wing activism. Guilty of numerous charges, yet he proclaims his innocence in a double murder accusation. Twenty years before the OJ Simpson case, the Goldman trial reflects the political, ideological and racial tensions that marked the 1970s in France and Europe. Then considered to be the trial of the century, it divided an entire country and widened the gap between the conservative right and left-wing intellectuals. View Trailer.
October 13: FAAJI AGBA (2015) by Remi Vaughan-Richards
‘Faaji Agba’ is a six-year journey by film-maker Remi Vaughan-Richards following seven 68- to 85-year old Yoruba master musicians in Lagos, Nigeria. They were forgotten by society until Kunle Tejuoso, owner of Jazzhole Records, follows a trail to rediscover them, and the FAAJI AGBA COLLECTIVE is born. Kunle’s journey starts with Fatai Rolling Dollar, which leads him to others such as Alaba Pedro, SF Olowookere, Ayinde Bakare and more. Their musical styles range from highlife, juju to afrobeat. The story starts in 2009 and follows them on their journey to perform in New York in 2011, where tragedy strikes. A year later, undeterred by the setback, they perform again in Lagos; this ends up being their last performance. ‘Faaji Agba’ interweaves the history, culture and music scene of Lagos, Nigeria from 1940’s to 2015 as joys and tragedies unfold. View Trailer.
September 8: Alphaville – A Strange Adventure of Lemmy Caution (1965) by Jean-Luc Godard
In an era after the 1960s, the authorities of the “outer planets” sent the famous secret agent Lemmy Caution on a mission to Alphaville, a dehumanized city a few light years away from Earth. Caution is in charge of neutralizing Professor von Braun, the almighty master of Alphaville, who has abolished human feelings there. A computer, Alpha 60, governs the entire city. A message from Dickson, an ex-secret agent, orders Lemmy to “destroy Alpha 60 and save those who are crying”. But he is kidnapped, interrogated by Alpha 60 and sentenced to death… View Trailer
August 18: TUG OF WAR (2021) by Amil Shivji
A rebellious young revolutionary becomes involved with a young Indian-Zanzibari girl escaping an oppressive arranged marriage. Denge, a frustrated and rebellious young man meets Yasmin, a young Indian-Zanzibari girl in the middle of the night as she is on her way to be betrothed to a man three times her age. This sparks a series of missed opportunities for the forlorn lovers. Yasmin escapes her oppressive marriage and returns to Zanzibar, where she faces rejection from her own family. She seeks refuge at Mwajuma’s house in the Swahili quarters of the segregated island, submerging herself in an oppressed yet effervescent culture that she had always been secluded from. Here Yasmin meets Denge who is deeply immersed in the independence struggle against British rule, busy translating and distributing Soviet propaganda. She is pulled towards his ideals of independence as he feels free around her. When Denge’s recklessness lands him behind bars, it’s up to Yasmin to be part of the larger struggle and free the one she loves. View trailer
July 6: QUAI D’ORSAY (The French Minister; 2013) by Bertrand Tavernier
After graduating from the École nationale d’administration, Arthur Vlaminck lands a job as speechwriter in the Foreign Ministry. Existing senior advisers do not welcome a talented newcomer who may become a competitor but his abilities are recognised by the Minister and, most important, by Maupas, the career official heading the department. That said, coming up with the right words for the constantly changing world situation and the constantly changing reactions of the Minister proves no easy task. Based on the graphic novel by Christophe Blain and Abel Lanzac, published by Dargaud in 2010 and 2011. View Trailer
June 9: BURNING CASABLANCA/Zanka Contact (2020) by Ismaël El Iraki
In hellish Casablanca, the burning love story between has-been rocker Larsen and the streetwise amazon Rajae sets ablaze a crazy Moroccan underworld in this story of passion, trauma and rock n’ roll. Fallen rock star, Larsen Snake returns to his native Casablanca where he meets Rajae, a street girl with a golden voice. They roam the city nights and fall madly in love. But their passion is quickly overtaken by their past, and the wild couple takes the road to the desert to escape their demons. View trailer
May 12: THE LAST QUEEN (2022) by Adila Bendimerad and Damien Ounouri
Algeria, 1516. The pirate Aroudj Barbarossa frees Algiers from the tyranny of the Spanish and seizes power over the kingdom. Rumor has it he murdered King Salim Toumi despite their alliance. Against all odds, one woman will stand up to him: Queen Zaphira. Between history and legend, this woman’s journey tells of a struggle, of personal and political turmoil endured for the sake of Algiers. RSVP
March 10: THE WITCHES OF THE ORIENT (2021) by Julien Faraut
Journey to meet the former players of the Japanese women’s volleyball team. Now in their 70s, they used to be known as the ‘Witches of the Orient’ because of their seemingly supernatural powers on the courts. From the formation of the squad in the late 1950s as a worker’s team at a textile factory, right up until their triumph at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, their memories and true magic from long ago bubble up into a heady brew where fact and fable fly hand in hand.
2023
December 17: ASHKAL (2022) by Youssef Chebbi
In the Gardens of Carthage – a district of Tunis initiated by the former regime, where construction stopped at the beginning of the Revolution – two cops, Fatma and Batal, find a burnt body in one of the lots. As construction slowly resumes, they start looking into this mysterious case. When the event repeats itself, the investigation takes a puzzling turn. RSVP
November 12: NO DOGS AND ITALIANS ALLOWED (2021) by Alain Ughetto | #ArtCinemaDay
Early 20th century, Northern Italy. The Ughetto family, living through difficult times, dreams of a better future abroad. The story tells of Luigi Ughetto crossing the Alps to start a new life in France, thus changing the destiny of his beloved family forever. His grandson travels back in time revisiting their history, in an intimate dialogue with his grandmother Cesira. RSVP
September 10: TIMBUKTU (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako
Not far from Timbuktu, now ruled by religious fundamentalists, Kidane lives peacefully in the dunes with his wife Satima, his daughter Toya, and Issan, their twelve-year-old shepherd. In town, the inhabitants suffer, powerless, from the regime of terror imposed by the Jihadists determined to control their faith. Music, laughter, cigarettes, even soccer have been banned. Women have become shadows but resist with dignity. RSVP
August 13: TILAÏ (1990) by Idrissa Ouedraogo
Saga returns to his village after an absence of two years. Many things have changed. His fiancée Nogma has become his father’s second wife. But Saga and Nogma are still in love. Breaking the law, the two have an affair. For the village, this is incest and Saga must die. Kougri is appointed to kill him. Kougri lets him escape and Saga takes refuge with an aunt, joined by Nogma. They live happily together until the day Saga learns that his mother is dying. He decides to return to the village. RSVP
July 9: JOSEP by Aurel (2020)
February 1939. Overwhelmed by the flood of Republicans fleeing the Franco dictatorship, the French government parks them in camps. Two men separated by the barbed wire will become friends. One is a gendarme, the other a cartoonist. From Barcelona to New York, the true story of Josep Bartolí, anti-Franco fighter and exceptional artist. RSVP
June 25: Four Short Films by Kagho Idhebor
Join us for a special screening of four short films by acclaimed cinematographer Kagho Idhebor. In partnership with BCBlunt Films and Alliance Française Lagos, Screen Out Loud will present BURKINA BABES, DARK ROOM, THE BROKEN MASK, and MY FATHER’S BOOK. The award-winning short films address diverse themes and have been well-received at local and international film festivals. Each with its own unique narrative but similarly vivid cinematography, the short films are a window into the past, the shadows and elsewhere. The screening will be followed by a conversation with the filmmaker. RSVP
May 14: OTITI (2022) by Ema Edosio
A seamstress with commitment issues faces strong opposition from her half-brothers when she decides to take care of the ailing father who had abandoned her as a child. Otiti is a whithdrawn and reserved seamstress with a fashion show coming up, a boyfriend she refuses to take the next step with and a secret that she carries within her. However, a chance meeting with Onome, a potential client, up-ends her regular life and she realises that she is the daughter of a wealthy man who had abandoned her and her mother. RSVP
March 26: SOULA (2021) by Salah Issaad | #WomensHistoryMonth
Soula, a young single mother rejected by her family in the name of honour, trying to survive, finds herself caught up in a spiral of violence. Willing to do anything for her baby daughter, along the roads of Algeria and through unfortunate encounters in a stunning journey, she heads towards her inevitable destiny. RSVP
February 12: THE WORLD AFTER US (2021) by Louda Ben Salah-Cazanas | #MyFrenchFilmFestival
Labidi is a struggling young writer who, after a small hit with a short story, is trying to publish his first novel. While he lives in a small room with his roommate and best friend Aleksei, delivering food on his bike to survive, he meets Elisa, a student. Caught up in a whirlwind romance, he doesn’t always make the right choices. Labidi will soon be confronted with the realities of everyday life, at the expense of his writing. RSVP
2022
December 11: ALL NA VIBES (2021) by Taiwo Egunjobi | Nigerian Premiere
Set in a Nigerian city, against the backdrop of crippling university strikes and political unrest. ALL NA VIBES is a urban drama that follows three out-of-school teenagers and a hitman over a span of five days: Sade, daughter of a politician; Abiola, an aspiring musician, and Lamidi, a delinquent downtown boy dissecting questions on sex, drugs and their future prospects. Tensions escalate when Sade goes missing after Lamidi’s party, leading to the involvement of her father, a hitman and the police. Save the date
November 13: RUBEN BRANDT, COLLECTOR (2018) by Milorad Krstić | #ArtCinemaDay
Ruben Brandt, a famous psychotherapist, is forced to steal 13 paintings from the world’s renowned museums and private collections to prevent his suffering from terrible nightmares he has as a result of subliminal messaging he received as a child. Accompanied by his four patients, he and his band of thieves strike regularly and with great success: the Louvre, Tate, Uffizi, Hermitage, the Museum of Modern Art. “The Collector” quickly becomes the most wanted criminal in the world. Save the date.
October 9: SISTERS WITH TRANSISTORS: Electronic Music’s Unsung Heroines by Lisa Rovner | Nigerian Premiere
The remarkable untold story of electronic music’s female pioneers, composers who embraced machines and their liberating technologies to utterly transform how we produce and listen to music today. The film maps a new history of electronic music through the visionary women whose radical experimentations with machines redefined the boundaries of music, including Clara Rockmore, Daphne Oram, Bebe Barron, Pauline Oliveros, Delia Derbyshire, Maryanne Amacher, Eliane Radigue, Suzanne Ciani, and Laurie Spiegel. Narrated by Laurie Anderson. Save the date.
September 10: NATION FORGOTTEN by Omoregie Osakpolor; 2022 | World Premiere
Nation Forgotten is a documentary film on the plight of Nigerian pensioners. More than nine pensioners with stirring testimonies lament the pension fraud in Nigeria, non-payment of their gratuities, pension allowances and the troubles of living with barely nothing in a country where getting by is difficult for even the rich. The filmmaker will be present, and joined in conversation by two fellow panellists. Save the date.
July 9, 10 & 24: EXTENDED PLAY 1 – The Music Film Edition
Extended Play is a Screen Out Loud event featuring more than one film and lasting beyond one day. This first edition is dedicated to music, with four films celebrating music, musicians, and music histories from around the world. Also on the programme are a concert, a special keynote address, and the presentation of Audiovisual Crossroads: a collection of essays on music and film. Save the dates!
June 12: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MAMANI ABDOULAYE by Amina Abdoulaye Mamani; 2018
For this special edition of our monthly screening, we present a personal documentary about Mamani Abdoulaye, poet, philosopher and politician, who was detained for his activism in Niger Republic. Almost thirty years to the annulled June 12 1993 elections in Nigeria, we look forward to a post-screening conversation with reverred writer-activists Kunle Ajibade and Molara Wood on the themes of literature, politics, democracy and surviving dictatorships. Save the date
May 8: TRADITION TODAY (Short Film Programme)
Through a selection of four short films, we explore traditional religion and cultures in modern times. We encounter young people who are sustaining or rediscovering their traditional religious heritage regardless of stigma and the pressures of modernisation. RSVP
April 10: THEIR ALGERIA by Lina Soualem; 2020
The longstanding journey of exile of Aïcha and Mabrouk: a couple of Algerian immigrants living in a medieval French town since sixty years, whose lives were a succession of separations and silences. Side by side, they have experienced this chaotic immigrant life. For Lina, their separation is an opportunity to question their long journey of exile and their silence. RSVP
April 3: WHEN A FARM GOES AFLAME by Jide Tom Akinleminu; 2021
“When a farm goes aflame” is set in the aftermath of a lifetime of secrecy and denial, and attempts to bring together the stories and beliefs of all protagonists as they come to terms with their common past and shape their future. Moving fluidly between Denmark, Nigeria, Canada and USA, the film gently unfolds as a poetic and psychologically complex exploration of the meeting between western and African concepts of love, relationships and family. RSVP
March 13: THE LOST LEGACY OF BIDA BIKINI by Remi Vaughan-Richards; 2021
We are looking forward to our second collaboration with director Remi Vaughan-Richards in celebration of cultural legacy projects that have marked her work, and also in relation to the upcoming International Women’s Day (March 8). Screening will be followed by a conversation with the filmmaker. RSVP #WomenInFilm #DirectedByWomen #History
February 13: THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN by Kaouther Ben Hania; 2020
Don’t miss our first screening of the year: Kaouther Ben Hania‘s Academy-Award nominated THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN (L’homme qui a vendu sa peau). The drama film by the director of BEAUTY AND THE DOGS creatively examines exile and the world of contemporary art. RSVP
2021
December 10: FOR MARIA EBUN PATAKI by Damilola Orimogunje
In collaboration with 2o9ine Films and the Alliance Française Lagos, we look forward to screening FOR MARIA: EBUN PATAKI as our closing film of the year. Directed by Damilola Orimogunje, the award-winning drama spotlights society’s misunderstanding of postpartum depression and its impact on mothers. RSVP
November 13: TAMBIÉN LA LLUVIA (Even the Rain) by Icíar Bollaín | #ArtCinemaDay
We join arthouse cinemas around the world celebrating the European Arthouse Cinema Day on November 14. In collaboration with the Spanish Consulate-General in Lagos, we will be screening the multiple award-winning feature film TAMBIÉN LA LLUVIA on Saturday, November 13. RSVP
Read about our 2020 #ArtCinemaDay screening and premiere of the award-winning hand-painted film LOVING VINCENT here and here
October 10: CAMERA D’AFRIQUE/Twenty Years of African Cinema by Férid Boughedir | Film Classics
More than half a century of colonial cinema, Africans in newly independent countries were finally able to operate the camera themselves. No more would Africa simply just be used as an exotic backdrop nor its inhabitants depicted mostly as less than human and portrayed in ways that undermined their dignity. Shot over a decade, Caméra d’Afrique relates the first 20 years of the new cohort of creative film-makers that emerged in sub-Saharan Africa, documenting an unprecedented hunger for expression that remains unsated to this day. RSVP
September 12: NIGHT OF THE KINGS (La nuit des rois) by Philippe Lacôte
MACA, an Abidjan Prison is one of the most overcrowded in West Africa. Aging and sick, Blackbeard’s position is increasingly contested. To retain his power, he returns to the tradition of “Roman”, a ritual that involves forcing a prisoner to tell stories all night long. A young pickpocket is appointed. “Roman” does not know how to narrate a story but he is haunted by only one story, that of the chief “microbe” Zama King. RSVP
July 20: 10PP Matinee Series (Virtual Theatre/Event Cinema)
Using technology to develop new art forms, 10PP has created a virtual international stage showcasing the work of emerging writers and providing performance opportunities for both theatre veterans and emerging artists to engage with an exciting new medium for telling stories. The 10PP virtual theatre covers a wide range of topics and features writers, directors and actors from diverse international cultural backgrounds. RSVP
July 11: MOTHER, I AM SUFFOCATING. THIS IS MY LAST FILM ABOUT YOU by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
A woman walks through the landscapes and crowds of an unnamed country carrying a heavy cross on her back. In the images, the distant voice of a child calls out to its mother, accuses her, rejects her. In this first experimental feature film, Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese mixes the personal with the political. Powerful slow-paced visual evocations give substance to the words with a harsh violence that is inseparable from a deep attachment. RSVP
June 2021: #WorldMusicDay at the movies
Just as we did last year, we shared a selection of films with #music as a central theme for the 2021 #World Music Day at the #movies countdown. Click on the images to read the individual recommendations! Check out the 2020 playlist here. Enjoy! Read more
June 13: AFRICA MIA by Richard Minier and Edouard Salier (#WorldMusicDay)
Ahead of World Music Day, we journey from Havana to Bamako in search of the soul of Afro-Cuban music, following in the footsteps of ten young Malian musicians in musical training in Cuba, who became a founding group of world music: the legendary Maravillas of Mali. Fifty years later, this forgotten group is resurrected thanks to Maestro Boncana Maïga, its historical conductor. RSVP
May 16: TAINTED CANVAS by Segilola Ogidan (Screening + Conversation)
The journey to self is one stunningly ugly masterpiece. TAINTED CANVAS is a harrowing tale about the effects of child prostitution in adult life. This screening is organised in conjunction with Alliance Française Lagos, OKP Productions, IGODO Films, and 37th State Productions. #RSVP
April 11: OUR LADY OF THE NILE (Notre-Dame du Nil) by Atiq Rahimi (Physical Screening)
Save the date for our April 11 screening of NOTRE-DAME DU NIL (Our Lady of the Nile). The award-winning feature film – directed by Atiq Rahimi- is an adaptation of Scholastique Mukasonga’s novel of the same name originally published, in French, in 2012. RSVP
March 21: AFROFUTURISTIK (Quartiers Lointains 6) | Nigerian Premiere
Screen Out Loud, AF Lagos and the French Institute in Nigeria are proud to present AFROFUTURISTIK, the 6th Edition of the Quartiers Lointains short film programme. This season is composed of five short fiction and documentary films by filmmakers from Morocco, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
March 14: BAAMUM NAFI (Nafi’s Father) by Mamadou Dia (Film Premiere)
We are still in Oscars territory come March! What happens when sibling rivalry threatens far-reaching consequences? Find out at our March 14 screening of BAAMUM NAFI, Mamadou Dia‘s absorbing feature debut and Senegal’s official entry to this year’s Academy Awards (International Feature Film). The screening is organised in collaboration with the Alliance Française Lagos and the Institut français du Nigeria. RSVP.
February 28: THE LETTER by Maia Lekow & Christopher King (Film Premiere)
Save the date! Don’t miss the Nigerian premiere of THE LETTER, Kenya’s official entry to this year’s Academy Awards (Best International Film). We are grateful to the director-producers Maia Lekow and Christopher King, for the collaboration and the chance to share this beautiful, thoughtful documentary with the Lagos audience. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. RSVP
February 14: TROUBLE SLEEP by Alain Kassanda (Physical Screening)
In close collaboration with Alliance Française de Lagos, we are proud to present TROUBLE SLEEP (Alain Kassanda, France/Nigeria; 2019. Documentary). Join us in the auditorium of Alliance Française de Lagos / Mike Adenuga Centre on Sunday, February 14th at 5:00 PM for a screening and conversation with the director. The event will begin with the screening of WE ARE TIRED, a 6-min documentary by Tobi Akinde. RSVP
January 24: PRICE OF ADMISSION by Udoka Oyeka (Nigerian Premiere)
In collaboration with Black Rabbit Hole Pictures and Alliance Française Lagos, Screen Out Loud invites you to the special screening of PRICE OF ADMISSION, the new short by filmmaker Udoka Oyeka.
Join us on Sunday, January 24th at 5:00 PM (doors open at 4.30pm) for a thrilling cinematic adventure followed by a conversation with the director, and the film’s lead actor Brymo Olawale. RSVP
January 17: FREEDOM FIELDS by Naziha Arebi (Nigerian Premiere)
Our 2021 calendar kicks off with the compelling documentary by Naziha Arebi. “Filmed over five years, FREEDOM FIELDS (2018) follows three women and their football team in post-revolution Libya, as the country descends into civil war and the utopian hopes of the Arab Spring begin to fade. […] An intimate film about hope, struggle and sacrifice in a land where dreams seem a luxury. A love letter to sisterhood and the power of team.” (Arabic/English w/English subtitles). Save the date.
2020
December 13 Film Screening: LE HAVRE (by Aki Kaurismäki)
Join us on Sunday, December 13th at our screening of Aki Kaurismäki’s LE HAVRE (Comedy/Drama, 2011, 1h34). Ahead of International Migrants’ Day on December 18, LE HAVRE’s themes of tolerance and migration remain hot topics. This screening is supported by Alliance Française de Lagos and Institut français du Nigeria. RSVP
November 8: LOVING VINCENT (European Arthouse Cinema Day)
This November, we are proud to present the Nigerian premiere of LOVING VINCENT (Dorota Kobiela & Hugh Welchman; Poland/UK, 2017). The screening is made possible with the support of BreakThru Productions, producers of the multiple award-winning animated biopic, and is part of global events marking the European Arthouse Cinema Day, an initiative of the International Confederation of Art Cinemas (CICAE). Read more.
October 19 – 25: Sembene Across Africa (Virtual & Physical Screening)
Sembene Across Africa, an annual programme launched in 2017, returns with a week of online and in-person screenings and seminars, and is produced in conjunction with more than 100 African institutions. The programme, which includes two of Ousmane Sembene’s films and a documentary about him, will also take place in Lagos. Discover more
October 11 Screening: You Will Die At Twenty (Nigerian Premiere)
This October, we are happy to resume physical screenings with the Nigerian premiere of the award-winning feature film YOU WILL DIE AT TWENTY (Sudan; 2019) by Amjad Abu Alala.
To commemorate Dyslexia Awareness Month, the screening will be preceded by the inspiring and deeply personal short film MICAL (Yewweng Ho; UK, 19mins, 2020). Read more
June 2020: #WorldMusicDay at the movies
For the 2020 World Music Day countdown, we shared a selection of films and TV series with music as a central theme. The task for our friends? “Recommend a music-themed film or series (regardless of length, genre, format or language) that you like and tell us why”. #WorldMusic Day #AtTheMovies Read more