From Africa to London to the World: Film Africa’s Leading Role in the Circulation of African Cinemas
摘要
Film Africa is currently the largest festival and meeting point in the UK celebrating the best of African cinema. This chapter probes the festival’s goals and how its practices shape the circulation of African cinema in London and beyond. We begin with an exploration of the festival’s understanding of “Africa” in dialogue with the festival location. We suggest that the festival adopts an expansive definition, encompassing the continent, diaspora, and those of African heritage. We show that curating Africa in this way serves as a way of acknowledging, embracing, and celebrating the rich and diverse range of cultural heritages that make up the population of London. Through reflecting on field research at the festival as well as with its organizers, we explore how the festival is curated, how the space of London is worked with, and the lessons that can be learned from this festival for other festivals in other contexts.