Vitoria-Gasteiz will host the sixth edition of Afrikaldia, the Basque Festival of African Cinemas, from November 3 to 10. This year, the festival will feature 10 films in its official section, with six of them being national premieres. Under the theme ‘Identity and belonging in a changing world’, the event invites reflection on identities and the sense of belonging in a transforming world.
Through six feature films and four documentaries, the festival will bring audiences stories and experiences showcasing the diversity of African cinemas, allowing for an exploration of the social and cultural changes in an increasingly multicultural world. Details of the new edition were announced this morning at a press conference attended by Ana López de Uralde, Councilor for Development Cooperation, Arantxa Ibañez de Opacua, Director of Fundación Vital Fundazioa, and Itziar Inza, the festival's director.
“"It offers us the opportunity to approach Africa through its stories, its perspectives, and its realities, allowing us to discover the richness and diversity of a continent with much to tell."
López de Uralde highlighted that the festival "contributes to giving visibility to the talent of African filmmakers, discovering new ways of narrating and understanding the world, and recognizing the quality of a cinematography that is increasingly present on the international scene".
“"We live in a diverse and constantly transforming society, where people build their identity from multiple experiences, cultures, and connections. We can feel part of different places, speak different languages, and have different ways of understanding the world, without renouncing any of them. Because diversity enriches us and helps us build a more open and inclusive society. Fundación Vital supports initiatives that promote coexistence, respect, and recognition of the plurality that is part of our society."
Inza emphasized "the great diversity of genres, styles, and aesthetics at Afrikaldia, reflecting the growing presence of African and Afro-descendant professionals in the film industry." In total, 20 countries from Africa and the diaspora will be represented at the VI edition of Afrikaldia.
The official section's program will offer a wide variety of proposals, from family dramas like ‘My Father’s Shadow’ to social thrillers like ‘Diya’ and dramatic comedies like ‘One Woman One Bra’. Among the new features is Damien Hauser's ‘Memory of Princess Mumbi’, a film exploring the possibilities of artificial intelligence in film creation and opening new perspectives on contemporary cinema's narrative and visual processes.
Meanwhile, the Industry Section, aimed at sector professionals, reinforces its commitment to audiovisual creation with the promotion of the first stop-motion animated documentary short film supported by Afrikaldia. The project was developed in collaboration with Sonia Estévez, Arrieta Saldaña, producer Kresala Films, and a group of 16 young Africans and Afro-descendants.
Afrikaldia also expands its presence in the city with new venues and activities incorporated into this year's program. In addition to Arkabia, which will host the official section's screenings for the first time, and Izaskun Arrue Kulturgunea, where sessions with Euskera-subtitled films will continue, the Jai Alai apartments will be the venue for the Industry Section's activities. Furthermore, the FOT&CO store, located on Olaguíbel street, will serve as the festival's official headquarters and information point.
The festival will award three prizes: best film and best original soundtrack, awarded by the jury, and the audience award for best film. The jury will be composed of Jusciele Oliveira, Lamine Thior, and Carmen San Esteban.
As a new feature this year, the opening gala, to be held on Tuesday, November 3, at 7:00 PM at the Arkabia venue, will host the presentation of the EITB-Afrikaldia award, a new recognition aimed at valuing individuals who promote diversity in the audiovisual industry.
Tickets for the inaugural gala will be free and can be purchased through Arkabia's website.
