Two eyes. A look that reveals different points of view, of Africa on the world and vice versa, of young people on the future, but also of yesterday’s generations on the past. This is the image chosen for the poster of Africa Short, the summer section of the 42nd “Cinelà” Festival of African Cinema and Beyond, which will be held from Saturday 24 June to Saturday 1 July at the Santa Teresa outdoor cinema in Via Molinara, 23, in the Borgo Roma district in Verona. Screenings will begin at 7.30 p.m. each evening and tickets cost 5 euros. 

A program that aims to involve young audiences through the stories of a contemporary, everyday Africa, made up of the lives of women, men, young and old, who interpret the challenges of the continent through its various facets: social, political, cultural and religious. Over eight days, twenty short films from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Algeria, Rwanda, Togo, South Africa, Mali, Senegal, Morocco and Ethiopia will be screened in competition. Guests, critics, directors and three juries will be present. 

There will be many new features, such as the KE-BON food truck serving food before the screenings, musical accompaniment to keep you entertained while you wait, the Pagina 12 bookshop corner with books on African and contemporary fiction, and live music on the opening and closing evenings when two feature films are screened. A special evening will be held on Wednesday 28 June, hosted by film critic Giuseppe Gariazzo and dedicated to the Senegalese writer and director Ousmane Sembène, with the screening of the 1966 film ‘La noire de…’, restored by the Cineteca di Bologna on the centenary of his birth. Another recent innovation is the Festival’s membership of Verona Green Movie Land, a cinema, culture and tourism project for a sustainable territory that looks to the future of its environment. Supported by the Verona Chamber of Commerce, it brings together Verona’s main film festivals, which combine film culture and social integration with environmental awareness.

Saturday 24 June at 9 p.m.
“Twist à Bamako” (129′) by Robert Guédiguian / France / Canada / Senegal / 2021

Sunday 25 June at 9.30 p.m.
Short films in competition – “Aboula Ngando” (20′) by Marcus Onalundula / Democratic Republic of Congo / France / 2021 – “What we don’t know about Mariam” (25′) by Morad Mostafa / Egypt / 2021 – “Tsutsué” (15′) by Amartei Armar / Ghana / France / 2022 – “Angle Mort” (14′) by Lotfi Achour / Tunisia / France / 2021

Monday 26 June at 9.30 p.m.
Short films in competition – “Kelasi” (10′) by Fransix Tenda Lomba / Democratic Republic of Congo / 2021 – “Toute la nuit” (17′) by Fayçal Hammoum / Algeria / 2021 – “Young man rumble” (19′) by Karima Elba / Belgium / 2022 – “Lions” (26′) by Beru Tessema / Ethiopia / France / Great Britain / 2022

Tuesday, 27 June at 9.30 p.m.
Short films in competition “Timoun aw” (28′) by Nelson Foix / France / Guadeloupe / 2020 – “Twin lakes haven” (23′) by Philbert Aimé Mbabazi Sharangabo / Rwanda / 2022 – “Merlich Merlich” (20′) by Hannil Ghilas / Tunisia / France / 2021

Wednesday 28 June at 9.30 p.m.
Special evening dedicated to Ousmane Sembène “La noire de…” (60′) by Ousmane Sembène / Senegal / France / 1966

Thursday 29 June at 9.30 p.m.
Short films in competition “Astel” (24′) by Ramata-Toulaye Sy / Senegal / France / 2021 – “Jmar” (20′) by Samy Sidali / Morocco / France / 2021 – “On the surface” (4′) by Fan Sissoko Mali / Iceland / USA / 2021 – “Bergie” (7′) by Dian Weys / South Africa / 2022 “Zaffa” (Big day) (15′) by Ahmed Samir / Egypt / 2022

Friday 30 June at 9.30 p.m.
Short films in competition – “I am afraid to forget your face” (15′) by Alaa Sameh / Egypt / France / Qatar / Belgium / 2020 – “Mofiala” (26′) by Boris Kpadenou / Togo / 2020 – “The town” (15′) by Lindiwe Makgalemele / South Africa / 2021 “Pistache chocolat” (15′) by Zaïda Ghorab / Belgium / France / 2022

Saturday 1 July at 9.00 p.m.
CINELÀ Awards Ceremony – Screening of Best Short Film Africa Short 2023 followed by “Under the fig trees” (90′) by Erige Sehiri / Tunisia / France / Switzerland / Katar / 2022 In the event of rain, the screenings will be held indoors in the Sala Basilica di Santa Teresa (entrance from the Piazzale della Chiesa).

Information and full programme at https://www.cinemafricano.it/