PANEL BETWEEN REALITY AND IMAGINATION: VISUAL STRATEGIES OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN CINEMA
Aula der KHM Ticketshop
PANEL BETWEEN REALITY AND IMAGINATION: VISUAL STRATEGIES OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN CINEMA
African filmmakers are increasingly experimenting with hybrid forms, new technologies and subjective perspectives to create alternative realities. Documentary is mixed with fiction, virtual reality meets memory culture, personal stories reflect social upheavals. In this panel, the filmmakers will discuss their respective approaches to working with visual language, sound and narration - and how they challenge the conventions of Western-dominated cinema. How do music, sound design and montage influence their work? How does new technology – such as virtual reality and AI – change the relationship between the audience and the narration?
Cooperation: Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln (KHM), DW Akademie, KIOSK – Arts Exchange e. V.
Language: English
PANEL BETWEEN REALITY AND IMAGINATION: VISUAL STRATEGIES OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN CINEMA , ,
Guests
Amil Shivji lives in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he works as a filmmaker and producer. His production company, Kijiweni Productions, focuses on telling local stories. Neo-colonialism and cultural and political imperialism are at the heart of his work. This year he curated again for the AFFK.
Maia Lekow is a Kenyan musician and filmmaker. Currently performing with her band Maia & the Big Sky on international stages, Maia fuses her music with a fascination of people and culture to make films as a documentary director, producer, composer & sound recordist. She was named a goodwill ambassador for UNHCR in 2013. Her films are deeply personal, multi-layered character studies. Her documentary debut THE LETTER, made with her partner Christopher King, explores the inter-generational conflict in Maia's father's homeland on the coast of Kenya. She also composed the original score for the film, collaborating with Emmy-Award winning composer Ken Myhr. Their new film HOW TO BUILD A LIBRARY celebrated its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival 2025.
Sammy Baloji lives and works between Lubumbashi and Brussels. Since 2005, he has been exploring the memory and history of the Democratic Republic of Congo. After his studies in literature and human sciences, he began to work as a cartoonist and later specialised in video art and photography. His work is an ongoing investigation into the cultural, architectural and industrial heritage of the Katanga region, as well as questioning the impact of Belgian colonisation. His critical view of contemporary societies serves as a warning against the ways in which cultural clichés continue to shape collective memory, allowing social and political power games to continue to dictate human behaviour. His feature film L’ARBRE DE L’AUTHENTICITÉ won the Special Jury Prize at the 2025 International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Joel 'Kachi Benson is a documentary filmmaker whose work revolves primarily around social impact storytelling. He uses 2d technology to tell stories across Nigeria and Africa, and is the first Nigerian filmmaker to also use Virtual Reality technology for storytelling. Joel 'Kachi Benson is a firm believer in the use of storytelling as a catalyst for positive change, and regularly teaches and mentors young filmmakers. In 2024, he received two Emmy nominations for the Disney documentary MADU, which he directed. His latest film, MOTHERS OF CHIBOK, which he made in collaboration with Impact Partners, is currently touring the global film festival circuit.