There’s an observable growing body of new feature films exploring the diverse experiences of African university students both within the continent and abroad.
It’s maybe a reflection of a desire to capture the complexities of youth and the role students play in broader societal matters.
Coincidentally, they are all documentaries, including these four (and maybe others):
– “Nous, étudiants!” (2022) by Rafiki Fariala: a rare and intimate glimpse into the lives of university students in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, shedding light on education, corruption, gender dynamics, and hopes for the future in a country struggling with poverty and instability.
– “Brief Tender Light” (2023) by Arthur Musah: It explores the experiences of African students studying abroad, specifically at MIT in the USA—the challenges they face in adapting to foreign academic environments while confronting questions about identity and belonging.
– “Coconut Head Generation” (2023) by Alain Kassanda: Set at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s oldest, it zooms in on the institution’s Film Club, where students gather every Thursday to discuss world cinema and engage in spirited debates over pressing social issues like power imbalances, ethnicity, feminism, and gender.
– “Dahomey” (2024) by Mati Diop: While not exclusively focused on students, it incorporates their voices quite significantly in a narrative about cultural restitution from France to Benin. The students are active in an important discussion, connecting their educational experiences to national and international issues.
Viewed collectively, these films (and possibly others) paint a multifaceted picture of African student life. The common thread is that African college students – the next generation – are depicted as resilient and ambitious, and as active agents in shaping their own lives, but also their respective communities.
Of course, this is all unfolding against the backdrop of a continent with the world’s youngest population.