As Sundance 2025 prepares to open on January 23, I thought I’d take a look at the recent history of African narratives (features primarily) programmed at the festival, specifically during this century.
The presence of African stories at Sundance has evolved, paralleling broader developments in African screen industries. As industry professionals gain increasing visibility on the international festival circuit—alongside events like Berlinale, Cannes, Venice, and Toronto—their stories reflect the continent’s dynamic interplay between local specificity and global engagement.
This analysis tracks the programming of 38 films telling African stories (the directors are not always African or of African descent) at Sundance between 2001 and 2024, examining aspects like their thematic and geographic diversity within a major international film festival and market that serves as both a catalyst and a barometer for African filmmakers treading a rapidly changing landscape.
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