AFRIFF: Hollywood comes to Lagos, 135 titles and a film market targeting 1,500 participants

The 15th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) opened on November 1, 2026, in Lagos, under the theme "Frames of the Future: Africa's Creative Intelligence." The opening film, "Lady," is the debut feature from Nigerian director Olive Nwosu: a taxi driver transports sex workers through Lagos at night, including her childhood friend.

The festival is presenting twenty-three feature films as part of a selection of one hundred and thirty-five titles, according to Broadcast Media Africa. The program spans the entire continent: "Slum Bomber" by Ugandan filmmaker Maureen Jolly Nankya, "Hadda" by Algerian director Ahmed Riad, "Variations on a Theme" by South Africans Devon Delmar and Jason Jacobs—already a Tiger Award winner at the Rotterdam festival—and "One Woman One Bra," a Kenyan-Nigerian co-production led by Vincho Nchogu. Screenings conclude on November 6, 2026, ahead of the Globe Awards on November 7.

A market aiming to double in size

In parallel, the Africa Film & Content Market (AFCM) held its second edition from November 2 to 5, 2026, at Twinwaters (Lekki). After hosting more than seven hundred participants in 2025, organizers are targeting one thousand five hundred people this year, with delegations arriving from Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, France, Sweden, and the United States, among others.

On November 4, 2026, the market dedicated its day to women in cinema; November 5 was reserved for sessions on African productions and co-productions. This is where the core of the action lies: the ability of filmmakers on the continent to finance their films among themselves rather than waiting for funding from the North.

Paid tickets, covered by a foundation

This edition introduces paid screenings for the first time. However, the Obi Adada Foundation is covering the cost of the tickets, meaning the public can follow the program without paying for entry, reports Broadcast Media Africa.

The opening night brought together a portion of Nollywood—Rita Dominic, Wale Ojo, Osas Ighodaro, Toni Tones, Juliet Ibrahim, and comedian Real Warri Pikin—around the festival's founder, Chioma Ude, according to Black Film Wire. American actors Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors were in attendance; Meagan Good hosted a conversation titled "The Art of Becoming: Craft, Identity and Reinvention" as part of the market, and Jonathan Majors expressed their interest in supporting the industry and exploring collaborations.

Beninese-American actor Djimon Hounsou, the guest of honor, was expected to present his short film "Calabash" and participate in a discussion on the role of African narratives for global audiences. Perhaps the most telling sign of this edition is this: it is no longer African filmmakers who are seeking recognition in Los Angeles, but Hollywood that is boarding a plane to Lagos.