Even though American culture is quite omnipresent in our life through daily Hollywood movies, African culture is not so much.

By being Romanian, or even of another nationality – and not having had a lot of contact with Africa, since not much common history between the 2, one does not have much access to African culture.

Thanks to media, internet, international festivals, latest trendy topics on development issues, African movies or movies about Africa are slowly making their way in the international scene.

Although useful, they are not showing a complete image about a lively, colorful, rich Africa but mostly about the dramas that its people suffer.

On a more personal note, I am highly grateful to the filmmakers who have succeeded to show stories from Africa.

Below you can read/see trailers of some of the African movies I’ve seen or heard about. It is a good start for one that enjoys movies and wants to learn more either about some issues or about different countries in Africa.

If you know more interesting movies on Africa – whether short or long, please let us know by commenting on this post.

Ezra

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923688

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoWwpbbimrM

The story of this movie by his filmmaker: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/newton_aduaka_tells_the_story_of_ezra.html

Ezra is the first film to give an African perspective on the disturbing phenomenon of abducting child soldiers into the continent’s recent civil wars.

Tsosi

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468565/.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYnqbNl7VMM

Six days in the life of a young Johannesburg gang leader (Chweneyagae)

Won an Oscar in the Best Foreign Movie category in 2006.

The constant gardener

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Constant_Gardener_(film)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387131/

A love story evolving around the dirty business of public and corporate diplomacy in Africa. The movie it’s a good start for asking yourself some questions on what is the business of some businesses in Africa.

Hotel Rwanda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_rwanda

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYwuXvA589A

Maybe one of the best known movies about one of the most horrifying conflicts in African history.It is a historical drama tellring the story of the 1994 genocide between the Hutu and the Tsotsi

Blood diamonds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Diamond_(film)

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtPX2kXhu7I

The title refers to blood diamonds, which are diamonds mined in African war zones and sold to finance the conflicts and profit the warlords and the diamond companies across the world.

Bamako

http://www.bamako-themovie.com/

Trailer: http://www.bamako-themovie.com/trailer.html

Les Brumes de Manengouba

http://www.joost.com/16600lq/t/Les-brumes-de-Manengouba#id=16600lq

Fatima, L’Algerienne de Dakar,

http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/fatima-l’algerienne-de-dakar/

Other movies that are shown during African film festivals in Europe:

Vivre dans le pays le plus pauvre du monde

Djourou une Corde a ton Cou

Africa Paradis

Kabuli Kid

La petite vendeuse de Soleil

Darwin’s nightmare

Jean, Moussa et le fil de l’eau

Faro, La reigne des Eaux

Enjoy!