African cinema expands with new London cultural center and Lagos film festival opening

African cinema is gaining significant international visibility through two major developments in London and Lagos. In London, influential Nigerian producer Mo Abudu has inaugurated EbonyLife Place, a dedicated cultural center for African cinema and Black diaspora creations. The project aims to provide a global platform for African artists to tell their own stories, addressing a historical lack of dedicated spaces for Black filmmakers in Europe.

In Lagos, the 15th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) will open from November 1 to 7, 2026, with the screening of ‘Lady’. Directed by Nigerian-British filmmaker Olive Nwosu, the film follows a Lagos taxi driver and has already earned accolades at Sundance and the Berlinale. This screening marks the film’s first documented public festival appearance on the African continent.