The 2025 Cannes Film Festival highlights six African films exploring contemporary social and political themes.

The Cannes Film Festival, which will take place from May 13 to 24, is positioned this year as a space of expression for African cinema, with a selection of six films highlighting realities often neglected in global discourse. By approaching themes such as migration, social conflicts and family dynamics, these works offer lighting on the complexities and challenges of everyday life on the continent. From the story of solidarity in the face of migration in Tunisia to the exploration of inequalities in Cairo, through reflections on political heritage in Nigeria, each film challenges the public on crucial issues. In a world where intercultural understanding is becoming more and more necessary, this showcase in Cannes recalls the importance of giving voice to African stories, while raising questions about their impact and their resonance in the current socio -political context.
### The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival: a showcase for African cinema

From May 13 to 24, the Cannes Film Festival stands once again as a resonance platform for voices often marginalized in the world cinematographic landscape. This year, the selection highlights six African films that explore themes as varied as migration, social conflicts, and family dynamics. This choice not only underlines the richness of the accounts from the African continent, but also the need to take a careful look at often overlooked realities.

#### Promises the sky: the challenges of migration in Tunisia

The film *promised the sky *of the Franco-Tunisian director Erige Sehiri opens the competition *a certain look *. He immerses us in the life of Mary, Ivorian pastor in Tunis, who welcomes young women in search of a better future in a context of increasing social tensions. This story of solidarity in the face of the challenges of migration questions the identity issues and the living conditions of sub -Saharan migrants in Tunisia, a particularly relevant subject in a country whose political and economic horizon remains uncertain. How can these stories of mutual aid and resilience inform current debates on immigration to the Mediterranean?

#### Aisha Can’t Fly Away: a reflection on inequalities in Cairo

Morad Mostafa, with *Aisha Can’t Fly Away *, invites a trip to the tumultuous daily life of Aisha, a Somali caregiver in Cairo. Through the prism of community tensions, this film highlights the often invisible living conditions of migrants in Egypt. The way in which he addresses intercommunity relations and social inequalities poses a crucial question: how can society integrate these populations, often marginalized, and what role should local authorities play in this process?

#### Indomitable: the complexity of evil in Cameroon

With *Indomitable *, Thomas Ngijol turns away from his comic career to explore a dramatic thriller rooted in Cameroonian reality. By following Commissioner Billong in his quest for justice, the film questions the moral and ethical dilemmas during an investigation into a murder of a police officer. This gender choice raises questions about corruption and ubiquitous violence in certain African societies. How can we fight against these evils without falling into despair? What place for humor or social criticism in such a narration?

#### My Father’s Shadow: a historic turning point for Nigerian cinema

*My Father’s Shadow*, directed by Akinola Davies Jr., marks a first for Nigerian cinema, being selected for the first time in Cannes. This film, anchored in the tumultuous political context of the 1993 elections in Nigeria, illustrates how much cinema can serve as a mirror for society. Through the story of two brothers, the director invites you to reflect on the tumultuous political heritage of the country. How does this heritage model future generations, and what discourse can cinema maintain on these issues?

#### Mina: A look at informal work in Morocco

Finally, the short film * L’Mina * by Randa Maroufi addresses the realities of informal work, a subject that deserves to be better represented. By exposing the lives of those who work outside the formal standards of the economy, this film raises essential questions about the dignity and the rights of workers. What measures could be put in place to protect these vulnerable workers, and how can society recognize their contributions?

### a necessary evolution for African cinema

The films presented in Cannes open a window on multiple and complex realities. They make it possible to initiate a dialogue on major issues such as immigration, violence, social responsibility, and family dynamics. These stories, told with nuance and sensitivity, are not only artistic accounts; They encourage to think about a world where intercultural understanding is essential.

By offering visibility to these African voices, the Cannes Film Festival helps to advance a necessary conversation on equal access to global cultural platforms. How can these films inspire concrete actions in the social and political field? This is a question that we should all meditate when we continue this explorant cinematographic season.

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