Tigritudes is a subjective and chronological anthology of Pan-African cinemas through 128 films from 42 countries, produced between 1956 (Sudan’s independence) and today. This season, including screenings at The Garden Cinema, BFI, and Tate Modern, is a selection from it.

Africa and its diaspora are rich in diverse and powerful film cultures, despite the heavy legacy of colonialism on the structuring of their cultural industries and the significant challenges faced by artists in producing cinema on the continent. Yet these cinemas remain largely unknown. Tigritudes offers a broad, accessible and eclectic programme to share the range, inventiveness and vitality of a moving-image culture afflicted by chronic international under-distribution. Across 68 years of production, this season articulates works that have continued to unfold with an unprecedented plurality of styles, themes and languages. The cycle opens up a vast field of reflection, traversing entire swathes of history and narratives, questioning reality and its representations, deconstructing the imaginaries surrounding it: aesthetic, ethical, and political. We are delighted to present in London a selection from this project, which has already screened in France and across the African continent.

From Curators and filmmakers Dyana Gaye and Valérie Osouf.