Several years ago, I visited Casablanca in Morocco for a few days. What I remember most about that trip is the Hassan II mosque, the largest mosque in the world that non-Muslims are allowed to enter. Perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, with a towering, mechanised ceiling that can open to allow the […]
I’m taking cues from Africa is a Country’s contributors this week. First up, Boima dropped by Amsterdam’s African Hip-Hop radio’s studio and delivered this set. One of the tracks featured on there is ‘TOHL’ (above) by Togo-born tabi Bonney (real name: Tabiabuè — father: Itadi Bonney), featuring Fat Trel. I don’t believe it was aired on […]
An exploration of China's presence in Zambia, including suspicion, tensions and possibilities for collaboration.
Africa is really attractive in different ways to many former Italian politicians, it seems.
This documentary film about football in Africa is actually not that terrible once you get past the empty platitudes by celebrities at the start, saying little substantive about African football. Whether former professional footballers–like Anthony Baffoe, Roger Milla and Jay Jay Okocha–or Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan and, odd man out, FW de Klerk–the last President of […]
Africa in Motion, Scotland’s African Film Festival, kicks off in Edinburgh and Glasgow today. Here’s a selection of scheduled films which might as well double as our weekly “10 films to watch out for” series. The festival opens with the debut feature film from South African filmmaker, author and playwright Ndaba ka Ngwane, Uhlanga (“The mark”), […]
The Danish filmmaker believes his work contains qualities missing from most conventional journalism. Especially journalism dealing with Africa
On show at the Islamic Cultures Institute in Paris until January, 50 Years of Reflection, is an exhibition of the work of French-Algerian artist Halida Boughriet. It is one of many recent installments in France commemorating Algeria’s half-century of independence. Boughriet lives and works in Paris, where she has made videos, created installations, and continues […]
What would happen if you made a film about a key figure in Finnish history and cast Kenyan actors in the lead roles?
The artist Hassan Hajjaj frames his portraits of ordinary Moroccans with a neat shelf crammed with 7 Up and Coca-Cola cans, symbols of a burgeoning import market and aspiration.
The fate of the University of the Western Cape, set up for coloureds, radicalized by black consciousness and from where the ANC prepared to govern.
For Namibians fighting Germany over reparations, It’s about more than about a bit of land or perhaps some goats. It’s about time that debt was paid -- with interest.