There is a bumper crop of new African films headed to screens this year. With a good number having been in the works for years, a new focus on African content and the telling of diverse stories has created a window for established directors, as well as new talents, to bring their works to life. Ellie Foumbi’s first full-length feature is an astounding work of film. The director, who is from Cameroon, has earned tons of praise for the redemption thriller Our Father, The Devil — so much so that the film has deservedly found itself among the esteemed company of Everything Everywhere All At Once and Tár in the best feature category of the Film Independent Awards. South African Milisuthando Bongela has worked across the arts as a writer, editor and fashion consultant, all the while interrogating post-apartheid life from the perspective of Black middle class South Africans and women.

African Filmmakers to Watch in 2023