CULTURE & SOCIETY

From the forests of the Congo to fishing communities in Ghana, the festival’s 2026 edition with the theme REFLECT brings powerful African stories to Berlin from 9 to 15 November. African film lovers and the wider public have another compelling reason to head to the cinema this November. Afrikamera, Berlin’s long-running festival of contemporary African cinema, returns from 9 to …

EbonyLife Place London brings African film, fashion, art, food and music together in a new cultural destination designed to take African storytelling to wider international audiences. Nigerian media entrepreneur and filmmaker Mosunmola “Mo” Abudu has opened EbonyLife Place London, a new cultural and entertainment centre featuring the United Kingdom’s first cinema dedicated exclusively to African and Black films. Located at …

Berlin musician Sugbear, co-founder of the acclaimed Swag Jam, is launching a new monthly live-music night, Sug’s Vibes, at Drinkhall Venue in Kreuzberg on Saturday, 17 October. The event will feature live performances by Sugbear and his house band, guest artist Inge, DJ sets and an open jam session, with entry at only €5. Sugbear is launching Sug’s Vibes to …

A lecture-performance by Ghanaian artist Nii Noi Nortey, followed by concerts performed by the Berlin Afrobeat Company and Accra’s Santrofi, will bring African music, history and political thought together at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt on 15 October. Afrobeats fans in Berlin have an opportunity to experience an evening rooted in the musical and political legacy of Nigerian icon …

When Dr Sylvie Nantcha entered Freiburg’s city council in 2009, her election was more than a personal political achievement. She became the first Afro-German CDU councillor elected to a municipal parliament in Germany. Seventeen years later, that pioneering role has been turned into art. Swiss-Haitian artist Sasha Huber has portrayed Nantcha as part of her international The Firsts series, which …

The story of Jolloful Foods began not in a boardroom, but around a breakfast table in Berlin in the 1990s. Every Saturday, a diverse group of professionals from 17 countries gathered at a French restaurant near Savignyplatz, to share stories and explore Berlin. Then one day, a simple question about the absence of African food planted a seed. A concert …

There’s still time to catch the best of African music and culture in Germany this summer. From lively street festivals to open-air concerts, here are the events worth making time for before the season ends. African Music Festival Emmendingen 7 – 9 August / Emmendingen, Schlossplatz The festival celebrates its 26th anniversary this year. What began as a modest gathering …

For more than two decades, Cologne has set aside ten late-summer days for African cinema to take centre stage, and this year is no exception. From 17 to 27 September, the Afrika Film Festival Köln returns for its 23rd edition, once again turning the city into a meeting point for filmmakers, audiences and stories that rarely get this kind of …

The 15th Africa Festival Potsdam lived up to its reputation as one of Brandenburg’s most vibrant multicultural events, drawing people from across the region for a day of music, food, dance and cultural exchange. Held last weekend, the festival transformed the city into a lively meeting place where Africans, Germans and members of other migrant communities celebrated diversity and the …

The Nollywood Film Festival Germany returns to Frankfurt from 31 July to 1 August 2026, bringing together filmmakers, actors, musicians, entrepreneurs and fans of African cinema for two days celebrating one of the world’s fastest-growing film industries. Combining film screenings, live entertainment and the prestigious Nollywood Europe Golden Awards (NEGA), the event aims to strengthen cultural ties between Africa and …

By Collins Nweke On a recent evening in Brussels, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address at the launch of The City He Never Returned To, a remarkable new novel by a Nigerian-born Belgian writer, Ibekwe Paul Chukwuemeka. The book is ostensibly about the Nigerian Civil War, memory, healing and national repair. But as I reflected afterwards, I …

Jolloful Foods GmbH is on a mission to make African cuisine more accessible across Europe through a range of ready-to-eat meals inspired by traditional recipes from the continent. Its name draws inspiration from jollof rice – one of Africa’s most cherished dishes, famous not only for its distinctive blend of rice, tomatoes and spices, but also for the friendly cross-border …

A three-day festival of culture, tourism, trade and diaspora engagement is set to transform a Munich venue into a gateway between Uganda and Germany this June — marking the most ambitious Ugandan public diplomacy event in Germany to date.From 26 to 28 June 2026, the Embassy of Uganda in Germany will host the first Uganda Cultural and Tourism Festival — …

South Africa’s film industry is set for a major international spotlight after the country was officially named the “Country in Focus” for the 2027 edition of the European Film Market (EFM) at the Berlin International Film Festival, widely known as the Berlinale. The announcement, made by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and the Berlinale organisers, means South African …

The acclaimed africologneFESTIVAL has been named “Cultural Event of the Year 2025” at the Cologne Cultural Awards, further cementing its reputation as one of Europe’s leading platforms for contemporary African and Afrodiasporic arts. The award was presented on 19 May at the COMEDIA Theater during a ceremony organised by the Kölner Kulturrat. The biennial festival triumphed after a combined decision …

The Africa Festival Potsdam returns this summer with a vibrant programme that promises to transform the city’s Luisenplatz, the traditional venue of the event, into a vibrant hub of African culture, music and community spirit. Taking place on 10 and 11 July 2026, the two-day festival invites visitors from across Brandenburg and beyond to celebrate the richness and diversity of …

When Alain Gomis premiered DAO in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, expectations were already high. The French-Senegalese director of Félicité has built a reputation for crafting emotionally rich, visually striking films and with DAO, he not only meets those expectations but surpasses them. This France–Senegal–Guinea-Bissau co-production has already drawn critical acclaim, described as a “psychedelic African epic” (Die …

The African Book Festival Berlin returns from 29 to 31 May 2026 with a fresh, audience-driven concept that reinforces its reputation as one of Europe’s most dynamic platforms for African and diaspora literature. Under the theme “Welcome to the Club,” this year’s edition shifts the spotlight towards readers themselves, inviting them not only to attend but to actively shape the …

The annual parade of African music and culture – a vibrant celebration showcasing the continent’s finest artists and talents from the Diaspora – unfolds in May, heralding a season of cultural exchange and shared festivity. Here are the top African festivals in Germany in May, June and July. African Food Festival Berlin 8-10 May/Berlin, Gleisdreieck-Park Great food and good vibes! …

Following its HBO Max debut in Europe, a Nigerian psychological thriller continues its international march — now heading to French-speaking audiences across Africa and beyond Just weeks after The Weekend made history as the first independently produced Nigerian thriller to stream on HBO Max in Central and Eastern Europe, the film has secured another landmark deal. Trino Motion Pictures has …