Sydney’s celebration of contemporary African cinema returns 4–7 September 2025, as Africa Film Fest Australia (AFFA) takes over the Sydney Opera House, Riverside Theatres Parramatta, UTS and ACE Parramatta.
One of the festival’s most anticipated screenings is Imran Hamdulay’s The Heart is a Muscle, a powerful South African drama about a father’s violent past resurfacing after a tragic case of mistaken retribution. Fresh from winning the Panorama Independent Jury Award at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, it also captivated audiences at the Sydney Film Festival earlier this year and now makes its AFFA debut. The festival also presents the lyrical documentary Nteregu, tracing Guinea-Bissau’s rich musical heritage.
Other Australian premieres include opening night film Ishaya Bako’s I Do Not Come to You by Chance, Jean-Claude Barny’s Fanon, Yasemin Şamdereli’s Samia, and closing night Ghanaian comedy The Fisherman from Zoey Martinson. The festival also features the Ngano Shorts program, Stories from the Motherland—an African animation showcase with a Q&A by Nigerian director Somto Ajuluchukwu—alongside industry talks, youth workshops, and vibrant parties.
🎟 AFFA 2025 tickets and the full program are out now—just head to their website.