Jali Film Weekender 2025 Opening and Closing Films, XR, and East African Short Film Programme
Jali Collective launches its inaugural Jali Film Weekender, a new film festival celebrating Black, African and diaspora stories to be held in Edinburgh from 30 October - 2 November 2025 at the city’s newly reopened Filmhouse Cinema.
The theme of the 2025 Weekender edition is Dreams and Apparitions, which will weave through the programme’s films and events, exploring subjects such as grief, memory, imagination, new and alternate futures, and the seen and unseen in the African and diasporic experience.
The Weekender is rooted in fostering community, connection and representation, with a focus on platforming a range of voices, styles and stories from across the African continent and its global diaspora. A key ambition of the new collective and festival is to build intentional relationships with Black, African and diaspora audiences in Edinburgh and Scotland.
FILM HIGHLIGHTS
Opening Film – MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI: The festival will open with the Scottish Premiere of Memory of Princess Mumbi, the groundbreaking new afro-futurist film from Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser. Fresh from its World Premiere at Venice Film Festival’s Giornate degli Autori in September (the first Kenyan film in history to do so), Memory of Princess Mumbi unfolds in a post-technological future African continent and is a joy-filled love letter to cinema, showcasing a beautifully unique, imaginative approach to filmmaking and use of AI.
Closing Film – PROMISED SKY: The festival will close with the Scottish Premiere of Promised Sky (Promis le Ciel), the acclaimed drama by Tunisian director Erige Sehiri that opened this year’s Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Promised Sky follows the intertwined fates of three women from sub-Saharan Africa living in Tunis and has drawn international praise for its humanistic storytelling and powerful portrayal of sisterhood and resilience.
Full Programme Coming Soon: Audiences can expect a vibrant mix of narrative features, documentaries, animation, shorts and archive films, each offering distinct visions from Africa and the diaspora. The full programme, to be announced 6 October, will also feature filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, workshops and other gatherings.
EXTENDED REALITY EXHIBITION
The inaugural edition will also showcase a special Extended Reality (XR) exhibition, which will run alongside film screenings. The exhibition is supported by the British Council and The Africa Centre as part of the UK/Kenya Season, a cultural programme celebrating creativity and innovation in both countries. The XR exhibition will be free to access during the festival. It features the first Scottish presentation of two immersive works by Kenyan artists that invite audiences to engage with nature, heritage, and technology:
ENKANG’ ANG’ – Created by Kenyan multimedia artist Naitiemu, Enkang’ Ang’ (meaning “Our Home” in Maasai) is an immersive VR experience that transports viewers into a traditional Maasai enkang’ (homestead). Through virtual reality and recorded conversations, Naitiemu’s project shares the rich indigenous Maasai culture with stories collected from women of the Twala Tenebo village. Enkang’Ang’ asks the poignant question, “How do we learn from our traditions and re-imagine our future?” Audiences will be able to virtually step inside a Maasai manyatta homestead, accompanied by video interviews with Maasai women elders sharing knowledge of their history, daily life and sustainable practices.
ARGO – Developed by XR game designer Joanna Oluoch, in collaboration with Nairobi’s Fallohide Studio, ARGO is Africa’s first public environmental augmented reality game. This cutting-edge AR experience transports players into the heart of Nairobi’s Oloolua Forest, allowing them to explore its serene nature trails, encounter wildlife, and discover hidden gems like a 20-foot waterfall and historic caves. Using a tablet or phone based app, visitors of all ages can take a virtual “nature walk” through digital recreations of the forest, interact with its flora and fauna, and learn about conservation. ARGO was launched in Kenya earlier this year as an innovative way to connect young people with nature, and the Jali Film Weekender will host one of its first public exhibitions outside the African continent.
ABOUT JALI COLLECTIVE
Founded earlier this year, Jali Collective is a new grassroots collective based in Edinburgh, Scotland, with the mission to widen access to African cinema and to celebrate and elevate Black, African, and diaspora stories through film and culture. The collective curates film screenings, festivals, workshops and related events that bring Black, African and diaspora cinema to audiences. Jali Collective was founded by three core members – Tomiwa Folorunso, Isabel Moura Mendes and Carmen Thompson – each of whom are long-standing producers, programmers and cultural organisers with deep roots in the film, festival and arts sectors in Scotland and beyond.
“Our aim with Jali Collective and the Weekender is to create a welcoming space for community and conversation around Black, African and diaspora cinema,” say Tomiwa, Isabel and Carmen. “These first announcements give a sense of the vision we want to share moving forward. By bringing these incredible works to Edinburgh, we hope to inspire audiences – especially Black and African diaspora communities – and spark dialogues that resonate long after the Weekender. We can’t wait to reveal the full programme very soon!”
Jali Film Weekender 2025 is supported by Screen Scotland and Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery), as well as British Council, the Africa Centre and other partners.
Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Development at Screen Scotland said: “We are very excited to support the launch of the Jali Film Weekender - a thrilling addition to Scotland’s film exhibition calendar, bringing bold, imaginative and deeply resonant Black, African and diaspora stories to communities in Edinburgh. At Screen Scotland we’re committed to ensuring that Scotland’s screen culture is representative of the richness and diversity of our communities, and Jali embodies that vision. It’s exciting to see such a dynamic new event create space for connection, conversation and discovery, delivered by the passionate and talented people who make up Jali - and we look forward to this edition, and the future of the Collective.”
Ilia Ryzhenko, Manager at Film Hub Scotland, says: “Our team at Film Hub Scotland is proud to support the inaugural edition of the Jali Film Weekender — a much-needed project delivered by an extremely experienced and knowledgeable team of programmers. We cannot wait for the full reveal of the programme, which comprises several art forms and includes many enhanced screenings and discussions.”
The full programme will be announced 6 October 2025 at www.jalicollective.co.uk.
EAST AFRICAN SHORT FILM PROGRAMME: MANYATTA MENGI MASHARIKI
Manyatta Mengi Mashariki is a short film programme spotlighting exciting new voices from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Reunion Island. Curated by filmmaker Hawa Essuman, producer Fibby Kioria and filmmaker Wanjeri Gakuru the programme offers fresh perspectives on the human condition across the genres of comedy, action and drama. The 7 selected short films are Rolex (2020), Benon Mugumbya (Uganda); Scalp Deep (2020), Naseeba Bagalaaliwo (Uganda), Love & Brain (2020), Semagngeta Aychiluhem (Ethiopia); Stero (2022), Tevin Kimathi & Millan Tarus (Kenya); Transaction (2025), Wanjeri Gakuru (Kenya); An Ode To The Time I Loved Bread (2021), Neema Ngelime (Tanzania); Set Lam (2023), Vincent Fontano (Reunion Island).
Taking place at Filmhouse on 14 October, tickets will be on sale on 1 October, the screening will be followed by a discussion with Hawa Essuman (Manyatta Mengi Mashariki) and Carmen Thompson (Jali Collective).
The Manyatta Mengi Mashariki screening is supported by the British Council and the Africa Centre as part of the British Council UK/Kenya Season 2025, of which Jali Collective are the Scotland regional partner.
Hawa Essuman, Wanjeri Gakuru and Fibby Kioria of Manyatta Mengi Mashariki say, “This showcase provides a snapshot of the current voices of the makers and watchers emerging in eastern African cinema. As members and champions of this ecosystem we’re incredibly pleased and proud to present the topics and visual language representative of the region. It's been a joy to create and we can’t wait to share it with UK audiences”.
About Screen Scotland
Screen Scotland drives development of all aspects of Scotland’s film and tv industry, through funding and strategic support. Screen Scotland is part of Creative Scotland and delivers these services and support with funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Find out more at screen.scot and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Film Hub Scotland
Jointly funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery Funding from the BFI. Part of the BFI Film Audience Network, Film Hub Scotland is one of eight Hubs set up across the UK to extend film choice, increase and broaden film audiences, and enhance opportunities for audiences to engage with and learn about film.
About the UK/Kenya Season
The British Council is collaborating with The Africa Centre and partners in the UK and Kenya to present a landmark cultural programme of activities in 2025 that celebrate creativity and innovation through the arts, culture, and education. Activities will take place in both countries between May and November 2025, with public events showcasing work ranging from architecture, design, and fashion to literature, music, visual arts, performing arts, and film. The programme and related activities aim to foster deeper understanding and stronger connections between the UK and Kenya.
About Filmhouse
Filmhouse is a proudly independent, non-profit cinema and registered charity in the heart of Edinburgh, committed to screening the full diversity of cinema from across the globe. A cornerstone of Scotland’s film landscape since its inception in 1979, Filmhouse championed some of the UK’s most diverse and radical film programming for over four decades and was the home for the Edinburgh International Film Festival, until the collapse of Filmhouse’s parent company, CMI, forced the cinema’s closure in 2022. Following a three-year long campaign supported by dedicated audiences, Filmhouse reopened as a fully refurbished four screen cinema in June 2025. Today, it is a place where all are welcome, and where people from a multitude of backgrounds, young and old, come together to make new connections through a shared love of film.
