A series of short films platforming bold new voices from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Reunion Island will be screened in Derry this week.

As part of UK Kenya Season 2025 in partnership with Africa Centre, these captivating films will be shown in the city’s Nerve Centre this Friday, October 10, at 6pm.

During this, Black History Month, expect intimate, brave, and visually stunning stories exploring identity, desire and mortality across comedy, action, and drama genres.

The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with Hawa Essuman and Fibby Kioria of Manyatta Screenings and Wanjeri Gakuru of Mengi Mengi Film Club. Moderating will Ulster University’s Dr John Kavanagh.

Rolex is about a gang of four thieves who have diverging ideas on how to share the spoils of their crimes.

placeholder image — Rolex is about a gang of four thieves who have diverging ideas on how to share the spoils of their crimes.

Manyata Screenings and Mengi Mengi Film Club champion and examine the region’s current social and political state of play in the filmmaking community.

Wanjeri Gakuru said: “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 has been a joy to create and we can’t wait to share it with a Derry audience.”

There will be two screenings. The first set includes Rolex (2020) Dir. Benon Mugumbya (Uganda), Scalp Deep (2020) Dir. Naseeba Bagalaaliwo (Uganda), Love & Brain (2020) Dir. Semagngeta Aychiluhem (Ethiopia) and Stero (2022)Dir. Tevin Kimathi & Millan Tarus (Kenya).

An Ode to a Time I Loved Bread is a memory capsule of the filmmaker Neema Ngelime’s time spent at a colonial legacy boarding school, and how it shaped her relationship to food, body and identity.

The second set consists of Transaction (2025) Dir. Wanjeri Gakuru (Kenya), An Ode To The Time I Loved Bread (2021) Dir. Neema Ngelime (Tanzania) and Set Lam Dir. Vincent Fontano (Reunion Island).

Entry is free but registration is required: https://nervecentre.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873658712