The 2025 Cannes Film Festival concluded with modest recognition and future promise for African cinema. While the continent did not secure any of the festival’s top honours, the presence of African and diaspora filmmakers underscored a growing influence on the global stage.
The most notable accolade went to Nigerian-British director Akinola Davies Jnr., whose debut feature My Father’s Shadow earned an honourable mention in the prestigious Camera d’Or category, recognising outstanding first-time filmmakers. Iraqi director Hasan Hadi awarded The President’s Cake the main Camera d’Or prize.
African stories and talents were showcased across several sections of the festival. Highlights included:
- Aisha Can’t Fly Away by Morad Mostafa (Egypt) in Un Certain Regard
- Osamede, a historical fantasy by James Omokwe (Nigeria), screened at Pavillon Afriques
- The History of Sound by Oliver Hermanus (South Africa) explores queer themes
- A special preview of 77: The FESTAC Conspiracy by Izu Ojukwu (Nigeria)
- Promised Sky by Erige Sehiri (French-Tunisian) in Un Certain Regard
Despite these strong entries, no major awards were claimed by African productions, marking a contrast to last year’s festival, where Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni won Best Director in Un Certain Regard for On Becoming A Guinea Fowl.
The festival’s top accolades — the Palme d’Or and Grand Prix — were awarded to Jafar Panahi (It Was Just An Accident) and Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), respectively.
However, African talent in the diaspora achieved notable success. French-Algerian actress Nadia Melliti won Best Actress in Competition for The Little Sister. At the same time, Cleo Diára, of Cape Verdean descent, took home Best Actress in Un Certain Regard for The Laugh and The Knife.
As Cannes 2025 draws to a close, the festival reaffirmed the potential of African cinema. While this year may not have delivered major wins, the recognition of emerging filmmakers and strong representation across categories signals a bright and increasingly global future for African storytelling.
