Kigali film festival AAIFF Africa names 19 films, including Kenyan and Ugandan documentaries

The All African Independent Film Festival (AAIFF Africa) has published its official selection for the third edition, which runs from 15 to 17 October 2026 in Kigali. Two of the four documentaries in the selection are from East Africa: Kikuyu Land, from Kenya, set in the country's tea highlands, and Now We Know, from Uganda, about Ugandan families raising children with Down syndrome.

The festival will be held at the French Institute of Rwanda, also known as the Francophonie Cultural Centre of Rwanda, at 25 KG 624 St, Rugando, Kigali.

AAIFF Africa is part of the ÉCU Film Festival Group, which says the selection has 19 films from 14 countries, in seven categories competing for 13 awards. Its announcement names Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia among the countries.

The East African entries

According to the selection page, Kikuyu Land follows Mr Mungai, whose claim to his family's stolen land in Kenya's tea highlands sets him against a multinational giant. His fight draws in a local news producer and exposes "buried histories, family secrets, and the unfinished business of colonial power".

Now We Know is described as capturing "the lived experiences of Ugandan families raising children with Down syndrome, moving past cultural stigma toward a narrative of dignity and hope".

The other two documentaries are Barclay de Spiderman, about a dancer who rose from the streets of Liberia to lead the country's biggest dance group, Fantastic Force, and Grassroots to Greatness, which follows three talented young girls facing the pressures of professional football.

What else is in the programme

The selection page lists these titles:

• Dramatic feature: Adanne and The Creek.
• Dramatic short: Alone Against All, At Sea, Without Support, Nnéoma, Òkola and Silent Grief.
• Experimental film: Basobi and Hāl.
• Music video: Boy Nephron – Dance My Pain Away and One Chance Love.
• Student film: Echoes from the past, Say Yes, The City of God Beneath The River and With the Wind.
• "Much More Than a Script Competition": The Legacy of the Game and The House on Blue Ash River.

Tickets

Tickets are sold through Eventbrite, linked from the festival site. Questions go to [email protected].

AAIFF Africa describes itself as "dedicated to the discovery, projection and promotion of the very best independent films from around the African continent". The NBO Film Festival in Nairobi also opens on 15 October and runs to 25 October.