16 African Short Films Selected for Tehran International Film Festival

A curated slate of 16 African short films is scheduled to screen at the 43rd Tehran International Short Film Festival as part of a dedicated programme titled “African Horizons.” The festival will run from October 17 to October 22, spotlighting productions from various regions across the African continent and its diaspora.

Presented outside the festival’s competitive category, “African Horizons” is designed to provide audiences in Iran with broader access to the scope and history of African cinematic storytelling. The initiative is curated by Hussein Dembel Sow, an Abidjan-based Senegalese filmmaker and cinephile who will also serve as a member of the festival’s jury.

Bridging Generational and Regional Voices

The curated lineup spans several generations, drawing a line between early foundational cinema and modern independent shorts. Among the historic selections are works by pioneering Senegalese directors Ousmane Sembène and Djibril Diop Mambéty, whose films helped define African cinema on the global stage.

Alongside these classic titles, the programme features contemporary projects from active voices across the continent and beyond. The roster includes films by Tanzanian director Walt Mzengi Corey, Nigerian-British filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr., and South African filmmaker Jason Adam, in addition to several emerging creatives exploring issues of community, family, tradition, and contemporary life.

For African creatives and the wider audio-visual ecosystem—including composers and sound designers—showcases in non-Western markets present valuable platforms for cultural exchange. Features of this nature help diversify global distribution routes and build international audiences for African narrative and sound arts.

Source: Afrocritik