Written by: Hussein Ahmed

With the 79th edition of the festival approaching He was On May 23, African cinema will take center stage at the world’s most glamorous film event, confirming its growing presence within one of the most important international cultural platforms. Between the red carpet and world premieres, African cinema has strongly asserted itself this year through works that address issues of identity, memory, migration, and deferred dreams.

The Un Certain Regard section, one of the festival's most prominent sections and the one most interested in new cinematic voices, features three African films that reflect the diversity of artistic experiences on the continent.

One of the most anticipated works is Benyamana by Rwandan director Marie-Clémentine Dosabigambo, which humanely addresses the people's tribunals that sought to achieve justice and reconciliation after the genocide in Rwanda, offering a profound narrative of pain and collective healing.

African cinema takes center stage on the red carpet at Cannes

From the Democratic Republic of Congo, director Rafiki Varela brings the film *The Boy from Congo*, which tells the story of a young musician struggling to achieve his artistic dream after his family is displaced to the Central African Republic, in a story that encapsulates the suffering of an entire generation of young Africans searching for an opportunity for life and creativity.

French-Moroccan director Laila Marrakchi returns to Cannes with her film "Strawberries," which highlights the seasonal migration of women from Morocco to southern Spain, through the story of two young women facing a harsh reality between dreams and exploitation.

Although these works are not competing for the Palme d'Or, their participation in Un Certain Regard represents a growing international recognition of the strength of African cinema and its ability to address human issues in a universal visual language.

Nigerian cinema also continues its remarkable presence, with the film Clarissa by twin directors Ari Esseri and Chuku Esseri participating in Directors' Week, reflecting the continued rise of Nollywood as an influential cinematic force.

The African presence at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival confirms that the continent is no longer just a subject for cinema, but has become an active partner in its production, capable of exporting its stories to the world with confidence and renewed creativity.