The first East African screening of DocA – Documentary Africa has heralded a new chapter for documentary filmmaking on the continent.
The event, which showcased short films from the 2024 and 2025 EAccelerate cohorts, also featured the premiere of two highly anticipated documentaries.
DocA, a Pan-African initiative, seeks to cultivate a self-sustaining documentary film ecosystem in Africa. Its mission is to empower filmmakers to tell authentic African stories while building networks that connect local creators to global audiences.
The initiative is closely tied to the East Africa Screen Collective (EASC), a professional network that strengthens the African film industry through collaboration, training, and advocacy.
EASC emerged from the DW Akademie Film Development Fund (2021–2023), supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and focuses on African ownership and capacity-building.
The screening featured films that explored themes of identity, memory, and resilience across the continent. sKINs: Addis Abeba from Ethiopia, directed by Rediet Haddis Yalew and produced by Gebriel Blacha, is an experimental documentary series reflecting on the body, the city, and youth identity. Set in Ethiopia’s capital, the film follows young people navigating gentrification, conservatism, and surveillance, blending non-linear visuals with voice, sound, and movement. The documentary subtly connects to Nairobi’s Gen Z protests, showing how expression can become a form of survival.
From Sudan, Hidden Journey, directed by Noura Adil Suliman Mohamed and produced by Elsadig Mohamed Ahmed Abdelgyoum, chronicles the journey of orphaned sisters Noura and Duha after war erupted in Khartoum in April 2023. Fleeing with neighbours, they first sought refuge in rural Sudan and later crossed into East Africa. The film uses diaries and personal footage to capture their resilience, loss, and self-discovery.
Xurmo – Reverence from Somalia, directed by Fatima Mohamed and featuring Hana Mire, tells the story of Binti Cumar Gacal, a former Somali music star now living quietly, far from Mogadishu. The documentary reflects on how war and time have reshaped her homeland, while the spirit of Somali music endures through her story.
Speaking to Pulse, Mohamed Saïd Ouma, Executive Director of DocA, emphasised the importance of collaboration and ownership in the filmmaking process. He explained that teams are selected not only for their storytelling skills but also for their understanding of intellectual property and their ability to deliver within set timeframes.
“Family, identity, and memory—these are universal themes. We want conversations that resonate locally but travel globally. Filmmakers and producers lead this process; we facilitate, not dictate,” Ouma said.