African Women Film Festival 2025

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

8:00–3:30: Michigan League, Vandenberg Room (2nd floor)
4:30: State Theatre

8:00–8:45: Breakfast

9:00: Opening Remarks by Rosario Ceballos. LSA Dean

9:15-9:55: Keynote Introduction by Omolade Adunbi, ASC Director
Keynote Speech and Q&A by Mahen Bonneti, Founder and Executive Director of African Film Festival, Inc. 

Panel Discussion 1

10:00–11:30: Women Making Films in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

Moderator: Kelly Askew, University of Michigan

Panelist:

Xoliswa Sithole, Filmmaker

Sarah Ayitso (Kenya), Filmmaker, Producer, and Founder & President of the Female Filmmakers in Kenya Association

Anita Afonu, Filmmaker, Writer, Archivist

Biodun Stephen, Filmmaker

Ronke Odusunya, Filmmaker, Actor, and ASC/DAAS 2025 Global Artist in Residence

11:30–12:30: Lunch

12:30–2:00: Film Screening of The Burning Field (Ghana, 2019, 75 mins) by Justin Weinrich & Anita Afonu); introduction by Anita Afonu, Filmmaker and Producer

Panel Discussion 2

2:00–3:30: Toxic Circuits: Uncovering the Global Afterlives of E-Waste Through the Lens of Films

Moderator: Carina Ray, University of Michigan

Panelists:

Nana-Yaw Andoh, University of Michigan

Anita Afonu, Filmmaker, Writer, Archivist

Brandon Finn, University of Michigan

Pamela Jagger (ASC Associate Director), University of Michigan

4:30–8:00: State Theatre, 233 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 
(Doors open at 4:30; screening starts at 5:20)

Film Screening of Standing On Their Shoulders (South Africa) by Xoliswa Sithole, Filmmaker
Followed by Q&A with Xoliswa Sithole, and Xiachavo Alecia Ndlovu, University of Cape Town/UMAPS Scholar; Moderated by Raevin Jimenez, University of Michigan

Reserve your tickets here.

Thursday, November 6

8:30–3:30: Michigan League, Henderson Room (3rd floor)
4:30: State Theatre

8:30–9:00: Breakfast

9:00: Opening Remarks by International Institute Director, Johannes von Moltke

Panel Discussion 3

9:15–10:45: Preserving History: Women’s Activism and the Power of Storytelling in African Films

Moderator: Henrike Florusbosch, University of Michigan

Panelist: 

Carmela Garritano, Texas A&M University

Rejoice Abutsa, Cornell University

Xoliswa Sithole, Filmmaker

Eyerusalem Ayele, University of Michigan

Folakemi Ogungbe, Pan-Atlantic University/UMAPS Scholar

10:45–11:00: Tea Break

11:00–1:00: Premier Screening of MWEM FO, My Queen Mothers Shadow (Cameroon/USA, 2025) by Filmmakers Frieda Ekotto & Marthe Djilo Kamga; followed by Q&A with Frieda Ekotto, University of Michigan; moderated by Zoe Berman, University of Michigan 

1:00–2:00: Lunch Break 

Panel Discussion 4

2:00–3:30: Filmmaking in Africa: The Nollywood Example

Moderator: Karen Waidley, University of Michigan

Panelist:

Folakemi Ogungbe, Pan-Atlantic University/UMAPS Scholar

Ronke Odusunya, Filmmaker/ Actor and ASC/DAAS 2025 Global Artist in Residence

Sophia Muhammed, Filmmaker

Biodun Stephen, Filmmaker

4:30–8:00: (State Theatre, 233 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
(Doors open at 4:30; screening starts at 5:00)

Premiere Screening of Henna (Nigeria, 2025) by Sophia Muhammed, Filmmaker
Followed by Q&A with Sophia Muhammed and Biodun Stephen, Filmmaker; moderated by Kelly Askew, University of Michigan

Reserve your tickets here.

Friday, November 7

8:30–2:00: Michigan League, Hussey Room (2nd floor)
4:30: Michigan Theater

8:30–9:00: Breakfast

9:00: Opening by Omolade Adunbi, ASC Director

Panel Discussion 4

9:00–10:30: Building Bridges, Making Movies: Africa Connects to Its Diaspora

Moderator: Sheila Murphy, University of Michigan

Panelists:

Mahen Bonetti, African Film Festival Inc

Biodun Stephen, Filmmaker

Sophia Muhammed, Filmmaker

Frieda Ekotto, University of Michigan

Katy Lena Ndiaye, Filmmaker

10:30–12:00: Film Screening of Dark Side of Glory (Kenya, 2021, 80 mins) by Sarah Ayitso Owendi, Filmmaker

Followed by Q&A with Sarah Ayitso Owendi, Loyd Mbabu, University of Michigan, Esther Gineset, University of Michigan, and moderated by Magdalene Akiding, University of Michigan

12:00–12:45: Lunch 

Panel Discussion 5

12:45–2:00: Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and the future of Filmmaking in Africa

Moderator: Marlotte De Jong, University of Michigan

Panelists:

Vera Otiende, United States International University-Africa/ U-M MIDAS African Fellow

Xoliswa Sithole, Filmmaker

Joyojeet Pal, University of Michigan

Sheila Murphy, University of Michigan

Joan Nwatu, University of Michigan

4:30–8:00: (Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
(Doors open at 4:30; screening starts at 5:00)

Film Screening of Money, Freedom, A Story of CFA Franc (Senegal, 2022, 104 mins) by Katy Léna Ndiaye, Filmmaker; followed by QA with the filmmaker; moderated by Derek Peterson, University of Michigan

Reserve your tickets here.

Anita Afonu

Ghanaian filmmaker and archival advocate Anita Afonu has carved out a bold and vital niche in African cinema—one that bridges storytelling, historical preservation, and cultural restitution. Inspired by her mother’s love of stories and literature, Afonu found her way to film through a deep-rooted passion for narrative and memory. Her path was solidified during her film school years, where she gravitated toward documentary filmmaking as a way to engage not just with stories, but with the people and histories behind them.

Her first documentary, Perished Diamonds, examined the rise and decline of Ghana’s film industry and marked a turning point in her career. Despite years of formal education, she realized how absent Ghana’s cinematic pioneers were from her training—an omission that sparked her enduring commitment to film archives and the recovery of Ghana’s visual heritage.

Today, Afonu works at the intersection of filmmaking, archival research, and advocacy. She has become a leading voice in the push for the repatriation of Ghanaian film archives and a fierce advocate for accessibility and memory work. In 2023, she exhibited “The Story in Ruins” at the Ljubljana Biennale, showcasing the last remaining 35mm film projector from Ghana—both a symbol of loss and an act of resistance.

As a woman navigating the challenges of filmmaking in Ghana, Afonu has forged a powerful network of collaborators and supporters. Her recent film, The Eyes of Ghana, premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, and she continues to contribute to international conversations on sound and audiovisual heritage through conferences and academic platforms.

Through all her work, Afonu remains grounded in a larger vision: inspiring a new generation of Ghanaian girls to believe in the power of their stories and the legitimacy of their creative ambitions. She says,

“my hope is to become a source of inspiration for young girls in Ghana who dream of pursuing film. If my work can help even one of them believe that their stories matter and deserve to be seen, then it’s all worth it.”

Learn more about Anita’s work: anitaafonu.com

Frieda Ekotto

Frieda Ekotto—writer, scholar, and filmmaker—is a trailblazing voice in African cinema whose work bridges literary critique, philosophical inquiry, and visual storytelling. Ekotto’s journey into filmmaking began through the classroom, where she first taught Italian Neorealism and later introduced students to the radical artistry of African filmmakers such as Ousmane Sembène, Safi Faye, and Sarah Maldoror. Encounters with these visionary artists—and transformative experiences attending FESPACO with her students—inspired her to pick up the camera herself.

In collaboration with filmmaker Marthe Djilo Kamga, Ekotto has produced a series of powerful documentaries centering African women’s cultural production. Her first film, Vibrancy of Silence: A Discussion with My Sisters (2017), marked the beginning of a larger archival project to document and preserve the creative legacies of women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Followed by Zurura Zurara: The Smile Blooms (2021) and her most recent work with Marthe Djilo Kamga, MWEM FO, My Queen Mothers Shadow (2025), Ekotto’s films serve as visual archives—centering women's narratives, tracing ancestral knowledge, and imagining new futures rooted in healing and memory.

In a field historically dominated by men, Ekotto has carved a space that is defiantly her own. Rather than seeking validation within mainstream circuits, she creates the kind of work she believes must exist—for herself and for the next generation of African women filmmakers. Her filmmaking is grounded in resistance, care, and a fierce commitment to visibility:

“Filmmaking”, she writes, “is an act of resistance and of healing. It allows me to imagine new epistemologies—spaces where women’s voices are centered, and where film becomes a tool of transmission and empowerment”. 

 Sophia Muhammed

Sophia Muhammed is a Nigerian filmmaker whose work is deeply inspired by personal experience, pressing social issues, and the trailblazing example of filmmakers such as Mo Abudu and Kemi Adetiba. Her journey into cinema began in Lagos, where she directed her first film, Once Again, in the early 2000s. Since then, she has gone on to create numerous films that reflect her passion for storytelling and her commitment to amplifying voices often left unheard.

As a woman thriving in the traditionally male-dominated world of film, Muhammed attributes her success to self-discipline, strong family support, financial independence, and the power of women uplifting one another. Her approach to filmmaking is guided by clear strategies: knowing her domain, striving for excellence, and setting firm boundaries. Through her work and example, Muhammed continues to inspire a new generation of women filmmakers across Africa.

Katy Léna Ndiaye

Katy Léna Ndiaye is an award-winning filmmaker and producer whose work explores contemporary Africa and its complex relationship to history and memory. Educated in modern literature in Paris and journalism in Brussels, she turned to filmmaking to challenge the limited and stereotypical representations of Africa she saw on European screens.

“I took up the microphone and the camera,” she explains, “to film the bodies absent from the screen and bring the ‘othered’ figures from the margins into focus.”

Her films have been screened and celebrated at major international festivals, including IDFA, FESPACO, Cinéma du Réel, IFFR, Sheffield DocFest, and Hot Docs. In 2024, she was recognized by Chicken & Egg Pictures in the United States, a milestone that affirmed her growing impact as both director and producer.

In 2013, Ndiaye founded IndigoMood Films, a Senegal-based production company devoted to supporting first and second features by emerging African filmmakers. Through IndigoMood, she has collaborated with talents such as Rosine Mbakam (Cameroon), Alassane Diago and Mbaye Diop (Senegal), Joël Karekezi (Rwanda), Moïse Togo (Mali), and Samira Hmouda (Morocco)—artists whose work brings new narratives and visual grammars to African cinema.

Reflecting on her career, Ndiaye sees her greatest challenge—and responsibility—as ensuring African films continue to exist, circulate, and reach audiences worldwide.

“This is our collective battle,” she notes. “For women, it’s even more complex, but things are changing. In Senegal, women filmmakers are now at the forefront. Still, we must remain vigilant to protect the progress we’ve made through our talent, hard work, and persistence.”

Ronke Odusanya

Ronke Odusanya is a celebrated Nigerian actress, producer, and creative entrepreneur whose career has helped shape contemporary Nollywood. A graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, where she studied mass communication, Ronke originally dreamed of becoming a journalist. However, a few borrowed courses in theatre arts changed her path entirely—sparking a deep love for storytelling, performance, and the creative process of filmmaking.

“That experience opened my eyes to the beauty of the craft,” she recalls, “and I decided to fully embrace a career in filmmaking and acting.”

As CEO of Ronnie’s Global Limited, Ronke has produced several chart-topping films—including The Notebook, Imisi, and Iromi—which have garnered millions of views on YouTube and earned acclaim for their emotional depth and cultural resonance.

Her journey, however, hasn’t been without challenges.

“During my training days, we faced so many hurdles that toughened and prepared us for the realities of the acting world,” she reflects. “I remember traveling from Ago Iwoye to the National Theatre in Lagos just to attend rehearsals. Balancing academics with acting was demanding, but it built my discipline and resilience.”

Ronke’s approach to success is rooted in focus and faith.

“I’ve learned to stay in my lane and avoid unnecessary distractions,” she says. “Peace of mind fuels creativity. I concentrate on improving my craft, staying consistent, and trusting in the grace of God to open the right doors.”

Beyond her on-screen achievements, Ronke is deeply committed to nurturing emerging talent through Ronnie’s School of Performing Arts, which trains young actors, directors, and filmmakers in performance, cinematography, and production. Through her artistry, mentorship, and authenticity, she continues to inspire audiences and empower the next generation of Nollywood creatives.

Sarah Ayitso Owendi

Sarah Ayitso Owendi is a Kenyan filmmaker, producer, and founder/president of the Female Filmmakers in Kenya Association (FFIKA), established in 2022 to champion women’s rights in the film industry and provide legal aid and psychosocial support. She is also the founder and producer at Phoenix 7 Pictures, a production company dedicated to telling bold, authentic African narratives. Though she began her professional journey with a degree in criminology, Owendi soon felt the unmistakable pull of her first love—visual storytelling. In 2016, she made the life-changing decision to pursue film full-time, a leap of faith that affirmed her creative calling. From her very first day in film school, she immersed herself fully in the craft, quickly earning the nickname “Thee Brand” among her peers for her natural leadership and boundless energy.

Owendi's passion for storytelling is rooted in a lifelong fascination with the camera and a deep belief in the power of narrative to shift perspectives and spark change. Through her work, she is committed to portraying the complexities, beauty, and resilience of African lives—particularly those often left at the margins. At her production house, PHOENIX 7 PICTURES, she specializes in documentary and branded content, weaving together striking visuals and emotionally resonant themes that speak across borders.

As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Owendi brings strength, clarity, and purpose to every set she steps onto. Grounded in her Christian faith and driven by a problem-solving spirit, she advocates for fairness, inclusion, and accountability in the filmmaking space. Her work not only reflects her talent but also her determination to create space for the next generation of African women filmmakers. In describing her approach to filmmaking, she says,

“the industry has long-standing issues, and I believe each of us has a responsibility to change things—one step, one story, one production at a time. For me, that means using my voice to advocate for fairness, inclusion, and accountability, and to create opportunities not just for myself but for other women coming after me.” 

To learn more about Sarah and her work, visit i-am-ayitso.odoo.com.

Xoliswa Sithole

Xoliswa Sithole is a two-time BAFTA and Peabody Award–winning producer and director whose work powerfully centers social justice, human rights, and poverty alleviation. Her career began in acting, but a chance turn toward documentary filmmaking opened a new path—one that allowed her to tell deeply personal and politically charged stories.

Her acclaimed films include Shouting Silent (Showtime), a moving exploration of young girls orphaned by HIV/AIDS—rooted in her own experience of losing her mother to the disease—and Orphans of Inkandla (True Vision TV–UK), which earned an International Emmy nomination. She was also a producer on South Africa’s Lost Girls (Channel 4), nominated for a BAFTA, and directed Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children (BBC), filmed entirely undercover.

Xoliswa recently completed Free at Last, a series probing South Africa’s unresolved post-apartheid questions, and is finishing Let Them Die Quietly, a documentary about how South Africa, Brazil, and India fought Big Pharma for access to affordable medicines. She is also developing Mandela: Man of Peace and a three-part series on climate justice. Beyond her film work, she runs a festival in South Africa dedicated to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, reflecting her lifelong commitment to women’s rights and global peace.

Reflecting on her journey, Xoliswa notes that persistence and faith have been her guiding forces:

“It’s been really tough, but I’m stubborn and ambitious—I just kept going. Being a feminist has helped me understand and appreciate what women go through institutionally, racially, and economically. I’ve surrounded myself with tough, generous people—mentors who believed in me and kept me grounded. The race thing is exhausting and real, but … we have no choice but to keep on, with unwavering self-belief.”

A founding member of Filmmakers Against Racism and a proud BAFTA member, Xoliswa Sithole continues to redefine what it means to make films that matter—cinema as courage, resistance, and hope.

Biodun Stephen

A prolific Nigerian filmmaker and storyteller, Biodun Stephen is celebrated for her character-driven narratives that balance humor, emotional depth, and cultural authenticity. Her work spans both cinema and streaming platforms, contributing to the growing global visibility of Nollywood. With films such as Sista, A Simple Lie, and The Wildflower, she has established herself as one of Nigeria’s most consistent and innovative filmmakers. She is also a writer and producer, known for mentoring young creatives and advancing women’s participation in the industry.