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An epic journey on the trail of a colonial killer and into the heart of darkness

“A brutal and timely indictment of colonialism”
BFI, 2020 Festival

A film by ROB LEMKIN Featuring FEMI NYLANDER

African Apocalypse

British Nigerian, Femi Nylander, brings attention to the forgotten victims of colonial atrocity in a new film, African Apocalypse, from award-winning director, Rob Lemkin

Activist Femi Nylander unearths the shocking reality of Joseph Conrad’s seminal work, ‘Heart of Darkness.’ African Apocalypse follows the trail of a 19th century French colonial military commander who burned his way across Africa. Tens of thousands were massacred in the name of imperial domination. With communities still devastated by a century old atrocity speaking out for the first time, Nylander begins to question his own sense of belonging.

View full synopsis and trailer

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African Apocalypse Trailer

The Filmmakers

‘In African Apocalypse we wanted to show how the violence of colonialism is not limited to history. It continues to shape the modern world. When we first left for Niger, colonial history to many in the west was little more than a topic for intellectual debate. But by the time we returned it had moved to the centre of world events.’

ROB LEMKIN

See full filmmaker’s statement

Rob Lemkin, Writer and Director of African Apocalypse

Rob Lemkin
Writer and Director

Rob Lemkin has produced and directed over 50 documentaries for BBC, C4 and other broadcasters in the UK and US. His last feature film, ‘Enemies of the People’ (2010) was a ground-breaking account of the Killing Fields of Cambodia, winning Special Jury Prize at Sundance, Best Documentary BIFA and Emmy for Best Investigative Documentary.

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Femi Nylander, African Apocalypse

Femi Nylander
Featured narrator, co-writer

Femi Nylander is an activist, poet and actor of African descent hailing from Manchester in the UK. In 2016 he graduated from the University of Oxford.

Recent works include writing and performing two critically-acclaimed TED talk poems, on migration and decolonial public health. Femi has appeared on the BBC’s Big Questions, Daily Politics and ‘The One Show’ to discuss decolonial history.

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Amina Wiera, African Apocalypse

Amina Weira
Featured guide

Amina Weira was born in Niger and grew up in the northern city of Arlit. She holds a master’s degree in creative documentary film making from the Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis in Senegal. Her first short, made in 2011, was La Musique de Film.

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African Apocalypse map

“African Apocalypse is a visually compelling, visceral experience that seeks to understand how our colonial past shapes our present with a passionate conviction that it doesn’t define our future”

BFI 2020 festival

” A brutal and timely indictment of colonialism that never shies away from the horrifying terrorism Africans endured under colonial rule”

BFI. 2020 Festival

Screenings

African Apocalypse launches at the BFI film Festival in October 2020.

14 – 20 December 2020 NATIONWIDE

Virtual Screening Tour coming to a cinema near you. Presented by The New Black Film Collective (TNBFC). Each screening includes a filmmaker Q&A and discussion with illustrious panel from the worlds of academia, politics and activism.

Mon, Dec 14, 18:00 |  Midlands Arts Centre | Birmingham

Tue, Dec 15, 18:00 |  Chapter Arts Centre | Cardiff

Wed, Dec 16, 18:00 | Broadway Cinema | Nottingham

Thu, Dec 17, 18:00 | Rich Mix | London

Fri, Dec 18, 18:00 | HOME | Manchester

Sat, Dec 19, 18:00 | Glasgow Film Theatre | Glasgow

Sun, Dec 20, 18:00 |Star And Shadow Cinema | Newcastle upon Tyne

16-19 October 2020

Available to view on BFI Player from 16 to 19 October at the BFI London Film Festival. This will be the first ever edition to be widely accessible wherever you are in the UK. Book your ticket to African Apocalypse below on the BFI website.

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 3:00PM to 4:30PM (EDT)

This webinar, which is Part I of a three-part film series, will address the United Nations Special Rapporteur’s first report on the legacy of colonial crimes, with special reference to the new BBC documentary on the impact of the French colonial invasion of Niger, African Apocalypse. The webinar will feature panelists from U.S., Europe and Africa with clips from the film. All registered attendees will receive a link to the full documentary film 24 hours prior to the event and are encouraged to watch it before attending.

Friday 29.10.2021, 17:00

Ji.hlava IDFF is among the festivals whose winners are eligible for the pre-selection of the Academy Awards® and the European Film Award. Czech Premiere of African Apocalypse in at the Horácké Theater – Main Stage. Book your ticket below.

Live event: Saturday 27 November 20:00 GMT

The 2021 Global Health Film Festival will take place online Thursday 25 November to Sunday 05 December, bringing together hundreds of health advocates, filmmakers, journalists and the public from all over the world, in real time, for discussion and debate in all areas of global health. Book your ticket below.

December 7, 12:00 PM – December 10, 12:00 PM, 2021] Stream online…

We are so excited that our film is a part of this year’s Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival NYC. @NYADIFF will celebrate its 29th anniversary virtually and in person exclusively in the NYC Tri-State area with 77 narratives and documentaries from 38 countries, including 38 world, US and NY premieres.

The festival opens Friday, Nov. 26 and is available in person and online until Dec. 12. Go to http://nyadiff.org to view the schedule and start buying tickets. @NYADIFF #ADIFFNYC2021

December 7, 19:30 PM] Erasmushuis (KU Leuven), 8ste verdiep., Blijde Inkomststraat 21, 3000 Leuven

We are so excited that our film is a part of this year’s Annual Afrika Filmfestival in Leuven.

Gesproken: Engels. Ondertiteld: Engels.
De Britse dichter en activist Femi Nylander treedt in de voetsporen van de koloniale kapitein Paul Voulet die in 1899 een spoor van dood en vernieling in West-Afrika zaaide. Het was de periode waarin Joseph Conrad zijn beroemde roman Heart of Darkness publiceerde, een eigentijdse inkijk in het toenmalige kolonialisme, en het boek waarvan Barack Obama zei dat het hem hielp begrijpen waar de angst voor zwarten vandaan komt.

December 17, films om 17u en/of 20u] Cinema ZED / De Nieuwe Zaal, Maastrichterstraat

De openingsfilm van het festival, het internationaal gelauwerde African Apocalypse, neemt je mee naar het donkere koloniale verleden van Afrika in het spoor van een moordzuchtige koloniaal. Het is een verhaal van verdrukking en vernieling, maar ook van verzet en hoop voor de toekomst. Kolonialisme is maar één van de thema’s die aan bod komen, er is ook aandacht voor vrouwenrechten, eerlijke handel, gendergelijkheid, vluchtelingen en de multiculturele samenleving.

Die laatste heeft meester Bachmann in microformaat in zijn klas: zijn leerlingen komen samen uit meer dan 12 landen. In het magistrale epos Mr. Bachmann and his class, goed voor de Zilveren Beer én de Publieksprijs op het Filmfestival van Berlijn, blijkt dat er meer is dat hen verenigt dan wat hen verdeelt. En het verenigen van mensen, dat is net wat Ciné Solidair wil doen met deze nieuwe editie.

CineSolidair gaat van start op 17 december in Cinema ZED Hasselt met de African Apocalypse. Schepen van internationale solidariteit Derya Erdogan zal het festival plechtig openen. Bij een heel aantal vertoningen is er ook een nabespreking voorzien. Onder meer regisseur Volcan Üce van de film ALL-IN (27/12) en Ike Bertels van Desert Paradise (28/12), staan je na de vertoning graag te woord..

April 7-8, 2022 Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Thursday, April 7, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Zimmerli Art Museum

-Welcoming Reception

-Film Screening & Talkback with the Filmmakers: African Apocalypse.

Network AREWA24

AIRING SCHEDULE FOR AFRICAN APOCALYPSE
Sunday, 27th February, 2022 @ 9pm Kano Time (20:00GMT)

REPEAT DATES
Sunday, 6th March, 2022
Sunday, 13th March, 2022
Sunday, 20th March, 2022

The London Premiere of the Hausa Dub

African Apocalypse
15th December, 2022 @ 6pm

This event is hosted by UCL’s Sarah Parker Remond Centre, the Social Research Institute, the Migration Research Unit, and the Arts and Humanities Faculty.

Please contact us for more details

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