• The Sundance Institute selected three African films from more than 16,000 submissions across 164 countries.
• The 2026 festival will run from January 22 to February 1 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Rising box-office figures in Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal underscore the sector’s growing economic weight.

After reviewing more than 16,000 submissions from 164 countries, the Sundance Institute selected three African films for the 2026 edition of its film festival. The event will take place from January 22 to February 1 in Park City and Salt Lake City, in the United States.

The festival will bring together directors, producers, and independent film professionals for screenings and discussions. As a result, the event will offer African filmmakers a strategic platform on the global stage.

The selected films highlight the diversity of African storytelling and formats. “Lady,” produced in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, follows the daily life of a female taxi driver in Lagos as she faces urban challenges.

The Kenyan documentary “Kikuyu Land” examines a land dispute involving local citizens, the state, and multinational interests. Meanwhile, South Africa’s “Troublemaker” retraces the struggle against apartheid through the voice of Nelson Mandela and archival material drawn from his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom.”

The selection underscores the growing role of African cinema in cultural soft power. Amanda Kelso, acting director of the Sundance Institute, said this year’s edition “celebrates artists and their visionary works while inviting audiences to discover deeply human stories.”

The selected films reflect a broader bet that African narratives can resonate with global audiences and strengthen the continent’s cultural influence.

This momentum also appears in economic indicators from local markets. In Côte d’Ivoire, cinema admissions rose from 40,504 in July to 48,606 in August 2025, representing a 20% increase, according to the National Film Office (ONAC-CI).

At the same time, the Senegalese film “Une si longue lettre,” distributed by Ajamaat Synergy, attracted 7,348 viewers in August, accounting for 15.2% of monthly admissions. Nigeria continued to play a leading role, as box-office revenue reached 11.5 billion nairas, or about $8 million, in 2024. The figure marked a 60% increase from 2023, according to the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou 

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum