Dates: 15–17 August 2025
Location: Kampala, Uganda

Cinema UG is proud to spotlight the inaugural Binti Film Festival, a groundbreaking new platform that boldly centers the voices and visions of African women in cinema.

Set to run from August 15–17, 2025, in Kampala, this highly anticipated event promises an unforgettable blend of powerful storytelling, cultural celebration, and creative exchange.

A Festival Rooted in Representation and Resistance

Founded by renowned filmmaker and Artistic Director Esteri Tebandeke, Binti is more than just a film festival, it’s a cultural intervention. At its core, the festival responds to a long-standing gap in Uganda’s creative calendar by amplifying female-centered narratives that are too often pushed to the margins.

This year’s edition will showcase over 15 remarkable films from across the African continent, with themes ranging from sexual agency, maternal health, and body autonomy, to love, infertility, and beyond. The festival champions both emerging and established filmmakers, offering audiences a rare and honest look into the world through women’s eyes.

Featured Films

Audiences can look forward to a rich selection of narrative and documentary films, including:

• Half Chocolate, Half Vanilla – Nodryn Evanci (Uganda)

• Building 62 – Hakim Zziwa (Uganda)

• Ziwa – Samuel Tebandeke (Uganda)

• The Last Shoemaker – Ali Musoke (Uganda)

• Mukazi – Heddwyn Kyambadde (The Netherlands)

• Asante Nyuki – Pauline Kyalo (Kenya)

• Pirinha – Natasha Craveiro (Cape Verde)

• Float – Lydia Matata (Kenya)

• Transaction – Wanjeri Gakuru (Kenya)

• Vanilla – Aganza Kisaka (Uganda)

• Little Black Dress – Esteri Tebandeke (Uganda)

• Masaka to Toronto – Walta Gabrielle Busulwa (Uganda)

• Freedom Fields – Naziha Arebi (Libya)

• Our Land, Our Freedom – Zippy Kimundu (Kenya)

• The Letter – Maia van Lekoqw & Christopher King (Kenya)

• Bella is Dying, Maybe Next Week – Abigail Arunga (Kenya)

• I Won’t Kneel – Hilda Awori (Uganda)

• Olwatuuka – Blessing Natukundu (Uganda)

• Home – Adelle Onyango (Kenya)

• The Empty Grave – Cece Mlay (Tanzania)

From deeply personal documentaries to genre-bending shorts, each film reflects a unique artistic voice, contributing to a diverse and vibrant festival lineup.

Beyond the Screen: A Cultural Experience

Binti goes far beyond film screenings. Attendees can enjoy: Key learning events will include a set design masterclass, script reading labs, and a youth-focused film bootcamp aimed at cultivating the next generation of storytellers.

Powered by Collaboration

The Binti Film Festival is presented by Kiasi, in collaboration with Creative Africa Lab and Docubox: East African Documentary Film Fund, with support from a growing network of regional and international partners committed to women’s storytelling and African cinema.

Save the Dates: 15–17 August 2025
Kampala, Uganda
Stay tuned to Cinema UG for exclusive previews, interviews, and behind-the-scenes content from the festival.