Dahomey Wins Africa Narrative Change Film Award at Cairo International Film Festival

The documentary Dahomey has been honored with the prestigious Africa Narrative Change Film Award at the Cairo International Film Festival. Presented by Africa No Filter, the award recognizes exceptional films that reshape the narrative of Africa by showcasing stories of innovation, progress, and opportunity across the continent.

Dahomey chronicles the journey of 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey as they are repatriated from Paris to their rightful home in present-day Benin. The film delves into themes of cultural restitution, self-determination, and the ongoing call for Western institutions to return looted African artifacts.

With prize money attached, the Africa Narrative Change Film Award underscores the importance of fostering authentic African storytelling within the global cinema landscape.

Francois Bouda, arts and culture program officer at Africa No Filter said: “Film is one of the most influential platforms for shaping narratives. Look what Hollywood has done for the U.S. Dahomey is correcting the past, which is very important. We are also looking to support filmmakers who help us reimagine africa through the award. We want to recognize the merit of African filmmakers willing to use brilliant storytelling to show Africa’s progress, innovation, creativity, and progress. The award is our way of recognizing filmmakers whose work offers new storylines with new heroes, new voices and people with agency.”

Speaking on behalf of the film’s team, Mati Diop, the director, said: “We are pleased and honoured to receive this award and wish to express our gratitude to the members of the jury for their recognition. As an Afro-descendant film maker, it is particularly significant for me to receive an award called Africa Narrative Change from Egypt where our story, as negros, began. Cinema must resist forgetting and falsifying history; it must allow us to take root in ourselves to regain control over our narrative and image. Today, through cinema, let’s dare! Let’s dare to reinvent new imaginaries of ourselves. Today, through cinema, let’s dare to choose which story we want to write of ourselves, to ourselves and for the world.” 

Dahomey was released in February 2024. It won the Golden Bear Award at Berlin International Film Festival, and has been selected as Senegal’s entry to the 2025 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.

As part of its mission to highlight and celebrate the power of film in telling better stories about the continent, Africa No Filter is calling on the public to nominate films for the Africa Narrative Change Award. Nominations can be made in English and in French.