For centuries, African myths have teemed with gods, spirits, shape-shifters, and epic battles between good and evil. These stories were passed down orally, shaping beliefs and guiding moral codes. Today, African filmmakers are breathing new life into these myths through fantasy and science fiction—genres long dominated by Western narratives.
Films like Neptune Frost (Rwanda/Burundi) transport viewers into a cyberpunk future where technology and ancestral memory collide. Nigerian short Hello, Rain by C.J. Obasi adapts a Nnedi Okorafor story where a sorceress uses science and magic to create wigs that control people—a brilliant metaphor for power, control, and Black womanhood.
Afrofuturism, a movement that combines African culture with technology and speculative futures, is gaining ground. It’s not just a genre; it’s a reclamation of history and imagination. By placing African characters at the center of fantastical stories, these films offer an antidote to colonial erasure. They explore what Africa could have been—or could become—without the scars of imperialism.
These stories matter because they show African youth that their future isn’t limited by today’s struggles. It is limitless, magical, and rooted in their own myths. As more creators embrace animation, CGI, and speculative storytelling, Africa is poised to lead a renaissance of myth and meaning in global cinema.
