From the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south, Africa has millions of stories to tell. Some are triumphant and some are tragic, but they are all interesting and enlightening in their own way. Movies set in Africa are one of the best ways to tell those stories of family, history, ecology, and war. Here are 32 of our favorite movies set in the amazing continent of Africa.
The Power Of One
Based on a book by the same name, The Power Of One is an underrated movie set in South Africa in the middle of the 20th Century, covering the time around World War II and the beginning of Apartheid. It boasts a stellar cast, including Morgan Freeman, Stephen Dorff, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sir John Gielgud, and Daniel Craig in his big-screen debut as the Sadistic Sgt. Botha.
Hotel Rwanda
It is not easy to watch Hotel Rwanda, starring Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina, a real-life hotel manager who saved hundreds of lives during the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. The acts of brutality are horrifying, but there is a message of hope, as Rusesabagina’s actions saved lives, and he himself was able to survive along with his family, and his tormentors were later convicted of war crimes.
Gorillas In The Mist
Dian Fossey’s story, which is told in Gorillas In The Mist, has many of the elements that make Africa Africa. Incredible wildlife, deep government corruption, violence, and hope. The movie was nominated for five Oscars, including one for Sigourney Weaver, who played Fossey in the 1988 film.
When We Were Kings
Simply put, the documentary When We Were Kings, about the “Rumble In The Jungle” boxing match between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman, is one of the best documentaries ever made. Featuring music performances for the likes of James Brown and others, and amazing footage of Ali and Foreman, this film is a must-see.
Casablanca
There is not much that can be written about Casablanca that hasn’t already been said. Set in Morocco during the Second World War, the movie is often considered one of the best, if not the best movie of all time. Even today, over 80 years since it’s release in 1942, the timeless story never disappoints.
Beasts Of No Nation
Beasts Of No Nation was an instant classic when it was released in 2015. It’s a powerful and terrifying film set in an unnamed, fictional country in Africa, but rooted in a story that is all too familiar across the continent. It tells the story of children soldiers under the spell of a warlord, played by Idris Elba. It’s a brilliant, but hard-to-watch film.
Last King Of Scotland
Idi Amin, who ruled Uganda with an iron fist in the 1970s, was one of the most brutal dictators in history. Forest Whitaker plays Amin in 2006’s Last King Of Scotland, earning an Oscar for Best Actor for the performance. It is a tale that was all too common in post-colonial Africa, a tale some countries are still struggling with today.
Invictus
There are a lot of meaningful movies about the brutality of apartheid in South Africa. Invictus is about the beginning of the reconciliation between whites and Blacks after Nelson Mandela became president and apartheid was finally done away with. Starring Morgan Freeman as Mandela, and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, the Afrikaner captain of the South African rugby team that won the 1995 World Cup, united the country in a way that hadn’t happened in decades.
The Gods Must Be Crazy
In 1984, a little South African film took the United States by storm. The Gods Must Be Crazy was a surprise hit on the strength of its humor and charm. It was among the first African productions to hit the big time in the U.S. and while it was fairly criticized for its connection to the apartheid government, the movie is really funny, and such a great time capsule of its time.
Queen of Katwe
Chess has proven to be a rich subject to mine in Hollywood and one of the finest examples is 2016’s Queen of Katwe, starring Madina Nalwanga as Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan chess player who rose from the slums of Kampala to one of the best chess players to ever come from the continent. It’s based on a true story, and filmed in Kampala, adding to the authenticity of the true story.
Zulu
One of the most consequential battles in South African history is the Battle of Isandlwana, between British colonialists and the Zulu nation. The Zulus, led by King Cetshwayo, defeated the Brits, and in the film, the king is even played by his son, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
Cry Freedom
Denzel Washington earned his first Oscar nomination for 1987’s Cry Freedom, for portraying apartheid activist Stephen Biko in the 1970s, at the height of the brutal system in South Africa. It doesn’t get more powerful than this.
Blood Diamond
Civil war is all too common in Africa and one of the most violent took place in Sierra Leone for a decade in the 1990s. 2006’s Blood Diamond tells the story about how diamonds and other precious stones are mined in war-torn areas and then sold to finance the violence. Matt Damon and Djimon Hounsou star in this powerful movie that raised awareness for the practice.
The Battle of Algiers
1966’s The Battle of Algiers combines true history, about Algeria throwing off the shackles of their French colonial masters with the excitement of a war movie. The Italian production doesn’t get as much attention in the United States as it should.
Black Hawk Down
The civil war in Somalia was already 10 years old when Ridley Scott made Black Hawk Down in 2001. More than 2 decades later, it’s still not resolved. The movie, about the true story of an American Black Hawk helicopter being shot down and the ensuing Battle of Mogadishu, is chock full of big stars and harrowing war scenes.
Searching for Sugar Man
2015’s Searching for Sugar Man is an amazing documentary about the mysterious success of American folk singer Sixto Rodriguez in South Africa while that country was under apartheid. Though it also takes place in Rodriguez’s hometown of Detroit, most of the movie focuses on his popularity in South Africa, which was unknown to him until decades later. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2016.
Cry, The Beloved Country
Many films have been made about the horrors of apartheid in South Africa, Cry, The Beloved Country is set before the brutal system was put in place by the white government. Starring James Earl Jones as a South African priest whose son is accused of murder and Richard Harris as the victim’s father who come to an understanding with each other. It shows that everyone can find common ground, somewhere.
Sahara
Dirk Pitt could be the American version of James Bond. Based on a character by author Clive Cussler, Pitt is the ultimate adventurer. Sadly for fans of the books, the late Cussler and his family have had a couple of bad experiences with Hollywood translating one of his books to film. One of those, Sahara, starring Matthew McConaughey as Pitt, is a way better movie than it is given credit for. It’s just a good old-fashion popcorn chomper and it’s too bad we didn’t get more Pitt movies.
Gaia
While it’s not about Africa, per se, Gaia is an African movie, set in South Africa. The fil industry on the continent is not as developed as other places, but they can still produce a scary story, as is the case with this horror film, which any fan of the genre will love.
Black Panther
Now, we know that Wakanda isn’t real, but that doesn’t make Black Panther any less of a representation of Africa and what so many on the continent aspire to. So let’s just sit back and enjoy one of the best MCU films out there.
Out of Africa
1986’s Best Picture Winner, Out of Africa, is as much a love story as it is a transporting film that takes you colonial Kenya in the early 20th Century. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this fantastic movie about Danish author Karen Blixen and her lover Denys Finch Hatton.
The Lion King
Even animated movies can dive deep into the rich culture and history of Africa and its incredible diversity of wildlife. The Lion King is a true Disney classic that has be beloved by kids and their parents for decades now.
District 9
2009’s District 9 explores the difficult history of apartheid wrapped in a science fiction facade. Though on the surface it’s a wild sci-fi ride, underneath it tells a much deeper story of life in Johannsaberg in the 1980s.
The African Queen
1951’s The African Queen is, in a lot of ways, the prototype for the modern rom-com, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. It follows a well-worn story of two people with different backgrounds and different views on life coming together and finding love. All set on an old boat traveling down a river in East Africa as World War breaks out in Europe.
The First Grader
The First Grader is an incredibly inspiring movie based on the true story of Kenyan Kimani Maruge who enrolled in school for the first time at age 84. It’s a wonderfully shot movie and will inspire anyone to chase their dreams, no matter their age.
Tsotsi
Tsotsi won the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Film and for good reason. A movie that begins in despair and gang violence ends with a level of unexpected redemption and hope and should be on any list of movies set in Africa.
The Bang Bang Club
While it’s not the best movie on this list, The Bang Bang Club does a decent job of telling the incredible true story about the life of combat photographers on the continent. The Bang Bang Club was a group of comrades who chased the violence and the adrenaline rush, featuring Taylor Kitsch as Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Carter.
The English Patient
The English Patient doesn’t all happen in Libya, but the most stunning shots all happen in the deserts of North Africa. There is something amazing about the Sahara. The vast emptiness also provides unbelievable beauty and this movie shows both sides of it, along with the horrors of desert warfare during World War Two.
Death On The Nile
Sadly, due to Covid, Death on the Nile was shot in England, mostly on soundstages, rather than Morraco, as Kenneth Branagh intended. Still, it’s a story that very much takes place in Egypt, on the Nile. Some of the greatest stories ever told have come from the fertile banks of the Nile, and this is only the latest. It’s a fun, whacky movie with another great performance by Branagh as Hercule Poirot (and his amazing mustache).
The Constant Gardener
The Constant Gardener suffers for only one thing, the title. The title doesn’t let on how intriguing the story is, about a man searching for his wife’s killer in Nairobi, Kenya. It’s a murder mystery wrapped in a love story and, as it was shot on location, it has an amazingly rich tapestry of scenery in Kenya.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Indiana Jones’ adventures have taken all over the world. including, of course, Africa, in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Not only is the ark found in Egypt, but the Germans chasing after Indy and his team open the box in the desert, releasing the power of God on them. Like so many other movies set in the desert, the vistas are amazing.
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
Sadly, corruption and political violence are still all too common in Africa, including in Uganda, where one man, Bobi Wine is trying to change things once and for all. The documentary Bobi Wine: The People’s President, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2024, follows the life and political career of The People’s President as he faces imprisonment and torture at the hands of the regime running the country he wants free. It’s an incredible and fearless documentary about an incredible and fearless man.
Africa, with its incredible diverse scenery, cultures, and history will continue to provide us with amazing content, of that, there’s no doubt.
