The Camel Revolts: The Films of the Sudanese Film Group

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In the late 1970s and 1980s, a vanguard group of Sudanese filmmakers founded a collective to steer their artistic endeavours, to give voice to the realities of living in Sudan riven by successive waves of political turmoil. Against this backdrop, the films manage to be reflective, experimental, amusing and speak to issues within Sudan and far beyond its borders.

Before falling into abeyance following the 1989 coup and threats against cultural organisation, they produced a stunning collection of short films, some of them final film school projects produced in Soviet film schools that were then welcoming African filmmakers.

As Sudan continues to suffer the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, this is the time to consider the brilliant cinema of the country. These four films from group members Ibrahim Shaddad, Suliman Elnour and Eltayeb Mahdi – some of whom featured as subjects in the charming and thoughtful documentary Talking About Trees (2019) – capture the crest of a wave of filmmaking that was never allowed to break.

This screening is in support of Hadhreen, a grassroots charity in Sudan offering community kitchens to Sudan's displaced people, facing humanitarian crisis.

Cinema Africa! tickets have a special group discount offer: 4 for the price of 3, or 14 for the price of 10. The discount will be applied in the checkout process.