Africa No Filter Honours Filmmakers Rewriting the World’s View of Africa

Angela Aquereburu, Alex Musisi and Dalaham Hirse

Africa No Filter (ANF) has announced the 2025 recipients of its Narrative Change Film Awards, celebrating filmmakers using powerful, nuanced storytelling to shift global perceptions of the continent. This year’s winners — Angela Aquereburu, Alex Musisi and Dalaham Hirse — represent three distinct filmmaking voices, but share one mission: portray Africa with truth, depth and humanity.

Each winner received $6,000 in prize money and a specially designed trophy, recognising both their artistic achievement and their contribution to the broader movement of changing how Africa is seen on the world stage.

Angela Aquereburu — Ahoé

Togolese filmmaker and producer Angela Aquereburu is honoured for Ahoé, a film that centres everyday Togolese life with warmth, cultural pride and emotional authenticity. Aquereburu — already known for her work developing new television formats in Francophone Africa — continues to champion stories rooted in African identity rather than foreign interpretation. Ahoé is being praised for its intimacy and its refusal to flatten African experience into clichés.

Alex Musisi — Made in China: Kato’s Wire Car

Ugandan filmmaker Alex Musisi wins for his animated short Made in China: Kato’s Wire Car, a playful yet layered story about creativity, childhood and community ingenuity. Musisi’s background in illustration and 2D animation shines through, creating a film that stands apart in a market still growing its animation footprint. His win signals ANF’s commitment to elevating African animation — a sector ripe for global breakout.

Dalaham Hirse — Finding Nina

Nigerian director Dalaham Hirse is recognised for Finding Nina, a romantic drama that puts African love stories at the centre without relying on exaggerated tropes. Hirse, known for his subtle performance-driven style, uses the film to depict softness, modernity and emotional honesty — elements often missing from depictions of African romance in global media.

Africa No Filter created the Narrative Change Awards to spotlight films that expand what global audiences understand Africa to be. This year, nearly 300 submissions were received from across the continent and the diaspora — proof that the appetite for nuanced storytelling is growing.

The three winners reflect a shift away from narratives dominated by poverty, conflict and crisis. Instead, their films showcase creativity, humour, cultural specificity and humanity — qualities often overshadowed in Western portrayals of Africa.

ANF hopes the awards not only celebrate these filmmakers but help them gain distribution, festival access and new funding opportunities.