The 2026 iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival is set to captivate audiences with the release of its latest screening schedule, centred on the powerful theme of “Transformation: Impact of Documentary Cinema in Africa”. Opening on Thursday, March 19, at the Ecobank Centre, the festival kicks off with Camilla Nielsson’s Democrats, a 100-minute exploration of Zimbabwe’s political landscape.
The first day also features a diverse array of Nigerian stories, including Tolu Itegboje’s Awon Boys and Ike Nnaebue’s No U-Turn, alongside South African perspectives such as Rehad Desai’s Miners Shot Down. Evening sessions shift to Freedom Park’s Amphitheatre, where cultural heritage takes centre stage with Tunde Kelani’s Yoruba Beyond Borders and a special tribute to the legendary Olu Jacobs.
Friday, March 20, continues the momentum with a global outlook, featuring the United Kingdom’s I Shot Bi Kidude and the Nigerian historical epic Journey of an African Colony by B. B. Sashore. The schedule delves into pressing social issues with Ishaya Bako’s Fueling Poverty and celebrates artistic legacies through Akin Omotosho’s documentary on Wole Soyinka. International contributions from France, such as Conakry Kas and Cuba – An African Odyssey, provide a broader context to the African experience.
The festival’s weekend programme remains equally robust, starting Saturday, March 21, with Jihan El-Tahri’s Behind the Rainbow and Femi Odugbemi’s timely look at leadership and the pandemic in Unmasked. Screening Room 2 offers encore presentations of earlier highlights like Awon Boyz and No U-Turn, ensuring attendees have multiple opportunities to catch these essential films. The event concludes on Sunday, March 22, with a profound dialogue between Wole Soyinka and Leopold Senghor in Negritude, followed by Ed Keazor’s exploration of the Eastern Nigerian Afro-Funk Revolution. This four-day immersion into documentary cinema promises to be a definitive showcase of the stories shaping the continent today
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