Jali Collective has revealed the full programme for the second edition of Jali Film Weekender, taking place in Edinburgh from 28 October to 1 November 2026.
Returning to Filmhouse and expanding into the Traverse Theatre building, the five-day festival will present nearly 40 films alongside three immersive extended reality works, filmmaker conversations, Q&As and special events.
The programme features work from across Africa and its global diaspora, with one world premiere, two European premieres, 11 UK premieres and 22 Scottish premieres across film and XR.
Taking Rebellion as its 2026 theme, Jali Film Weekender explores resistance in its many forms. Across the film and Extended Reality programmes, rebellion moves from collective action, political dissent and protest to quieter, deeply personal acts of refusal, self-determination and transformation. The programme presents rebellion not as a single gesture, but as an expansive force through which individuals and communities challenge power, assert their identities and imagine different futures.
Highlights include Venice award-winning features Dear Ajayi and House of the Wind, Morocco’s official Academy Award submission Strawberries, award-winning documentary feature Magma and documentary short The Boys and the Bees, plus a 40th-anniversary screening of John Akomfrah’s documentary Handsworth Songs.
Jali Film Weekender was established to widen access to African and diasporic cinema in Scotland, creating a dedicated space for bold filmmaking, cultural exchange and meaningful engagement with Black, African and diaspora audiences.
Discover the full programme on the Jali Film Weekender website.
Jali Film Weekender 2026 is supported by the Screen Scotland National Lottery Film
Festival & Screening Programme Fund and by Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery), alongside the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch and other partners.
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Image credits: Stills from Dear Ajayi, House of the Wind, and My Semba, courtesy of Jali Collective.