Films To Add To Your Watchlist This Year
Photograph: Ed Norton Photography/© Anthony Dickenson
ANIMOL
Ashley Walters' directorial debut starring Tut Nyuot and Stephen Graham is a strikingly shot and sensitively made depiction of survival, surprise connections and redemption, set in a young offenders institute. On arriving behind bars, Troy quickly comes into the orbit of two people who will define his life inside: dominant kingpin Dion and wisecracking Krystiyan. Will these relationships help him survive, or bring about his downfall?
Photograph: Kikuyulandfilm.com
KIKUYU LAND
Set in Kenya’s tea highlands, KIKUYU LAND follows Mr. Mungai as he pursues restitution for land taken from his family. What begins as a personal battle soon reveals a deeper web of historical erasure and the enduring legacy of colonial dispossession that continues to reverberate across generations.
As Mungai’s case gains momentum, it draws in Bea, a local news producer, whose investigation uncovers buried family histories and long-silenced truths. Their paths expose how the legacy of the empire continues to shape lives in the present. Running alongside this struggle is the story of Stephen, the son of a tea worker, whose childhood unfolds within the very plantations at the centre of the dispute. His daily life makes clear that this history is not in the past but ongoing.
Photograph: In the Shadows
IN THE SHADOWS
The story of British-Somali boxing champion Ramla Ali. Jasmine Jobson leads a brilliant ensemble in bringing the inspirational story of champion East End boxer Ramla Ali to the screen. Finding an unlikely passion for boxing as a teen, Ali defied the odds to become an international sporting icon. Director Anthony Wonke's talents as an award-winning documentarian shine through here. Naturalistic production design, scripting and exceptional performances all chime in this compelling drama about a young woman determined to carve her own path whilst never losing sight of her past and community.
Photograph: LFF/BFI
BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL: THE KWAME BRATHWAITE STORY
Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story is a 2025 documentary directed by Yemi Bamiro that celebrates the life and legacy of pioneering photographer, activist and cultural visionary Kwame Brathwaite. Working in Harlem from the 1950s onwards, Brathwaite used his photography to challenge Eurocentric beauty standards and champion Black identity, natural hair and African-inspired fashion.
