Fall 2025 | Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal
Fall 2025 | Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal
This issue does not rush. Instead, it invites readers to move deliberately—from origin and vision, through industry and critique, and ultimately toward recognition—reflecting cinema as a living ecosystem rather than a static art form.
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The issue begins with a feature on David Mboussou, the Gabonese-born filmmaker based in France, whose work explores memory, land, and contemporary African identity. Written by Latesha Wiggins, the piece centers on Mboussou’s film Afrotopia, tracing a creative language shaped by diaspora, history, and an intimate relationship to place. It establishes the global, grounded tone that carries throughout the journal
From there, the journal shifts into the present moment through The Gen Z Zeitgeist, written by Jah’Bre’El A. G. Page. The column offers a generational reading of cinema and culture, examining how younger audiences navigate storytelling, technology, and representation in real time. It also considers how Gen Z’s fluency in visual language shapes the way they read images, narratives, and meaning—offering an editorial examination of the cultural priorities that guide their attention, values, and creative engagement. Functioning as both a cultural snapshot and a forward-looking inquiry, the piece asks not only what is changing but also what those shifts signal about the future of cinema and culture.
We then turn inward, toward the artist’s journey. In this third installment of our Quarterly Chronicle, Èss the Èssample reflects on her path as a multi-hyphenate creative. Her essay moves beyond résumé and achievement, offering an honest meditation on growth, recalibration, and the discipline required to move across artistic forms while remaining rooted in purpose.
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| Éss The Éssample - Photo Credit: @yngspg |
The journal next enters the realm of industry analysis. In the first of two case studies, Sydney Bryant examines BET, interrogating the network’s legacy, strategy, and relationship with Black audiences in an evolving media landscape. Rather than nostalgia or dismissal, the piece offers a nuanced reading of institutional responsibility and cultural trust.
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From platforms, we travel to place. Elias L. Mulenga, Zambia’s leading film advocate and blogger, guides readers through the current state of Zambian cinema. His contribution provides an on-the-ground perspective on a national industry gaining momentum—highlighting emerging filmmakers, structural challenges, and the creative energy shaping Zambia’s cinematic future.
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| A hauntingly stylish moment from On Becoming a Guinea Fowl — where identity becomes both mask and mirror. |
The conversation then expands into audio culture. In another contribution, Latesha Wiggins examines the rise—and dormancy of African-American cinema-related podcasts. Rather than framing this shift as decline, the piece explores sustainability, audience migration, and how conversations around Black cinema continue to evolve across formats and platforms.
Returning to the African continent, the journal offers a wide-ranging editorial on Nigerian cinema by Lesi Nwisagbo. The essay situates Nollywood as a global cultural force while critically engaging with the systems that shape its production, labor, and international reach. It also spotlights the significant strides made by women filmmakers, whose work has driven some of the highest-grossing films in Nigerian cinema history. Both celebratory and interrogative, the piece reflects Nollywood’s complexity, resilience, and growing influence on the global stage.
Craft and authorship come into focus next with a profile of Bunmi, the first African costume designer accepted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Written by Latesha Wiggins, the piece honors costume design as cultural archive—recognizing the ways designers shape visual identity, historical memory, and storytelling from behind the scenes.
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| This is a screenshot of Mami Wata. The Nigerian film stands as a bold, intentional experiment in cinematic form. Director C.J. “Fiery” Obasi’s decision to film in high-contrast black and white wasn’t merely aesthetic—it was a statement. |
The journal then turns to critical scholarship. Matthew V. Williams offers a rigorous analysis of Joy, the Austrian film centered on Nigerian women navigating prostitution in Europe. His essay engages questions of migration, exploitation, agency, and gaze—challenging readers to consider how power and authorship operate within global cinema.
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| Anwulika Alphonsus as Joy (on the right) mentors Mariam Sanusi as Precious, revealing the brutal hierarchy and human cost of sex trafficking in Vienna. Photo credit: Family Pictures Film GmbH |
In the second case study, Sydney Bryant returns with an examination of Tubi, offering a counterpoint to the earlier BET analysis. Together, the two studies provide a layered look at legacy and emergent platforms operating within the same cultural ecosystem—each with distinct implications for Black audiences and creators.
We close the Fall 2025 edition with our cover story, written by Dr. Boisha W. Wofford, spotlighting Chike Ohanwe, the Finnish actor and singer who made history as the first Black actor to receive the Jussi Award, Finland’s highest film honor. The feature reflects on visibility, belonging, and what recognition means when it arrives from institutions not originally built with Black artists in mind.
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| Chaos in motion from the Finnish cult comedy Heavy Trip — written and directed by Jukka Vidgren and Juuso Laatio. A hilariously unhinged moment as a group of aspiring metal musicians barrels toward their dream against all odds. A wild road-movie energy scene capturing friendship, panic, and pure rock-and-roll heart. Starring: Johannes Holopainen, Max Ovaska, Chike Ohanwe, and Samuli Jaskio. |
Taken together, the Fall 2025 edition of the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal reflects our guiding framework and our responsibility as a cultural publication. In everything we do, we seek to spark conversation that leads to meaningful connection, deepens community, encourages thoughtful collaboration, advances cultural diplomacy, and ultimately contributes to collective growth. These six pillars are not abstract ideals—they are the lens through which this journal is curated, edited, and shared.
The Fall 2025 edition of the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal is available now on Amazon.
The Afro-Mosaic Cinema Circle is a global community of filmmakers, advocates, and scholars dedicated to expanding the conversation around cinema. As the driving force behind the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal, ‘The Circle’ connects voices from around the world to explore not just films, but also the networks that sustain cinematic culture, the business forces shaping the industry, and the diverse professionals driving its evolution.
Published quarterly, the journal is a platform for critical analysis, fresh perspectives, and in-depth discussions. It features a dynamic collection of essays, editorials, and articles. It highlights the interconnected world of cinema—how stories are made, how industries evolve, and how creative and business forces interact.
Through engagement, collaboration, and exchange, the Afro-Mosaic Cinema Journal ensures that cinema is recognized as an art form and a cultural and economic powerhouse that influences and reflects societies worldwide.
Our Six Pillars of Purpose
Conversation | Connection | Community | Collaboration | Cultural Diplomacy | Collective Growth
“In everything we do, we aim to spark conversations that cultivate meaningful connections and strengthen our sense of community. From this shared foundation, we hope to inspire greater collaboration, leading to cultural diplomacy and collective growth.” ~ Anthony R. Page
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