The third Hollywood African Cinema Connection (HACC) festival is set to take place in Cape Town from October 30 to November 2, 2026. This year's theme, "Our Land, Our Heritage," brings together stories of community, culture, and resistance. The festival will feature a diverse range of films, including Irkalla: Gilgamesh's Dream, Cotton Queen, and a special outreach screening of Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story.
Irkalla: Gilgamesh's Dream, directed by Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji, will open the festival. The film follows a nine-year-old homeless boy who believes the Tigris River conceals a gateway to the underworld. Set in Baghdad in 2019, the film connects the ancient story of Gilgamesh with a child's experience of grief and survival. HACC creative director Weaam Williams said the film's portrayal of two orphans offered a chance to understand lives often reduced to numbers in news reports.
The festival will also feature a special outreach screening of Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story, which traces Kolisi's life from childhood to becoming the Springboks' first black captain and leading South Africa to victory at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Additionally, Cotton Queen, the debut feature by Sudanese-Russian filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani, will close the festival. The film centres on teenage Nafisa in a Sudanese cotton-farming village and her struggle over the community's future.
The documentary programme also includes Paikar, in which filmmaker Dawood Hilmandi confronts his father's violent past in a story spanning Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. Other films featured in the festival include short films such as South Africa's A Shepherd's Joy, which explores growing up in the villages of Matatiele, and Nigeria's Idia, which follows a young dancer who rebuilds her confidence through the legacy of the queen she was named after.
The short films will be screened in three blocks across October 31 and November 1. Okuruwo: The Tale of the Holy Fire, a Namibian film, will also be featured in the short-film blocks. The films were selected for their unique perspectives and storytelling, and Williams said she was excited to share them with audiences.
For Williams, bringing these films to Cape Town depends on audiences taking their seats. "We depend on the public for their support so that we can continue the work we're doing," she said. Screening tickets are available via the HACC website. The festival offers a unique opportunity for audiences to experience diverse stories and perspectives from across Africa and beyond.
The HACC festival provides a platform for African filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals. The festival's industry sessions will focus on how films are funded, owned, and distributed. With a diverse range of films and industry sessions, the HACC festival is set to be an exciting and informative event.
Key points
- The third Hollywood African Cinema Connection festival will take place in Cape Town from October 30 to November 2, 2026.
- The festival will feature a diverse range of films, including Irkalla: Gilgamesh's Dream, Cotton Queen, and a special outreach screening of Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story.
- The festival's industry sessions will focus on how films are funded, owned, and distributed.
