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The Best Africa Movies

Updated August 28, 2020 976 votes 161 voters 12.1k views

List RulesMovies about or set in Africa.

Safaris, pyramids, and sphinx’s, blood diamonds, Nelson Mandela, apartheid. This and much more can be found on the continent of Africa. With sweeping landscapes and numerous tales of human drama, many films end up being about or set in Africa, and for good reason. This list features the best of these films, ranked by film lovers everywhere.

Also known as the “Dark Continent,” Africa is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent. It covers a whopping six percent of the Earth’s total surface! Considering its enormous size and historical landmarks such as the Pyramids of Egypt, it’s no wonder that movies like Congo and The Flight of the Phoenix all feature this continent.

This list has the best movies set in Africa, including: Hotel Rwanda, Blood Diamond, The Lion King, Cry Freedom, The Constant Gardner, The African Queen, The Last King of Scotland, and I Dreamed of Africa.

Vote for your favorite movie below or add one you love that isn't already on the list.

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The Lion King
Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons
Released: 1994
Directed by: Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers
The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical epic film produced by Walt Disney Feature... more
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Khartoum
Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier
Released: 1966
Directed by: Basil Dearden, Eliot Elisofon
Khartoum is a 1966 film written by Robert Ardrey and directed by Basil Dearden. It stars... more
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Hotel Rwanda
Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix
Released: 2004
Directed by: Terry George
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 American historical drama film directed by Terry George. It was adapted... more
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Casablanca
Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart
Released: 1942
Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and based on... more
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Zulu
Michael Caine, Stanley Baker
Released: 1964
Directed by: Cy Endfield
Zulu is a 1964 epic film depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and... more
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Lawrence of Arabia
Omar Sharif, Peter O'Toole
Released: 1962
Directed by: David Lean
Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 British epic adventure drama film based on the life of T. E.... more
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The African Queen
Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart
Released: 1951
Directed by: John Huston
The African Queen is a 1951 adventure film adapted from the 1935 novel of the same name by C.... more
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Nowhere in Africa
Matthias Habich, Juliane Köhler
Released: 2001
Directed by: Caroline Link
Nowhere in Africa is a 2001 German film that was written and directed by Caroline Link. The... more
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Blood Diamond
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly
Released: 2006
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Blood Diamond is a 2006 American-German political thriller film co-produced and directed by... more
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The Last King of Scotland
Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson
Released: 2006
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
The Last King of Scotland is a 2006 British fiction drama film based on Giles Foden's novel of... more
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Mighty Joe Young
Ben Johnson, Terry Moore
Released: 1949
Directed by: Ernest B. Schoedsack
Mighty Joe Young is a 1949 American black-and-white fantasy film from RKO Radio Pictures made... more
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Babel
Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett
Released: 2006
Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Babel is a 2006 American-Mexican-French drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and... more
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Stanley and Livingstone
Spencer Tracy, Nancy Kelly
Released: 1939
Directed by: Henry King, Otto Brower
Stanley and Livingstone is a movie based loosely upon the true story of reporter Sir Henry M.... more

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Cry Freedom
Denzel Washington, Kevin Kline
Released: 1987
Directed by: Richard Attenborough
Cry Freedom is a 1987 British drama film directed by Richard Attenborough, set in the late... more
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The Ghost and the Darkness
Val Kilmer, Michael Douglas
Released: 1996
Directed by: Stephen Hopkins
The Ghost and the Darkness is a 1996 historical adventure film starring Val Kilmer and Michael... more
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Invictus
Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon
Released: 2009
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
"From director Clint Eastwood, “Invictus” tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela... more
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Moi, un noir
Oumarou Ganda, Alassane Maiga
Released: 1958
Directed by: Jean Rouch
Moi, un noir is a 1958 French ethnofiction film directed by Jean Rouch. The film is set in... more
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The Flight of the Phoenix
James Stewart, Richard Attenborough
Released: 1965
Directed by: Robert Aldrich
The Flight of the Phoenix is a 1965 American drama film starring James Stewart, produced and... more
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The Sheltering Sky
John Malkovich, Debra Winger
Released: 1990
Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci
The Sheltering Sky is a 1990 British-Italian drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci... more
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Born Free
Geoffrey Keen, Bill Travers
Released: 1966
Directed by: Tom McGowan, James Hill
Born Free is a 1966 Technicolor British drama film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers... more
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When Lambs Become Lions
When Lambs Become Lions is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Jon Kasbe. The film... more
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The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Ava Gardner, Gregory Peck
Released: 1952
Directed by: Henry King
The Snows of Kilimanjaro is a 1952 American Technicolor film based on the short story of the... more
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The Battle of Algiers
Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef
Released: 1966
Directed by: Gillo Pontecorvo
The Battle of Algiers is a 1966 film based on occurrences against the French government in... more
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To Walk with Lions
Richard Harris, Honor Blackman
Released: 1999
Directed by: Carl Schultz
To Walk with Lions is a 1999 film starring Richard Harris as George Adamson and John Michie as... more
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Jaguar
Jaguar is a documentary film directed by Jean Rouch....

Jaguar