After traveling through screenings in Nairobi and London, the feature documentary The People Shall is scheduled to be presented in Paris on the 2nd of May, 2026. Directed by Nick Wambugu and Mark Maina, the film confronts pressing political issues and has gained widespread attention since its release.
The Paris screening will be accompanied by a carefully selected set of short films from East Africa, each chosen to engage in dialogue with the film’s themes. This programme has been curated by 2.5East, an association committed to promoting East African culture in Paris, in collaboration with the Nomad Film Society, Ju!ced Film Festival, and Sanaa Kwa Sana Media.
The programme will begin at 15:00 with a selection of short films: Echoes of Home (2023) by Peter Gitau, Reverie (2025) by Emma Okelo, and Shoe Shine (2013) by Amil Shivji. After this, the programme will continue with The People Shall(2025), directed by Nick Wambugu and Mark Maina.
At 17:30, a panel discussion will address the accessibility and circulation of African films, both within the continent and internationally. Bringing together perspectives from across the film ecosystem, the discussion will explore the challenges of distribution, visibility, and audience engagement, while highlighting initiatives that are reshaping how African cinema reaches its audiences.
The panel will include Nadira Shakur (Okada Media / Nollywood Week Paris), alongside representatives from the partner organisations.
Free and open to the public upon registration, the event will conclude with a cocktail, offering space for informal exchange. By combining screenings with critical discussion, this Ciné-Débat seeks to foster dialogue around (East) African cinema and its place within broader global circulation networks.
Register now
https://form.jotform.com/mutethyaivia/cine-debat?
