Russia / 2018 / 45mins / Documentary / Russian

1957. The Soviets arrive on the African continent to spread socialism. The first independent African nations meet them with great enthusiasm and full of hope for a postcolonial future. For more than 35 years, the Soviets expand their geopolitical influence in Africa with humanitarian aid programs based on Marxist ideology. Up until 1991, some of the country’s best filmmakers were sent along to document the “glorious advance” of socialism on the African continent. A propaganda featuring all Africans as Lenin fans. Then came the nineties. The Soviet Union broke apart and “socialism” became a dirty word. Russia, struggling with an economic crisis, lost all political interest in Africa. Still, thousands of kilometers of film footage remain. Our Africa recreates the time of the “Great Utopia” and exposes the gap between African realities and a continent that only existed on celluloid.

Alexander Markov

Alexander Markov was born in Leningrad, Russia (USSR) in 1973. He graduated from the St. Petersburg University of Culture and Arts (cinema and video directing department) and the Russian Institute of Art History’s Cinema History department. He also studied at Konrad Wolf University of Film & Television Art in Potsdam Babelsberg. In 2003 he translated three books of Wim Wenders’ articles, essays and interviews, from German to Russian, which were published in St. Petersburg under the title The Logic of Images. From 2003 to 2008 he wrote articles on cinema for scientific almanacs, Russian and German magazines, and various internet resources. Since 2005 he has been teaching directing and film history at the St. Petersburg University of Cinema and Television. Markov's films have participated and been awarded prizes at various international film festivals such as Berlinale Talents,, DocPoint, Sheffield Doc, Film Africa, Message To Man, New York African Film Festival, Artdocfest, Cinefest, Directors Lounge, Stalker, Temps De Images and others. Learn More