RESOURCES – AFRICAN WAR DOCUMENTARIES WORTH WATCHING

Africa’s modern history has been shaped by struggles that transformed nations: from anti-colonial uprisings and apartheid’s brutality to genocides and mineral-fueled civil wars. Too often, these conflicts are reduced to statistics and overshadowed by global narratives. Documentaries offer a corrective pairing survivor testimonies, archival footage, and sharp analysis to humanize tragedy and highlight resilience.

In a time of misinformation, such films are invaluable for students, activists, and anyone seeking deeper insight into Africa’s turbulent past and present. Below are eight standout documentaries chosen for their rigor, accessibility, and impact that illuminate the human cost of war and the lessons it carries.

Related Article: COLD WAR AFRICA: PROXY WARS AND THEIR IMPACT

Concerning Violence (2014, dir. Göran Olsson)

Based on Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth, Olsson explores anti-colonial uprisings in Algeria, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, and Mozambique. Archival footage from Swedish TV captures raw moments of liberation struggles, narrated with urgency by Lauryn Hill.

Why watch? A cinematic primer in postcolonial theory, concise at 85 minutes and ideal for sparking debate. Available on Kanopy and Amazon Prime.

Lumumba: Death of a Prophet (1990, dir. Raoul Peck)

Raoul Peck revisits the rise and CIA-backed assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first prime minister. Interviews, newsreels, and personal footage expose Cold War meddling and Lumumba’s betrayal by global powers.

Why watch? Essential for understanding Congo’s fractured legacy and the human cost of foreign intervention. Criterion Channel; 72 minutes.

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony (2002, dir. Lee Hirsch)

During apartheid, music became both solace and weapon. This Oscar-nominated documentary shows how songs by Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, and countless others fueled South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement.

Why watch? A joyful reminder of culture’s role in resistance. On Netflix; 103 minutes.

 The Triumph of Evil (1999, dir. Neil Docherty for PBS Frontline)

This Frontline investigation examines the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when 800,000 Tutsis were killed in 100 days. Peacekeepers’ testimonies and propaganda clips expose global inaction and complicity.

Why watch? A stark indictment of “never again,” vital for classrooms and policy debates. PBS.org; 53 minutes.

This Is Congo (2017, dir. Daniel McCabe)

Filmed during the M23 rebellion, McCabe follows a doctor, a child soldier, and a military officer through Eastern Congo’s turmoil. The story connects local suffering to global demand for minerals.

Why watch? Gritty yet empathetic, praised for authenticity. 84 minutes; Vimeo and iTunes.

War in Congo: Trapped in a Spiral of Violence (2025, dir. DW Documentary)

Shot in Ituri Province, this new DW film captures militia clashes over gold and land in Congo’s decades-long war. Survivor testimonies link local horrors to global supply chains.

Why watch? Timely, urgent journalism on a “forgotten” conflict. 42 minutes; free on YouTube.

Inside Sudan’s Forgotten War (2024, dir. BBC Africa Eye)

Sudan’s 2023 civil war between the army and Rapid Support Forces has displaced millions. Smuggled footage and defector accounts reveal sieges, purges, and engineered famine.

Why watch? Rare insider access to a crisis still unfolding. 50 minutes; BBC iPlayer and YouTube.

 Have You Heard from Johannesburg: Seven Years (2006, dir. Connie Field)

Part of a seven-part series, this film shows how global boycotts of the 1970s–80s pressured South Africa’s apartheid regime. Archival gems highlight campus protests and Steve Biko’s murder.

Why watch? A stirring example of global solidarity in action. 53 minutes per episode; Kanopy.

These documentaries are not passive chronicles but urgent calls to witness. They counter reductive portrayals of Africa as chaotic, instead revealing organized resistance, cultural defiance, and enduring hope. In 2025 when wars in Sudan and Congo still rage watching and sharing these stories is more than education: it’s an act of solidarity.