The European Union (EU) Film Festival is set to return for its second edition this year, expanding its reach and promise of an even richer experience for film lovers in both Lesotho and Eswatini.
The EU, in partnership with the Alliance Française de Maseru, this week announced the 2025 edition of the binational EU Film Festival (EUFF 2025), which will run from October 15 to November 10, 2025.
Announcing the developments, the new EU Head of Delegation to Lesotho, Mette Sunnergren, said this year’s edition builds on the success of its 2024 debut and will offer audiences a dynamic blend of European and African films.
She revealed that the festival will screen films across all 10 districts of Lesotho, with free admission at every venue.
EUFF 2025 will open with “Ancestral Visions of the Future”, a docufiction written and directed by acclaimed local filmmaker Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese.
This year’s lineup features 18 films, including short productions from Lesotho, Eswatini, Burkina Faso, and several European countries.
Elisabeth Douillet, Director of the Alliance Française de Maseru and Honorary Consul of France in Lesotho, said audiences can look forward not only to screenings but also to post-film discussions and workshops for emerging filmmakers.
She added that the festival’s partners include the National University of Lesotho, The Hub in Morija, and Café What, which will host screenings between October 27 and 31, while the Alliance Française de Maseru will kick off the festival with screenings from October 15 to 24.
“Last year, the festival reached around 1,400 people, and we are aiming to reach even more this year,” Douillet said.
EU Chargé d’Affaires Erika Pasquini said the partnerships aim to inspire dialogue between the EU and Lesotho.
“This is why we have expanded our partnerships and involved more institutions,” she explained. “We are trying to go beyond the capital and reach a broader audience.”
Recurring themes in this year’s edition include youth, sustainable development, climate change, sports, migration, and gender.
Sunnergren described the European Film Festival as “a vibrant celebration of the European Union’s dedication to cultivating cultural exchange and fostering mutual understanding through the evocative art of cinema.”
“It is more than a showcase of film,” she added. “It is a celebration of cultural connection. By bringing screenings to communities across Lesotho, we honour the idea that stories told on screen can inspire understanding, creativity, and friendship.”
Summary
- The European Union (EU) Film Festival is set to return for its second edition this year, expanding its reach and promise of an even richer experience for film lovers in both Lesotho and Eswatini.
- Announcing the developments, the new EU Head of Delegation to Lesotho, Mette Sunnergren, said this year’s edition builds on the success of its 2024 debut and will offer audiences a dynamic blend of European and African films.
- She added that the festival’s partners include the National University of Lesotho, The Hub in Morija, and Café What, which will host screenings between October 27 and 31, while the Alliance Française de Maseru will kick off the festival with screenings from October 15 to 24.
Thoboloko Ntšonyane is a dedicated journalist who has contributed to various publications. He focuses on parliament, climate change, human rights, sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), health, business and court reports. His work inspires change, triggers dialogue and also promote transparency in a society.
