10 Best African War Movies, Ranked

African cinema tends to sort of fly under the radar compared to Hollywood. That’s honestly a shame because there are plenty of really good African movies out there, exploring various genres and telling tales that are otherwise untold. Africa happens to be the continent that has the highest amount of individual countries in it, with 54 sovereign states in all. Of course, there are going to be people with a passion for filmmaking, just like any country.

A lot of them are, unfortunately, difficult to get ahold of because they’re mostly published on a small scale, but many are available to international audiences that provide something new and entertaining. These include war movies, a popular genre around the world. While these African war movies may not always get the attention they deserve, they are certain to be enjoyed by many movie fans. An important note is that movies like Beasts of No Nation (2015) and Black Hawk Down (2001) aren’t technically African movies, as they were not created by African film studios or filmmakers; instead, they are American war movies that happen to take place in Africa. Still, plenty of African-made war movies offer compelling and often brutal depictions of conflicts mainstream audiences might not know about.

10 ‘Eagle Wings’ (2021)

Country of Origin: Nigeria

Eagle Wings is Nollywood’s first-ever military-based action/war film, a valiant effort to launch the genre in Nigeria. After all, this is a film industry that hasn’t really produced this kind of film before, and for a first attempt, it’s great, even compared to Hollywood movies. What makes Eagle Wings so good is its authenticity, resulting from its collaboration with the Nigerian military, who provided training for the actors, costumes, and props.

Great things may be in store for Nollywood if they can keep up the momentum they garnered with
Eagle Wings
.

Plot-wise, it’s about the Nigerian Air Force in their fight against an insurgency in the northern part of the country, which is based on the true stories of actual soldiers who fought there. These stories were even confirmed to be true by the Nigerian Defense Ministry. Great things may be in store for Nollywood if they can keep up the momentum they garnered with this movie, and even more so if they improve upon what is already shown.

WATCH ON TUBI

9 ‘The Siege of Jadotville’ (2016)

Countries of Origin: Ireland, South Africa

The Siege of Jadotville is a Netflix movie focussing on the battle of the same name, in which a group of Irish soldiers fought during the Congo Crisis in the 1960s. While the Congolese didn’t have any involvement with the movie, South Africa did, providing actors for extras, filming locations, and a boot camp that the cast was forced to attend to prepare for their roles as soldiers.

It isn’t without its flaws, as it tends to focus more on the Irish soldiers, led by the reliable Jamie Dornan, and less on the Congolese fighters or civilians who assisted the Irish or were caught up in the middle. In fact, focusing on the Congolese side might’ve made for a more compelling story. However, The Siege of Jadotville remains a great portrayal of a lesser-known conflict. It might not be the most accurate, but it remains thrilling nonetheless.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

8 ‘Ezra’ (2007)

Country of Origin: Nigeria

Not to be confused with the 2023 American movie of the same name, 2007’s Ezra tells the story of a young rebel from Sierra Leone during his country’s civil war, which ran from 1991-2002. The eponymous rebel, Ezra (Mamoudu Turay Kamara), has returned from the war after a long, hellish deployment and seeks psychiatric help for his post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result of his condition, however, much of his memory is blocked, and his sister suddenly begins accusing him of murdering their parents.

Ezra is
a movie that shines a light on a much-needed problem in a world where mental health is still not totally understood.

Ezra dives deep into mental health after wartime, along with the darkest parts of the war, which are too unspeakable to mention. It’s a movie that shines a light on a much-needed problem in a world where mental health is still not totally understood and examines the effects that trauma can have on one’s home and family life.

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7 ‘Sometimes in April’ (2005)

Countries of Origin: Rwanda, United States of America

While the American movie Hotel Rwanda (2004) is generally seen as the go-to movie when it comes to movies about the Rwandan genocide, there are others out there that may not be as good but tell equally powerful stories. For that, there’s Sometimes in April, a collaboration between American filmmakers from HBO and Rwandan filmmakers, many of whom lived through this horrific time in their country’s history. Because of the collaborative aspect, some big names like Idris Elba and Noah Emmerich appear, but the movie also features some lesser-known Ugandan, Senegalese, and Ethiopian actors, too.

Sometimes in April
‘s message is more powerful and is sure to leave audiences in stunned silence after it is finished.

While Hotel Rwanda was very careful with its portrayal of the genocide and tiptoed around showing too much violence, Sometimes in April sent the rulebook spinning out the window and dove headfirst into showing the atrocity full-force. As a result, its message is actually much more powerful and is sure to leave audiences in stunned silence after it is finished. But that only makes it better.

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6 ‘Days of Glory’ (2006)

Countries of Origin: Algeria, France, Morocco

Days of Glory tells the incredible story of North African troops fighting on the Western Front in World War II. Ordinarily, it is the Americans and European powers that are portrayed in these flicks, but those from North African nations like Morocco and Algeria also fought and sacrificed so much, and their stories deserve to be told. Days of Glory is a joint project between France, Morocco, and Algeria, with the latter two nations being under French control during World War II.

Days of Glory plays out almost like the North African version of Saving Private Ryan (1998), with a squad bearing distinct members who possess distinct positions, each with a role to play and unique personalities, which can often lead them to be at odds with each other. Still, the mission comes first, and when bullets start flying, they know it’s time to work together to keep each other alive. The four main actors collectively won an award at the Cannes International Film Festival, and the movie was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Powerful and insightful, Days of Glory is a homage to the fallen soldiers whose stories seldom get told.

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5 ‘A Screaming Man’ (2010)

Country of Origin: Chad

A Screaming Man centers on the Chad Civil War, which ended right around the time the movie was released. This war movie is a harrowing drama about Adam’s (Youssouf Djaoro) struggle to keep his job after his employers threaten to fire him if he decides not to support the military. It is then that he is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice: sending his teenage son off to war so that he can keep his job and keep the rest of his family afloat.

A Screaming Man
was the first Chadian movie to win the Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival and was praised by many critics around the world.

A Screaming Man was the first Chadian movie to win the Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival and was praised by many critics around the world. It struck a lot of chords as it sought to examine the balance between work and family, exploring the intricacies of fatherhood and the emphasis people place on these priorities. Which one is the right one to come first? Can one prioritize one without prioritizing the other? A Screaming Man is a deep, moving feature that is sure to make you think every step of the way.

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4 ‘Moffie’ (2019)

Country of Origin: South Africa

Moffie takes place in the 1980s during apartheid in South Africa and focuses on Afrikaner soldiers drafted into the military. It is based on an autobiographical novel by André Carl van der Merwe, an Afrikaner drafted into the military at a young age. Though the movie doesn’t represent the plight of Black people during apartheid, it does portray a different kind of social issue — that of queer soldiers in an army full of hypermasculinity.

Being gay was a crime at the time, leaving its main character, Nicholas (Kai Luke Brümmer), in a difficult situation as he is forced to keep his own identity a secret. Moffie went on to be nominated for awards in several film festivals around the world, winning two awards at film festivals in Dublin (Ireland) and Thessaloniki (Greece). This speaks to how easily enjoyable it is to international audiences. More importantly, Moffie shows the struggle of queer soldiers in a non-accepting environment. It’s a poignant LGBTQ+ movie that shines a light on the difficulties that many go through.

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3 ‘Saladin the Victorious’ (1963)

Country of Origin: Egypt

Saladin the Victorious hails from Egypt and is considered to be one of the most important and culturally significant Arabic language movies of all time. The movie is set during the Crusades and follows the Kurdish Saladin (Ahmed Mazhar), who founded the Ayyubid Dynasty and was the first Sultan of Syria and Egypt. In this medieval flick, Saladin fights against the Christian invaders and the Knights Templar, who have come on a Crusade to the Holy Land to convert the populace to Christianity.

Many movies that take place during the Crusades tend to focus on the Templars, which doesn’t make a lot of sense because they were atrociously evil, so it’s refreshing to see this movie focus on the other side, depicting the plight of the defenders. Saladin himself is a fascinating historical figure, and the film does a good job of portraying the intricacies of his leadership. There are only a few minor historical inaccuracies, but for the most part, Saladin was well-received and still maintains its legacy today.

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2 ‘Saloum’ (2021)

Country of Origin: Senegal

Saloum is a movie like no other. This Senegalese flick follows a group of mercenaries sent into a warzone to extract a Mexican drug lord. Things quickly get flipped upside-down when insect-like entities begin wreaking havoc across the countryside. A perfect blend of horror, crime, sci-fi, and war, this is a movie that has a little something for everyone. It was also met with rave reviews, with many critics commending it for its impeccable pacing and witty dialogue.

Saloum
shines a light on a lot of different West African nations, which are seldom even mentioned in most movies.

It also draws upon elements of West African mythos and has a plot packed with intrigue and action, leaving each second more exciting than the last. While it’s a lot more “out there” than other war flicks, there are very few people who won’t find something to enjoy about it. Saloum shines a light on a lot of different West African nations, which are seldom even mentioned in most movies, proving that some of the most exciting stories can come from even the most overlooked parts of the world.

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1 ‘The Battle of Algiers’ (1966)

Countries of Origin: Algeria, Italy

The Battle of Algiers is yet another joint project between an African and European nation, Algeria and Italy. The movie is widely considered to be one of the best war movies of all time, occuring during the 1950s Algerian War, a conflict that is not prominently shown in cinema. This movie really made waves in cinema at the time, as it took an angle that very few movies had ever dared to take: it criticized imperialism. At the time, this approach was extremely taboo, but it quickly found a following in the US on account of many Americans being opposed to their country’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

The film was actually so controversial that it was momentarily banned in France at the time of its release, with the Algerian War being a hot-button issue in the 1960s. Its running narrative may not have fared well at the time, but today, The Battle of Algiers is an absolute gem that hasn’t aged a bit. Its message still holds true, even today, and it portrays a war for independence like no other.

NEXT: 10 Best European War Movies, Ranked