No one comes back from war. This evocatively animated story chronicles three generations of women—grandmother Lelena, mother Nayola, and daughter Yara—during and after the 25-year Angolan civil conflict as they encounter ghosts of the past and the dangerous threats of the present. —M.G. When Angola gained its independence from Portugal, the country spiraled into a devastating civil war that would span 25 years. Struggling to move through the landscape of this seemingly endless war, three generations of women are each fighting their own battles…but these individual journeys will cross time and space to reunite the women in a way none of them could have imagined. There’s Yara, the granddaughter who peddles her revolutionary music on the city streets, avoiding the police at every turn. There’s Nayola, the mother who leaves everything behind to search for her missing husband at the height of the war. And there’s Lelena, the grandmother who has lost her entire family to the violence of this decades-long war. Weaving together the stories of these powerful women, NAYOLA is a beautifully animated tale filled with strength, sorrow, and mythos.  —G.S.

Nayola

No one comes back from war. This evocatively animated story chronicles three generations of women—grandmother Lelena, mother Nayola, and daughter Yara—during and after the 25-year Angolan civil conflict as they encounter ghosts of the past and the dangerous threats of the present. —M.G.

International Narrative Competition

This collection of films celebrates empowered women* of all kinds.*cis, trans, and non-binary inclusive

Women of the World

These films elevate stories, topics, and themes that are embedded in both Black communities and the African diaspora.