BLACK SOIL PRESENTS ROTTERDAM PREMIERE OF FANON (2024)
Join us on Thursday, November 13, at Lantaren/Venster for the Rotterdam premiere of the new biopic on Franz Fanon, the renowned anti-colonial psychiatrist, writer, and activist. This one-time special screening is presented by Black Soil, Africadelic and Caribbean Creativity in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Fanonโs birth (1925).
FANON (2024) is a compelling biographical drama directed by Jean-Claude Barny, a French director of Guadeloupian and Trinidadian origin, which focuses on Fanon’s tenure at the Blida psychiatric hospital in Algeria during the 1950s. In 1953, the Martiniquais psychiatrist became the head of the hospital’s psychiatry department, where he treated both French soldiers and Algerian victims of torture and introduced innovative, patient-centered methods of psychiatric care. His progressive approach faced resistance from colleagues and the institution’s director. As the Algerian War of Independence intensified, Fanon’s commitment to decolonization led him to align with the National Liberation Front (FLN), deepening his involvement in the fight against colonial oppression.
The film’s narrative intertwines pivotal moments from Fanon’s earlier life in Martinique and France with contemporary scenes in Algeria. It ends with his untimely death from leukemia in 1961 at the age of 36 and his burial in Algeria, at a cemetery dedicated to fallen FLN fighters. His final book, ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ช๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต, which he dictated from his hospital bed, was published shortly before his death and became a powerful manifesto for anti-colonial struggles around the world. Fanon, who would have become 100 in July 2025, remains a key intellectual figure in the field of postcolonial studies and current decolonization debates.
FANON, 2024, documentary, 132 min., English subtitles (Rotterdam premiere)
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025
Time: 19:30 hrs / 7.30 PM
Venue: Lantaren/Venster, Otto Reuchlinweg 996, Rotterdam
Tickets: soon available
About Black Soil
Black Soil once started as a hip-hop film festival, but has broadened its view to a broader view of Black culture. The festival celebrates the African diaspora โ the foundation of a growing Black art movement in Europe. We show films that stem from Black culture, influence hair and everything in between. The focus is on how Black culture and aesthetics become visible in film, with hip-hop as an important source of inspiration. In addition to the annual festival, we organize programs throughout the year such as film screenings, exhibitions, talks and concerts. For more information, visit:
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ
๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ is a platform that is committed to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands. The annual Africadelic Festival is an ode to the African continent and its worldwide diaspora, and offers a showcase of the cultural wealth and profound influence Afrodescendants have on global culture and society. Provisionally scheduled from May 20-25, 2026, next year’s festival offers another week filled with concerts, films, and talks. At the same time, we are organizing one-off events throughout the year, including this special screening of ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ป. For more information, visit www.africadelic.com.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ is an Amsterdam-based non-profit organization that is, since 2008, committed to the programming and promotion of Caribbean and Caribbean-themed cinema in the Netherlands and beyond. Over the years, Caribbean Creativity has hosted over 300 screenings in Dutch cinemas and at film festivals, including numerous premieres. In 2020, they launched YardVibes, a streaming platform featuring content from independent Caribbean and African filmmakers. YardVibes currently offers over 100 titles, including feature films, web series, documentaries, and short films, with new content added monthly. For more information, visit www.caribbeancreativity.nl.