01 A South African refugee's journey across the continent traces decades of the region's upheaval.
Directed by Souleymane Cissé · 2h 20m
8 Best Malian Movies to Watch
By Vlad Zakh · December 24, 2025
Mali Drama slow and atmosphericthought provoking
Mali gave African cinema one of its most celebrated directors in Souleymane Cisse, and its latest big export, Timbuktu, carried that patient visual style into a story about jihadist occupation. Yeelen has a young man fleeing the sorcerer father who wants him dead, Finye tangles a student uprising with a forbidden cross-class romance, and Nyamanton shows a poor boy’s schooling clashing with his family’s need for him to work. Waati, Fire!, Bamako and Guimba the Tyrant round out the list.
01 
02 A poor boy's determination to attend school clashes with his family's desperate need for him to work.
Directed by Cheick Oumar Sissoko · 1h 31m
03 A student uprising against a military governor is complicated by a forbidden cross-class romance.
Directed by Souleymane Cissé · 1h 40m
04 A young man flees his sorcerer father, who is determined to kill him before he inherits real power.
Directed by Souleymane Cissé · 1h 45m · Rated NR
05 A cattle herder's family is caught between their quiet daily life and a jihadist occupation's escalating rules.
Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako · 1h 36m
Where to watch
Stream: Cohen Media Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Rent: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Curzon Home Cinema, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
06 A traditional hunter's wife develops magical powers after being poisoned, upending their marriage and village.
Directed by Adama Drabo · 1h 40m
07 Residents of a Malian courtyard put the IMF and World Bank on trial for the debt crushing their country.
Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako · 1h 55m
Where to watch
Stream: MUBI, OVID, MUBI Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
Stream: MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
Stream: MUBI, OVID, MUBI Amazon Channel
Stream: MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
Stream: MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
08 A tyrannical Malian ruler exiles a young man in love with the woman his own son wants to marry.
Directed by Cheick Oumar Sissoko · 1h 33m
Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.
You might also like
