The 33rd African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) is set to open with a powerful selection of contemporary African and Afro-diasporic films, delving into themes of resilience, artistic freedom, and identity. For over three decades, ADIFF's co-founders and curators, Diarah and Reinaldo Ndaw-Spech, have been instrumental in transforming the exhibition and distribution of films by Pan-African filmmakers. Their collaborations with institutions like Teachers College, Columbia University, and venues across New York City have established a vital platform for these narratives.

This year marks a significant moment as Malawi joins the festival conversation in a new way: for the first time, a home-grown Malawian independent feature documentary, a co-production with the UK, titled "The Banjo Boys," will screen in the United States. The film is described as a "little engine that could" documentary, powered by serendipity, perseverance, and a growing network of enthusiastic collaborators.

The executive producer, reflecting on their unexpected role, highlights the organic nature of documentary filmmaking, contrasting it with the sometimes overly structured and budget-line-focused industry talk. They found the documentary process more liberating than fiction features, which demand constant construction and control. The film's positive energy seemingly captured everyone involved, fostering a shared mindset and determination to manifest its spirit.

"The Banjo Boys" began as a road movie following two brothers, Neil and Johan Nayar. Neil manages the Madalitso Band, while Johan, his older brother and a filmmaker, picked up a camera to document their tour. The film has since become a cult favorite, earning the Audience Award at the London Breeze Film Festival in October 2025. The production team expanded serendipitously, with individuals like tech-marketing executive-turned-producer Tim Delhaes joining after a chance encounter with Neil in Malawi. Other collaborators include Malawian writer and Chichewa translator Isaac Mafuel, advisor David Zannoni, art directors Yuri Dekovic and Alberto Contreras, sound designer Guy Dowsett, colourist Neill Jones, and a circle of executive producers.

Ahead of its North American premiere at ADIFF on December 4, 2025, Johan Nayar discussed the film's origins. He initially found Madalitso Band's music unfamiliar, but a second viewing at WOMAD, with a lively audience and powerful sound, solidified his belief in their potential for a film. His filmmaking journey began with a school project, followed by travels in India, photography, and an intensive six-week course at the New York Film Academy's London edition in 2001, mentored by Tom Bilyeu. After a 10-year hiatus, during which he pursued a master's in evolutionary psychology and traveled, he returned to filmmaking in 2016.

Johan emphasized the project's serendipitous nature, noting that his involvement stemmed from a holiday coinciding with the band's UK tour in 2019. The name "Madalitso," meaning "blessing" or "gift" in Chichewa, seems to encapsulate the special, unplanned flow of the project. The band's captivating energy, especially Yobu's vocals, resonated deeply, creating a "very high vibration" from their two-man setup.

The film opens with a drone shot, strategically designed to hook the audience before delving into the band's poignant backstory, which includes themes of famine in Malawi and the struggle for a new life. The narrative embraces vulnerability, showcasing the raw realities and the delicate, sometimes challenging, relationship between the manager (Neil) and the band members. Johan recalled the emotional experience of the London Breeze Film Festival premiere, where technical anxieties gave way to immense pride and joy upon seeing the film's visual and audio quality on the big screen, surrounded by an genuinely excited audience.

The documentary is praised for its uniqueness, presenting a genre of music rarely heard outside specific regions of Southern Africa. It adopts a "cinema verite" approach, allowing the real characters—Yobu, Yosef, and Neil—to be themselves without over-direction. This "anti-rockumentary" style eschews glamour and pretentiousness, focusing instead on the adventure and joy derived from their music and journey, a stark contrast to typical narratives of dysfunction. While Yobu and Yosef maintain a chill demeanor, Neil exhibits a more classic "rock and roller" persona. The band members are described as "unspoiled," untouched by the corrupting influence of the music business.

The North American premiere at ADIFF is seen as a crucial international premiere, with hopes for strong audience engagement and increased visibility. Madalitso Band recently performed at a gala for Buildon, an international nonprofit celebrating its 3000th school built globally, with the first and 3000th both in Malawi. This performance underscores the deep connection between the band's roots and global humanitarian efforts. The film itself offers a deeper understanding of the band's backstory, their unique instrument-making process, the dynamic of their core team, stunning Malawian scenery, and subtitled lyrics, allowing audiences to fully grasp their powerful message of joy and resilience.