Celebrating National Storytelling Week 2025: Stories that matter

From reimagined literary classics to groundbreaking films and thought-provoking podcasts, each recommendation on our list sheds light on stories that too often go unheard. Whether you’re looking to explore historical injustices, political struggles, or the unbreakable human spirit, these works will challenge perspectives and deepen your understanding of the world around us. 

Dive in, discover, and let these voices guide you through narratives that deserve to be told. 

If you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, you might be interested in this re-imagining of the novel called James by Percival Everett. Published in 2024, the novel is told from the perspective of Huckleberry’s friend on his travels, Jim, who escaped slavery. This retelling seeks to give the reader a much clearer insight into Jim’s character and the institution of slavery.  

A tale of time travel between the afterlife and the real world set in the 1980s, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida follows Maali, a dead photographer with the aim of solving the mystery of his own death while also trying to expose the brutalities of the Sri Lankan Civil War. Author Shehan Karunatilaka tells the tale of Maali as he has seven days or ‘seven moons’ to crack the code and uncover a hidden cache of photos that will rock Sri Lanka.  

Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh is set in Nigeria and interweaves the complex story of loneliness and love in a place restricted by politics. We follow Obiefuna’s life, which is dictated by strict hierarchy and routine as he becomes alienated from his family and closest friends for who he falls in love with.

No Other Land 

Created by a Palestinian-Israeli collective consisting of Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor, No Other Land is a powerful and deeply relevant film that won the top prize at the 2024 Berlinale. The documentary, led by Adra and Abraham, chronicles the decades-long displacement of Adra’s village—one of many in the West Bank caught in a relentless cycle of military encroachment, legal battles to prove land ownership, brief respite through media attention, fleeting peace, and the inevitable return of military forces.  

Over the course of 20 years, Adra and his family documented these cycles using home video cameras, capturing harrowing moments such as residents sifting through rubble and the demolition of a school with children still inside. Despite the film’s pervasive themes of destruction, the deep, philosophically rich friendship between Adra and Abraham offers a poignant and temporary solace in what stands as one of the most significant films of 2024. 

Sudan, Remember Us 

According to UN agencies, in Sudan 7.1 million people have been internally displaced with 2 million people seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. In 2019, Paris-based filmmaker Hind Meddeb travelled to Khartoum to document the downfall of dictator Omar al-Bashir and his oppressive 30-year rule. Immersing herself in the heart of the movement, Meddeb captured powerful footage of young activists, many of them women, using art as a means of protest and change. Sudan, Remember Us exemplifies activist and deeply empathetic filmmaking, offering crucial social context. The film had its world premiere in 2024 at the Venice International Film Festival. 

Rising Up at Night 

Director Nelson Makengo presents a striking portrait of life in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where residents grapple with countless challenges, from failing infrastructure and natural disasters to relentless power outages that plunge the city into darkness. Yet, with remarkable resilience and determination, they persevere. Through compelling characters, Makengo captures the unbreakable human spirit, treating his subjects with grace and dignity while maintaining a profound sense of responsibility in his storytelling.  

Africa Here and Now 

Combining in-depth knowledge with exclusive analysis of events and trends affecting the continent, Africa Here and Now provides fresh commentary, hosted by international broadcaster Martine Dennis. Listen to the episode on COP29 featuring Charles Ekalele, Concern’s Senior Programme Officer. 

The music of a war child 

Discover Emmanuel Jal, a former child solider from South Sudan, who is now an international hip-hop star and an activist for children living in conflict zones.  Discover Emmanuel’s music here. 

ODI Think Change Podcast – Sudan War – what’s the untold story?  

This episode of ODI’s Think Change Podcast tells the lesser-known stories and explores takes from Al Jazeera and BBC journalists to highlight both the suffering and unwavering strength of Sudanese people during the conflict which has displaced over 9 million people. Listen here. 

We encourage you to explore these works, share them with others, and continue seeking out stories that challenge, inspire, and inform. Because storytelling is not just about listening, it’s about understanding, amplifying, and taking action.