CALL ME QUEEN

CALL ME QUEEN is the story of an unlikely friendship between two women in their 30’s: Rwandan Quinta, known as Queen, a single mother from the slums of Nairobi, and Anna, an Irish journalist sent to Kenya in 1999. Two tough women from different worlds collide, and Queen challenges Anna to confront her own self-image, and the privilege she carries with it.

When Queen falls ill with AIDS, the bond between the two women comes full circle. Determined, Queen starts a grassroots movement for affordable medication and ultimately democracy, understanding her own power and how to use it to change the way people live.

Empowerment and liberation drive the story, leading Queen and Anna on a shared journey, one that turns into a bold fight for change.
 CALL ME QUEEN is inspired by true events.

Trailer

Stills

Download all stills

Where to watch the film

Germany
in cinemas from October 15, 2026
Distributor: Filmreederei
Keny
in cinemas from October 30, 2026
Distributor: Crimson Multimedia
France
in cinemas soon
Distributor: New Story

Cast

© Leslie Akimana
Eliane Umuhire
Queen
© Sam Irons
Denise Gough
Anna
©
Charlie Carrick
Michael
©
Michelle Tiren
Zawadi
©
Nice Githinji
Janet
©
Lwanda Jawar Kotengo
Tony
©
Helen Keli
Talai
©
Dominic West
Warren
© Sabine Villiard
Laurent Lafitte
Phillipe Leduc
© Alex Rumford
Danny Sapani
Father Alexis

Director

© Alamachere
Emily Atef
Director

Crew

Screenplay
Jeannine Dominy, Emily Atef, Josune Hahnheiser, Hawa Essuman
Produced by
Gian-Piero Ringel
Producers
David Thion, Catherine Townsend, Alexandra Stone
Co-Producers
Paul Zischler, Appie Matere, Martin Rehbock
Executive Producers
Charles Steel, Veronica Ferres, Mo Abudu, Philippe Martin, Stephan Mallmann
Executive Producers
Joyce Zylberberg, Tatiana Emden, Ralph Haiek, Patricio Rabuffetti, Aristotle Andrulakis
DoP
Hélène Louvart
Editor
Anne Fabini
Casting
Isabella Odoffin
Production Design
Naia Barrenechea
Costume Design
Sophie Oprisanu
Make-up and Hair
Fatuo Hassan
Sound Design
Anne Gibourg
Re-Recording Mixer
Emmanuel Corset
Sound Recordist
Magnus Pflüger
Composer
Atena Eshtiaghi
Commissioning Editors
Cooky Ziesche (RBB), Tobias Gottschlich (RBB), Manuel Tanner (RBB/ARTE), Birgit Kämper (ARTE)

Production and International Sales

Produced by
Ringel Film, Les Films Pelléas and Cowboy Films
In co-production with
Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Arte France Cinéma, Zischlermann Filmproduktion, The Ascent Films and Construction Films
In association with
Arte, Screen Capital, Streetcar Productions
Developed with the support of
The Media Programm of the European Union, Wellcome, Protagonist Pictures and Worldview
Supported by
German Federal Film Board (FFA), Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg (MBB), Eurimages - Council of Europe, Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animeé (CNC), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein
International Sales
Global Constellation

Specs

Original Title
CALL ME QUEEN
Genre
Drama
Duration
105 minutes
Year of Production
2026
Countries of Production
Germany, France, UK, Kenya
Original Language
English
Picture Format
2K DCP Scope
Sound Format
Dolby 5.1