Africa
Johan Grimonprez on Making Jazz a Protagonist in ‘Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat’ and Why “Our Materialist Vision of the World Is Obsolete”
Africa, colonialism, the United Nations, the 1961 assassination of Congolese prime minister Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nikita Khrushchev, Tesla, iPhones, and jazz music come together in director Johan Grimonprez’s Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat. The documentary feels like a concert with academic footnotes and references or performance […]
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Next Narrative Africa Fund to Put $40M Into African Film, TV to Empower Creators
A new $40 million fund, called the Next Narrative Africa Fund, has been unveiled “to empower content creators in Africa and the diaspora” and finance the development, production and marketing of “projects that confront and shift long-standing narratives about Africa.” It is being set up by Next Narrative Africa, a multimedia production company “telling African stories for […]
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Africa in TIFF Focus as Producers Discuss Impact of Amazon’s Original Content Withdrawal, M&A
How Amazon’s pullback from investing in African original content and M&A have affected entertainment industry players on the continent was one of the topics of a panel at the industry conference section of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Saturday. The panelists of the session entitled “Pathways to Africa” were Ethiopian-Canadian filmmaker and Gobez […]
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Netflix Unveils New Films, Series From South Africa at MIP Africa
Netflix unveiled a first look at some of its upcoming films and a series from South Africa at MIP Africa on Tuesday. Ben Amadasun, Netflix’s vp of content for the Middle East and Africa, unveiled the slate additions, which the streamer says are “showcasing Netflix’s ongoing commitment to delivering authentic local stories from South Africa […]
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Canal+ Takes Stake in Senegal TV Company, Boosts African Presence
French pay-TV giant Canal+ Group continues to expand in Africa, on Friday taking a stake in leading Senegalese production company Marodi TV. Marodi TV founder, the Senegalese entrepreneur Serigne Massamba Ndour, will remain the majority owner of the group, which produces popular African series such as Karma, Emprises and Mistress of a Married Man. Marodi […]
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Netflix Highlights New Female-Focused African Series for International Women’s Day
Timed to International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, Netflix has unveiled several new, female-focused series and films from Africa, with the goal of “shining the spotlight on” the “remarkable achievements” of female creators from the region. Leading female members of the Nigerian film community are coming together in Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday, March 6 […]
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The Nigerian Hit Movie That Broke Netflix
This was the year Nollywood made Netflix history. The Black Book, a revenge thriller from first-time director Editi Effiong became the first-ever Nigerian film to soar to No. 3 on Netflix’s worldwide film charts. The film, made for “just” $1 million (actually a huge sum for a Nigerian movie), garnered 5.6 million views just 48 […]
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‘Orah’ Director Talks Africa’s Toronto Moment: “We’re Finally Making Our Own Stories”
As global streamers like Netflix and Amazon Prime finally make inroads in Africa, Nigerian-Canadian filmmaker Lonzo Nzekwe is enjoying his moment in the sun at the Toronto Film Festival. CAA Media Finance boarded Nzekwe’s Nigeria-set Canadian revenge thriller Orah with worldwide representation, excluding Canada, just before the feature that stars Star Trek: Discovery actor Oyin Oladejo in […]
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Netflix Unveils South African Originals, Content Partnerships
Netflix unveiled and previewed upcoming original South African series and films at MIP Africa during a panel entitled “See What’s Next on Netflix.” The global streamer also touted multi-title partnerships with local filmmakers. “We are incredibly excited to continue with our investment in South African storytelling and to expand our relationships with these amazing storytellers,” said […]
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Karlovy Vary: Sudan Director Mohamed Kordofani on Addressing the Legacy of Racism and Civil War in ‘Goodbye Julia’
Mohamed Kordofani made history when his debut feature, Goodbye Julia premiered in Un Certain Regard in May, marking the first-ever Sudanese feature to screen in Cannes. A look at the tense and violent politics his divided nation told through the lens of a quiet domestic drama, the film won over both audiences and critics, and […]
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Karlovy Vary: ‘Omen’ Director Baloji on Telling Stories From an African Perspective
“My name, Baloji, means ‘sorcerer’ in Swahili, which is a difficult name to live with. It’s like being an American named ‘devil.’ It’s like getting assigned something at birth. All my life dealing with the assignment of my name.” Baloji laughs. He’s at home in Belgium, talking via Zoom about his long journey to make […]
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‘Measures of Men’ Addresses Forgotten German Genocide in Africa
Director Lars Kraume knows a bit about the hidden corners of German history. His award-winning 2015 drama The People Vs. Fritz Bauer looked at the role played by the eponymous German Jewish state Attorney General in tracking down and bringing Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann to justice. And his 2018 The Silent Revolution followed the true […]
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