In the News
AFRIFF partners with CANEX
The African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, in partnership with The African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) - one of Africa’s largest and most vibrant film festivals, is excited to announce its ‘Script to Screen’ intervention. This project is a year-long incubator, capacity development and content creation acceleration programme, focused on African filmmakers/producers and writers who are interested in improving their ability to create and deliver quality screen content.
In the course of the programme, participants will be immersed in a ‘Writers Lab’ anchored by accomplished writers who have attained global recognition in the film industry. The programme will include development residencies, workshops on financial management, business skills, entertainment law and IP and distribution strategies. Participants will also get an opportunity to pitch their projects to international studios and streamers during the programme.
The African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, in partnership with The African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) - one of Africa’s largest and most vibrant film festivals, is excited to announce its ‘Script to Screen’ intervention. This project is a year-long incubator, capacity development and content creation acceleration programme, focused on African filmmakers/producers and writers who are interested in improving their ability to create and deliver quality screen content.
In the course of the programme, participants will be immersed in a ‘Writers Lab’ anchored by accomplished writers who have attained global recognition in the film industry. The programme will include development residencies, workshops on financial management, business skills, entertainment law and IP and distribution strategies. Participants will also get an opportunity to pitch their projects to international studios and streamers during the programme.
1. Train 30 youth in the development of exportable film content
2. Facilitate the development of indigenous intellectual property
3. Provide a platform for the associated intellectual property (IP) to be showcased to streamers
(e.g Amazon, Netflix etc)
4. Enhance the competitiveness of African filmmakers by providing exposure to cutting edge
technology and other tools that will enable them grow production quality
5. Foster the development of Africa’s film development through networking and partnerships
6. Provide up and coming African filmmakers with increased visibility and recognition
7. Provide participants with mentoring and related support services.
AFRIFF Founder and Festival Director, Ms. Chioma Ude, in expressing her gratitude to partners stated, “Over the years, CANEX has been a critical development partner and collaborator of AFRIFF and continues to be a major pilar of support. The possibilities that this collaboration enables, continue to build the much-needed structure and capacity in the African creative industry, as well as amplify the collective values shared by AFRIFF and CANEX in promoting greater creative business opportunities on the continent.”
Afreximbank through CANEX, recognizes positive developments and notable strides achieved by AFRIFF in its contributions to the growth of the film industry in Africa, as a launch pad for creative talents to connect to opportunities and realize the endless possibilities as their contemporaries around the world.
ABOUT CANEX
Given the relevance and opportunities provided by the creative economy as a key driver for development and job creation, Afreximbank has developed the Creative Africa Nexus programme to facilitate the development and growth of the creative and cultural industries in Africa and the diaspora. The initiative provides a range of financing and non-financing instruments /interventions aimed at supporting and developing Africa’s production, trade, and investment in the creative sector.
The key strategic objectives under the CANEX Programme include:
• Increasing Africa’s share of global cultural trade flows through trade and investment promotion activities
• Deploying specialized financial products to support the CCI ecosystem
• Facilitating technical capacity programs that enable export grade production
• Facilitating market access to high value demand hubs (through partnerships)
• Advocating for harmonized regulatory reform especially in relation to IP rights and incentives.
Black Panther:
Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's African Premiere in association with AFRIFF and FilmOne
The Walt Disney Company, in association with Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) and FilmOne Entertainment, today announce that Nigeria will play host to the official African premiere of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The highly anticipated next installment of the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe and follow up to the 2018 box office sensation Black Panther, will bring the new chapter of the Wakandan kingdom to life in Lagos in early November, ahead of its in-cinema release from Friday 11 November 2022 across Africa.
Chioma Ude, founder of AFRIFF, was reflective on the significance of the African premiere being hosted in Nigeria and having a first-of-its-kind association with the festival in November. “We are excited and proud to be a part of the premiere of this milestone film here in Africa. This is huge for the continent of Africa as it symbolizes to us further bridging of the gaps between the global film industries,” she said.
Through its association with AFRIFF and FilmOne, the film will play host to film industry stakeholders from across Africa and the world at large, as the continent-wide celebrations kick off. High points are expected to include the presence of distinguished dignitaries and Nollywood celebrities and many more to be announced.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther remains the number one film in both East and West Africa and, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, fans will welcome back some familiar faces whilst being introduced to brand new characters. In the film, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor, king of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena and Alex Livinalli.
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is distributed in English West African territories by FilmOne Entertainment. Co-founders, Moses Babatope and Kene Okwuosa, are enthusiastic about the premiere and film’s release, “Being instrumental to the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in West Africa is a proud achievement and a milestone for us and the entire FilmOne team, it will be celebrated for a long time. We are excited and fully committed to working with The Walt Disney Company to deliver a grand African premiere, even as we channel all our arsenal towards realizing a momentous box-office performance for the title,” they said.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be bringing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to Lagos this November,” says Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager for The Walt Disney Company Africa. “Working closely with our long-term distribution partners FilmOne and this association with AFRIFF, we are anticipating a wonderful celebration with Nigeria’s cinema-goers and Black Panther fans.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore, opens in cinemas from 11 Nov., 2022.
AFRIFF Announces Ryan Coogler's Masterclass
AFRIFF Announces a Filmmaking Masterclass with Black Panther and Creed series director, Ryan Coogler, Amazon's Nanny director Nikyatu Jusu and hosted by Amazon's Executive Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Latasha Gillepsie.
On Monday 7th, November 2022, a day after the African premiere at AFRIFF in Lagos of Disney Marvel blockbuster "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever", Ryan Coogler, the director will be headlining a masterclass on directing for global audience. Joining him in this seminal masterclass, Ms. Nikyatu Jusu, the director of Amazon's latest gem, Nanny as well as Amazon executive head of diversity Ms. Latasha Gillepsie.