African films conquer the big screen as the industry thrives

On Wednesday evening, the conference was officially opened with the Nigerian feature film "My Father's Shadow." The semi-autobiographical drama is the first Nigerian film to be shown in the official selection at the Cannes International Film Festival. The United Kingdom is even sending Akinola Davies Jr.'s feature film debut into the race for the Oscar in the "Best International Feature Film" category.

The film recounts a day in the life of two brothers, Akin and Remi, played by Godwin and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo, who live in the countryside. Their father takes them to Lagos on his motorcycle during the political unrest surrounding the 1993 elections. It becomes an unforgettable day for the two boys—one that also takes on historical significance for the entire country. Akinola Davies Jr. combines a childlike perspective with big politics and a declaration of love for the Nigerian megacity. 

On the second day of the conference, discussions focused on the dynamics, progress, and diverse opportunities offered by the African creative industries in the fields of film, finance, gaming, and technology. The economic potential of these sectors, particularly amongst Africa's  youth was discussed in light of the ever increasing global demand for Africa's incredible creative talent. Demographic developments, authentic talent, a dynamic digitalization process, and a vibrant start-up scene make many regions across the continent of interest to entrepreneurs and investors.

As an example, in Nigeria's dream factory "Nollywood" alone, around 2,500 films are produced every year, offering a multifaceted picture of everyday life in Nigeria and the country's history. The growing industry creates space for new narratives and promotes cultural exchange.

The African film industry is already playing in the same league as the big players, scoring points with state-of-the-art technology and lower production costs. In terms of the number of films produced per year, Nollywood is the second-largest film industry in the world, behind India's Bollywood cinema and ahead of Hollywood. According to the UNESCO report "The African Film Industry," the industry has the potential to create over 20 million jobs on the continent. Africa's emerging film industry is focusing primarily on digital technology and online distribution channels.

Africa: An underestimated partner

This great potential is also attracting foreign investors and Africa is poised to become the largest growth region in the coming decades. There was also agreement that cooperation between Europe and  Africa requires a partnership of equals. It is not aid that is needed, but rather access to borader international markets and financial resources.

"The creative industry is one of the most dynamic sectors on the African continent. And Africans' growing self-confidence is justified. They are actively taking their future into their own hands. In Germany, this is still too rarely recognized. It's time for that to change," says Philipp Hoffmann. It is often young creative people who come up with their own ideas and new solutions to local challenges and develop successful business models from them. This is much more successful than exporting familiar models from the Western world to Africa.

Rushlake Media organized the Africa XChange Summit together with the production company Die Gesellschaft DGS. The two-day program was put together by renowned film curator Nadia Denton. The conference was supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and the Film Festival Cologne.

"With this conference, we want to put African countries in the spotlight and offer both the African film industry and German investors the opportunity to make valuable contacts. The African creative industry should get the visibility and resources it needs to reach its full potential," explained Philipp Hoffmann, Managing Director at Rushlake Media. The company, based in Cologne and Nairobi, successfully uses its multi-platform network to make international and African content accessible globally. 

Philipp Hoffman Rushlake Media

Jeremiah Lemogang Mosese

from left to right: Jorge Cohen (Cine Zunga), Nadia Denton (Curator) and Jude M.I Abaga (TASCK)