Author: Tambay A. Obenson

“Milisuthando,” from South African writer-director Milisuthando Bongela, a film featured in my ongoing “Distribution Spotlight” series, is now set for release in select UK theaters starting October 18, 2024, as part of T A P E Collective’s SNAPSHOT initiative. The “Distribution Spotlight” series focuses on African films that have premiered at major international festivals since […]

From Afrobeat to “Afrobeats”: Rediscovering the Pioneering Lijadu Sisters and Nigeria’s Musical Past Through KONKOMBE Renewed international interest in the Nigerian Pop Music Scene of the 1970s, and the Lijadu Sisters specifically, comes with the re-release of the 1979 documentary “Konkombe.” Taiwo and Kehinde Lijadu’s groundbreaking work and feminist stance in that era’s male-dominated music […]

The Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2024 with an expanded program platforming African cinemas and culture. Taking place from October 10-13, 2024, in San Jose, California, USA, this year’s festival will feature 85 films from 36 countries, along with special events putting a spotlight on African art, fashion, and […]

Last month, Olivier Henrard, interim president of the influential French National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC), celebrated the success of France’s rigorous regulatory framework in securing substantial investments from streaming giants like Netflix. Henrard gave a press conference that generated debate over obligations of major streaming platforms to invest in local content […]

As the second Africa Cinema Summit approaches (October 7-10, 2024, in Accra, Ghana), the African film community watches with interest to see how this nascent initiative will develop. Spearheaded by Ghana’s National Film Authority (NFA), the summit positions itself as the continent-wide platform for dialogue and action across film sectors. Given this ambitious framing, despite […]

The new Kenyan sci-fi series “Subterranea,” from Likarion Wainaina, which premiered on September 26, 2024, on Showmax, is an intriguing achievement in the context of Kenyan television history. While marketed as Kenya’s “first” long-form sci-fi TV series, it should be understood within a continuum of “African speculative storytelling,” inviting us to reconsider our understanding of […]

Last week’s announcement of American studio A24’s plans to adapt Chinua Achebe’s seminal 1958 novel “Things Fall Apart” into a TV series, with Idris Elba starring and executive producing, has inspired much discussion and debate. It’s an adaptation that faces specific challenges and considerations, given the cultural significance of the source material and the complexities […]

Akoroko Premium subscribers previously received a concise oral history of the 1992 Nigerian film widely considered the foundation of modern “Nollywood.” It seemed somewhat fitting (October 1) to make it semi-public today. The piece draws documented insights from those involved in its making, as well as various industry professionals, and scholars, to provide a multifaceted […]

With just two days remaining until the October 2, 2024 submission deadline for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards, just five African countries have announced their entries: – Algeria: “Algiers” by Chakib Taleb-Bendiab – Egypt: “Flight 404” by Hani Khalifa – Kenya: “Nawi” by Toby Schmutzler, Kevin Schmutzler, Vallentine Chelluget, […]

The Next Narrative Africa Fund is a $40M fund launched today to support film and TV production primarily across Africa and its diaspora. But how will it work, and what does it mean for emerging and established filmmakers and content creators? Akoroko Premium subscribers received a critical assessment of the fund announcement, unpacking the details […]