Author: Tambay A. Obenson

Malagasy filmmaker Luck Razanajaona’s feature debut DISCO AFRIKA: A MALAGASY STORY, will be distributed by Sudu Connexion in various theaters across Madagascar, starting November 1, 2024. Telling the story of a young man named Kwame working in Madagascar’s clandestine sapphire mines, the film’s release follows its success at the 2024 Berlinale, earning an Ag Kino-gilde-cinema […]

Netflix in Africa… an evolving story… Netflix’s Q3 2024 earnings report on October 17, and subsequent call, were certainly loved by the stock market given the reaction. You will find both the earnings report and the earnings call here. I scrutinized the earnings report and the call for insights into their Africa strategy. Co-CEOs Greg Peters […]

In a celebratory press email from Pyramide Distribution, French distributor of Cannes 2024 selection “L’Histoire de Souleymane” (Souleymane’s Story), the company reported that the film had approached USD 1 million in its opening week, with around 130,000 admissions across 250 screens in France. Directed by Boris Lojkine, “L’Histoire de Souleymane” follows Souleymane, a Guinean immigrant […]

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” ~ Audre Lorde The term “creative restlessness,” as I use it, encapsulates what I see as the defining trait of Nigerian filmmaker, playwright, and novelist Biyi Bándélé’s artistic journey. His death by suicide, recently revealed in The Guardian (UK) article […]

Nigerian entrepreneur Moses Babatope’s newly launched multiplatform Nile Media Entertainment Group has set an ambitious rollout for its first Nollywood release, “The Uprising: Wives on Strike.” The third installment in Omoni Oboli’s film franchise is scheduled for theatrical premiere in Nigeria on October 18, 2024. Following its domestic debut, the film will extend its reach […]

“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 […]