A modernized audiovisual co-production treaty between Telefilm Canada and the Government of the Republic of South Africa entered into force on January 1, 2026.
The treaty replaces the previous Canada–South Africa audiovisual co-production agreement signed on November 5, 1997, updating the legal and administrative structure governing joint film, television, and audiovisual productions between the two countries.
Under the treaty, approved co-productions qualify as national productions in both Canada and South Africa. This status enables access to domestic public funding programs, incentives, and regulatory benefits in each country, subject to approval by the designated competent authorities.
The structure sets clear rules on financial participation, creative and technical contributions, nationality requirements for key personnel, revenue sharing, distribution commitments, and eligibility for international festival representation. It also includes provisions covering mobility of cast and crew, temporary import of equipment, and the use of third-party locations when approved.
The agreement was signed in Cape Town on September 3, 2024, and applies to new projects seeking treaty co-production status from January 1, 2026 onward.
Broader Context
Across most of Africa, audiovisual co-production treaties are fewer in number, narrower in scope, and less consistently used than in South Africa. Many countries operate with one or two bilateral agreements, often limited to a single partner (typically with colonial era ties), and several treaties remain inactive as a result of gaps in domestic financing or weak administrative capacity.
In North Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt maintain functioning treaty relationships supported by stronger state institutions and incentives, while in sub-Saharan Africa, most countries rely on ad hoc co-productions, minority partnerships, or informal arrangements, even where domestic production volume is high, as in Nigeria or Kenya.
Note: The much-ballyhooed Brazil–Nigeria audiovisual co-production treaty, signed in June 2025, remains non-operational as of January 5, 2026, due to pending ratification and regulations.
Meanwhile, the Côte d’Ivoire–Belgium audiovisual co-production treaty, signed in July 2025 with the Wallonia-Brussels Federation at SICA in Abidjan, announced four projects already approved for financing.
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