Two Chinese directors (center) present at the award ceremony of the 41st Cairo International Film Festival in Cairo, Egypt, on November 30, 2019 (XINHUA)

Like most other industries, the film industry has taken a big knock in the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and cinemas being restricted to the viewing public. As a creative art form used mainly for infotainment, the film and audiovisual industry in Africa is currently estimated by insiders to employ approximately 5 million people and accounts for $5 billion in GDP. This demonstrates the key role that the film industry plays in job creation and the fight against poverty.

The Fifth Aspiration in the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, the continental economic blueprint guiding Africa’s growth, underscores the need for Africa to build a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics. In 2017, the AU members endorsed a draft statute of the African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission (AACC) to promote the development of the audiovisual and film industry in Africa.

The AACC would also be responsible for the creation of structures at the continental, regional and national levels to foster cooperation in the area of audiovisuals and cinema on the continent. This was meant to promote the use of audiovisuals and films to tell the true African story through employment creation, integration, solidarity, respect for values and ethos, and shared understanding for promoting peace and a positive image of Africa that is devoid of conflicts and wars. According to the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers, a thriving film and audiovisual industry in Africa has the potential of creating more than 20 million jobs and contribute $20 billion in annual African GDP.

Growth potential

The development of the film industry on the continent has been phenomenal. Most African countries have come up with low-cost films using local languages to boost local talents, recognize local film directors and stimulate local viewership. Countries like Rwanda have taken a leading role in producing films in the local dialect of the Kinyarwanda. Rwanda has a policy framework aimed at providing policy guidelines to grow the film industry and turn Rwanda into a leading film location for foreign productions.

Nigeria’s film industry, popularly known as Nollywood, is the most developed film industry in Africa. It has developed gradually from the distribution model of Video Home System (VHS) to Video Compact Disc (VCD) and to the now near-extinct Digital Video Disc (DVD). The film industry in Nigeria is supervised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and regulated by the National Broadcasting Commission. The National Film and Video Censors Board is the regulator of the film ecosystem and its policies mirror the government position on the film industry with regard to production, exhibition and distribution.

To underscore the importance of local production, the government established a state agency known as the Nigerian Film Coop. Most of the Nollywood films have found traction with popular streaming platforms, such as Netflix, because they are content-rich. With the highest Internet penetration of 96.1 percent in Africa, Nigeria leverages on digital platforms to popularize its films domestically and internationally. Most Nollywood films are self-funded by the filmmakers with entrepreneurs getting new sources of funds from the federal government, international organizations and private investors. This funding has enabled the filmmakers to produce high-quality films that compete favorably with Hollywood films at the box office.

In Africa, South Africa and Kenya continue to register significant progress in the growth of the film industry. South Africa has the largest television market in Africa, with a significant rise on the Over-The-Top content, Internet Protocol Television and Video On Demand that supports the demand for South African film content. The South African film industry is regulated by the National Film and Video Foundation under the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture solely to grow and transform the sector through diverse funding to develop the film industry domestically and internationally. According to a report released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization titled African Film Industry: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth, South Africa has 153.2 percent mobile phone subscription penetration and 56.2 percent Internet users in a population of 57.8 million. This is a launch pad for popularizing content on digital platforms.

In Kenya, the film industry, known as Riverwood, is considered a key economic driver in line with the country’s Vision 2030 economic blueprint. The film industry is regulated by the Kenya Film Classification Board, whose key mandate is to regulate the creation, broadcasting, possession, distribution and exhibition of films. Additionally, the Kenya Film Commission also plays a key role of developing, promoting, marketing and archiving of the film industry in the country. Kenya has a mobile penetration rate of 96.3 percent and its fast Internet connectivity supports creation and sharing of film content through their digital platforms. Kenya boasts the third-fastest Internet speed in Africa after South Africa and Morocco.

Partnerships and challenges

Africa remains a fertile ground for shooting films that carry global socio-economic and political themes rivaling those produced in Hollywood and Bollywood. This is partly because of the beautiful locations, cultures, rich creative content and the favorable monetary exchange rates for foreign filmmakers. The continent has also produced well-known actors, actresses and directors like Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, John Boyega, Sophie Okonedo, Mati Diop, Wanuri Kahiu, and Philipe Lacôte, among others, who have left an indelible mark in the global film industry.

Some of the Hollywood movies that have been filmed in Africa include Malcolm X (Egypt and South Africa), Safe House (South Africa), Mad Max (Namibia), Beasts of No Nation (Ghana), Gladiator (Morocco), The Last King of Scotland (Uganda) and Captain America: Civil War (Nigeria). It is for this reason that African filmmakers are increasingly finding partners in film making from France, China, United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, EU and the U.S.

The U.S. and Chinese private companies have taken the lead in investing in Africa’s film industry. American companies like Netflix and Disney+ have partnered with African creative content creators on various projects. Huahua Media from China is working on a joint film with Nigerian studio FilmOne Entertainment. The growth of StarTimes (Chinese-owned satellite television provider), CCTV Africa and Huawei (that offers optical cables and 5G technology) is a clear indicator that the African market is attracting more suitors than before.

The downside of this progress has been the challenges caused by the COVID-19, which has seen many cinema halls closed and film production suspended without clear resumption dates.

Other challenges that the industry has faced include failure by policymakers to protect and invest in audiovisual industries, the problem of piracy where a huge percentage of income from the creative industry is lost through illegal activities, weak film and digital infrastructure, poor Internet connectivity, lack of organized professional networks, and lack of private sector funding.

But all is not lost. The future of the film industry remains the goose that will lay golden eggs for the African economy. To sustain the growth of this industry, there is a need to strengthen international cooperation with other filmmakers to develop a viable and competitive cultural and creative industry.

Comments to hufan@chinafrica.cn

(The author is an economist, consultant and a regional commentator on trade and investment based in Nairobi, Kenya)