African Film Leaders Call for Cross-Border Partnerships to Grow Continent’s Film Industry
Johannesburg, South Africa | THE INDEPENDENT | African filmmakers and industry leaders have called for stronger cross-border partnerships, investment and business structures to help the continent’s film industry reach wider audiences and become more commercially sustainable.
Speaking at the Africa Film Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 15, 2026, the industry leaders emphasised that Africa’s rich storytelling traditions and creative talent must be matched with stronger distribution networks, audience development strategies and sustainable businesses.
Humphrey Nabimanya, founder and CEO of iKON Awards, said African filmmakers must move beyond isolated markets and build partnerships that let them share resources, exchange expertise, and compete globally.
“Africa has the talent, the stories and the cultural diversity to build a strong film industry. What we need is to move beyond working in isolation and create partnerships that allow us to share resources, learn from one another and build an industry that can compete on the global stage,” he said.
Nicola Van Niekerk, Senior Vice President at MultiChoice Group, echoed the call, noting that stronger connections between African markets, audiences and distribution networks would help local productions travel further.
“Africa has no shortage of talent or compelling stories. The opportunity lies in building stronger connections between our markets, our audiences and our distribution networks so that our content can travel further and reach more people,” she said.
The discussions also highlighted the need to treat filmmaking as both a creative pursuit and a business, with investment in talent development, effective management, financial accountability and marketing needed to turn creative ideas into sustainable enterprises.
Thapelo Mokoena, a South African actor, producer and creative entrepreneur, challenged industry players to translate their ambitions into practical action by building the structures needed to support long-term growth.
Matthew Nabwiso, a Ugandan actor, producer, director and President of the National Producers’ Guild of Uganda, emphasised the importance of leadership in creating opportunities for emerging filmmakers.
“Leadership in this industry should also be about creating opportunities for others. We need structures that help emerging filmmakers develop their talent, gain experience and build careers, because the future of African cinema depends on the opportunities we create today,” he said.
The forum also explored the role of audiences in determining the commercial success of African productions. Ernest Nkosi, filmmaker and Creative Director at First Wednesdays Film Club (in black), Driki van Zyl, Business Lead for Content and Partnerships at Blue Pictures South Africa, Mokoena, a South African actor, producer, and creative entrepreneur (holding a mic), Matthew Nabwiso, Ugandan actor, producer, director, and President of the National Producers’ Guild of Uganda, among other panelists at the Africa Film Forum in South Africa, urged filmmakers to pay closer attention to audience preferences while continuously improving the quality of local content.
Ernest Nkosi, a filmmaker and Creative Director at First Wednesdays Film Club, stressed the importance of market research, strategic marketing and investment in talent development. He noted that understanding local audiences and learning from successful content markets could help African productions attract viewers and expand into new territories.
Nwabisa Binase, Program Manager, MultiChoice Talent Factory, highlighted the importance of creating content that reflects the lived experiences and cultural identities of audiences, including those whose stories remain underrepresented.
The iKON Activate Soirée reminded me why community matters in the creative industry.
Productions begin with ideas, but they move through relationships, trust and people willing to build together. Johannesburg gave us room for all three.
#iKONActivate #iKONAwards2026 #ReachAHandAfrica
— Humphrey Nabimanya (@HumNabimanya) October 17, 2026
The forum also brought together a cohort from the MultiChoice Talent Factory, giving emerging film professionals a chance to engage with established industry players on collaboration, creative enterprise, and the future of African storytelling.
Held at MultiChoice City under the theme “Africa Is Our Studio: From Collaboration to Commerce,” the forum formed part of the six-day iKON Activate programme running from October 14 to 19, 2026, in Johannesburg.
Participants discussed how cross-border co-productions could help filmmakers pool resources, share technical expertise and bring different creative perspectives together while preserving the distinct cultural identities of individual countries.
They also identified the need for supportive infrastructure, government incentives, skills development and access to financing as important factors in building a more competitive African film industry.
The Johannesburg edition builds on previous iKON Activate engagements in Lagos, Nigeria; Nairobi, Kenya; and Kigali, Rwanda. Hosted by Mokoena, the programme promotes pan-African creative exchange, networking and co-production opportunities, while strengthening cultural and professional ties between Uganda and South Africa.
Both iKON Activate and the Africa Film Forum are initiatives of iKON Awards. The fourth edition of the iKON Awards will take place in Kampala on December 12, 2026, under the theme “Beyond Borders,” celebrating African talent and promoting collaboration across the continent’s film industry.
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