From South Africa to Zimbabwe via Nigeria, Morocco and Kenya, Unesco offers a state of the cinematographic and audiovisual sector in each of the 54 countries of the continent with a report entitled The Film Industry in Africa. “No mapping of this magnitude had been carried out until now”indicated Toussaint Tiendrebeogo, the coordinator of the report, on May 24, 2022 during his presentation on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival. “Of course, for the cinemaunderlined then the director general of Unesco Audrey Azoulay, you first need talents, creativity but not only. Cultural diversity is also the product of an ecosystem, of regulations, of funding systems, whether public or private, of copyright protection, of a whole mechanism that is essential for cinema to unfold and so that the voice of talent can resonate and be amplified. That’s where this report is.” The document, “which for the first time aggregates global data on the scale of the continent”, recalls Toussaint Tiendrebeogo, should be very useful to professionals and public authorities. So what do we learn there?
An undervalued sector
The film and audiovisual sector is “historically undervalued”Explain Toussaint Tiendrebeogo, head of the entity for the diversity of cultural entities at Unesco. In this case, its contribution to the GDP: 5 billion dollars per year. It would also generate about 5 million jobs. Whether “this potential for creativity” were to be exploited, incomes and jobs could be multiplied by four. Although only a third of the States financially support this industry, which benefits from a low training offer, this does not prevent it from registering “a slow and steady rise” of the volume of production. As far as cinema is concerned, “many aspects remain informal”. So, for example, “only 44% of countries have a film commission and 55% a film policy”.
An industry undermined by piracy
“At least 50%” of the sector’s potential turnover is lost due to the illegal exploitation of works. North Africa is the most penalized region with 84% of authors who are deprived of more than 50% of their income. “We must ensure that those who create these works of the mind, those who accompany the production do not see the income generated go into the hands of pirates”pleads the coordinator of the report.
The network of rooms “least developed”
Thanks to Nigeria, West Africa is the main production area on the continent. Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry, produces nearly 2,600 films a year, ahead of Ghana and Kenya. With more than 660 screens, South Africa makes the southern region the most important African market for the film industry. The continent has the cinema network “least developed” in the world: 1,651 screens, i.e. one screen for approximately 780,000 inhabitants. Still driven by Nigeria, which has more than 230 screens, West Africa is also the second most important outlet for films.
Digital, a melting pot of new opportunities
The television and video-on-demand market is the one experiencing the most sustained growth. For the small screen, the South African Multichoice, the Chinese Startimes and the French Canal+ Afrique form the dominant trio. East Africa thus has the largest number of private channels (more than 370) on a continent where distribution is virtually privatized. As for the online offer, the American Netflix, the South African Showmax and the Nigerian IrokoTV are in the top 3. These digital platforms allow African works to be “more exposed”, notice Toussaint Tiendrebeogo.
“The digital transition has made it possible to make spectacular leaps in terms of production and distribution of content around the world thanks to platforms.” They remove the physical barriers posed by rooms, which are rare on the continent. The expert believes that African countries that take advantage of digital technology are showing pragmatism. “In a context where we see that it is expensive to invest in cinemas, where people are turning away from them, if through digital platforms that are accessible with their mobile phone, with their television set, their computer , we can broadcast content…. It’s not wanting to skip steps but (utilize) means more suited to its time, cdoes he rely on franceinfo Africa. It is through this ingenuity that Africa will find the path to its development.. Otherwise, “African peoples have this need to see themselves reflected on their own screens. Development cannot be built through the mirror of others. This is probably also why the continent is experiencing these errors in terms of development (…) It is by looking at yourself that you build yourself. This brings us back to the question of imaginations, stories that shape the future.”
The imperative to regulate in order to prosper
Four models today support the growth of the audiovisual and cinematographic sector. The Nollywood model, a success in Nigeria where it was developed, relies on the market. A natural asset for the most populous country in Africa. The Author model, which thrives in most French-speaking countries, favors support for creators. The Service model, chosen by Morocco and South Africa, bets on the provision of cinematographic infrastructures. Finally, the Festival model, adopted by Burkina Faso, which hosts the Pan-African Film and Television Festival (the largest pan-African festival), relies on dedicated events to boost the sector.
“A model is only viable when it starts from the needs of the field”insists Toussaint Tiendrebeogo. Whatever the model, it is necessary “putting in place the fundamentals”he adds. “In In this period of profound change, it is more than urgent for States to establish regional and continental strategies in order to take control of their growing creative sector”. But “we need the legal and political framework that can organize all this because it is a sector that needs investment (and) without a regulatory framework, there can be no investment”. It is also necessary in view of “the interest of many multinationals which could end up establishing dominant positions in certain markets in the absence of appropriate regulations.”
Taking advantage of this potential also involves “think co-production” and “integrate our different markets”, which already exists in part in practice. “We must further stimulate sub-regional and continental cooperation”pleads the Unesco expert who reiterates that the report “arrives at the request of the States” in a context where “they themselves realize the power of culture for the development of their country in terms of economics, inclusion, social cohesion (and) of radiation”.
Making more room for women therefore remains essential. “One cannot ignore more than half of humanity, (accept) that their voice cannot be expressed when it is above all a question of constructing narratives. (…) The first architects of our education, I think, were our mothers. They gave us a way of seeing the world. It should be reflected in the way we make films.” concludes Toussaint Tiendrebeogo.