All posts by John Winfield

AMC’s Nolly Africa HD lands on Cineverse

International pay TV network African Movie Channel (AMC) and streaming platform Cineverse have partnered to premiere the former’s 24-hour FAST channel Nolly Africa HD on the latter’s streaming platform.

Nolly Africa HD is now accessible on Cineverse in the US and Canada through its mobile app, as well as on streaming media platform Roku. Additionally, it is available on various smart TV platforms, including Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Vizio and Samsung.

Yinka Mayungbo, AMC’s founding director, said: “Arriving on Cineverse represents another big milestone in our quest for ubiquity of our premium FAST Nollywood channel. African Movie Channel remains committed to revolutionising the entertainment landscape by delivering top-tier Nollywood content beyond Africa. Nolly Africa HD is not only for Nollywood lovers, but also for African culture fans with a love for Africa and things African.”

Nolly Africa HD showcases a diverse selection of exclusive movies from AMC’s original productions division along with blockbuster films from Nollywood cinema. The channel covers a wide range of genres, including crime thrillers, drama, romance, action and comedy.

AMC operates three 24-hour linear channels – AMC, AMC Series and Nolly Africa – all offered on various TV platforms across the African continent and beyond. Nolly Africa HD is wholly owned and powered by African Movie Channel UK.

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Disney Star, GoQuest in African sales deal

Indian broadcaster Disney Star, which operates the Disney+ Hotstar streaming service, has signed an exclusive African distribution deal with Mumbai-based distributor GoQuest Media.

Vivek Lath

The pact sees GoQuest becoming the sole distributor for Disney Star’s content portfolio across Africa, including content dubbed in both English and Hindi and encompassing TV and OTT rights to Disney Star’s linear programming catalogue.

Across a TV network that the company claims reaches more than 700 million viewers in nine languages every month and its successful streaming platform, Disney Star generates more than 20,000 hours of original content every year, including general entertainment, sports, films, infotainment, kids and lifestyle content.

The catalogue GoQuest will be shopping in Africa includes Anupamaa, Imlie, Kasauti Zindagii Kay, Yeh Jaadu Hai Jinn Ka and Chandra Nandini, under an agreement that “represents a strategic move to bring popular Indian content to a wider African audience,” according to the two parties.

The move comes after GoQuest has introduced foreign-language titles to Africa over the past 10 years. GoQuest MD Vivek Lath said: “Our track record, strong partnerships and knowledge of the region and local audiences have positioned us as the ideal team to introduce Disney Star’s Indian collection to this market.”

Sudhir Nagpal, head of international business at Disney Star, added: “Africa has a strong viewer base for our content, especially for our series across languages. We continuously seek opportunities to connect with our audience and this collaboration with GoQuest Media is another step in that direction.”

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Africa braces for The Swarm

The Swarm is based Frank Schätzing’s novel

Amazon’s streaming service Prime Video has picked up ecological thriller The Swarm for subscribers in sub-Saharan territories.

The 8×60’ series is based on Frank Schätzing’s bestselling book and chronicles the struggle of humankind against an unknown enemy that lives in the depths of the sea.

The Swarm is produced by Schwarm TV Productions, a joint venture between Intaglio Films and ndF IP, for ZDF, France Télévisions, Rai Fiction, Viaplay Group, Hulu Japan, ORF and SRF, in coproduction with Bravado Fiction and Beside Production, in co-operation with Athos KG.

Germany’s ZDF Studios and Beta Film are handling worldwide sales. The deal with Amazon was brokered by Yuliya Fischer, director of drama at ZDF Studios.

The series, directed by Barbara Eder (Barbarians), Luke Watson (Ripper Street) and Philipp Stölzl (The Physician), stars Alexander Karim (Dying of the Light), Cécile de France (The New Pope), Leonie Benesch (The Crown), Barbara Sukowa (Hannah Arendt) and Takuya Kimura (I Come With the Rain).

“The Swarm is one of the hottest titles in our scripted catalogue. I’m delighted that Prime Video will be introducing its African subscribers to this ecological thriller that is like no other,” said Fischer.

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Netflix lines up SA series Miseducation

Miseducation stars Buntu Petse

Global streamer Netflix is set to premiere new South African comedy-drama series Miseducation on September 15.

Miseducation is produced by Randburg-based Burnt Onion Productions, created by Rethabile Ramaphakela and Katleho Ramaphakela and directed by Catharine Cooke, Themba Mfebe, Lwazi Mvusi and Rea Rangaka.

The young-adult series tells the story of a wannabe influencer, played by Buntu Petse, who is forced to start afresh in a small university town after her mother’s implication in a corruption scandal.

Once in the remote town, she tries to regain her social status and ‘uncancel’ herself. Her haters, on the other hand, will stop at nothing to bring her right back down to earth.

As well as Petse, the cast includes Lunga Shabalala, Baby Cele, Prev Reddy, Mpho Sebeng, Micaela Tucker, Mandisa Nduna, Camilla Waldman, Nicole Bessick and Ebenhaezer Dibakwane.

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Showmax reflects on eight years

As Showmax marks its eighth birthday this weekend, the MultiChoice-owned African streamer has reflected upon its journey, which has been marked by significant achievements.

Yolisa Phahle

During its existence, the streaming service has attained noteworthy milestones. The number of Showmax subscribers has exhibited an impressive average growth rate of 26% over the past four years, the company said.

Showmax is also the most highly rated streaming app in South Africa, as evidenced by its ratings of 4.6 on the South African Google Play store and 4.8 on Apple’s App Store. These figures place Showmax in close proximity to Apple TV+’s ratings, showcasing the platform’s high level of user satisfaction and engagement.

The streaming platform’s local content has also garnered awards at events such as the SAFTAs in South Africa, AMVCAs in Nigeria, Kalashas in Kenya and International Emmys in the US. Showmax cop drama Reyka, for example, clinched nominations for two International Emmys, while thriller series Spinners achieved a milestone as the first African series to be chosen at CanneSeries in France.

Furthermore, other series such as Recipes for Love & Murder as well as Donkerbos earned their spots in the esteemed Berlinale Series Market Selects, alongside other notable recent recognitions.

Showmax features local content in more than 20 African languages. In 2022, seven of the 10 most streamed titles on Showmax in South Africa, eight of the top 10 titles in Kenya and Nigeria and nine of the top 10 in Ghana were African. Overall, local content viewership on Showmax has hit 57% in 2023, while viewership for Zulu telenovela The Wife has now surpassed 50 million hours ahead of any international content.

In March 2023, Showmax unveiled a collaboration with Comcast’s US studio NBCUniversal and European pay TV arm Sky for a relaunch set to take place before the end of this financial year, ending March 2024. The new Showmax will combine MultiChoice’s investment in local content with a pipeline of international content from NBCUniversal and Sky, third-party content from HBO, Warner Brothers, Sony and others, as well as live English Premier League matches.

In addition, Showmax is the only place in Africa to stream the following international drama series that are nominated at the upcoming 75th Emmy Awards: family business drama Succession S4 (27 nominations), post-apocalyptic video game adaptation The Last of Us S1 (24 noms) and the Sicily-set The White Lotus S2 (23 noms).

Other achievements for Showmax include emerging as the first streaming platform on the continent to facilitate mobile downloads, allowing users to enjoy content offline, as well as enabling the lowest data streaming option on the continent and accepting payments in local currencies and payment platforms.

Yolisa Phahle, CEO of Showmax, said: “Showmax is clearly differentiated from the international streamers by our local content and football, a strategy that has seen Showmax consistently deliver subscriber growth ahead of target. Africa’s population is growing at three times the global average – an unrivalled growth opportunity – and is expected to double in size by 2050 to around 2.5 billion – likely to be a quarter of the world’s population. Combined with growing internet connectivity off the lowest base in the world, this gives us an incredible opportunity.”

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MultiChoice launches FTA channel in Botswana

MultiChoice Botswana has launched a free-to-air channel called Ytv.

Stephanie Pillay

Available on satellite TV platform DStv on channel 291, the channel showcases programming from Botswana and also offers creators opportunities to grow their content on the platform.

MultiChoice Botswana MD Stephanie Pillay said: “It has always been our mission to ensure that our DStv Botswana viewers have access to authentic local stories which resonate with them and feed their television viewing appetite for homegrown entertainment.

“Ytv was an obvious choice for us when investigating where we could enhance our local content offering. The channel is built on the promise to not only tell local stories but to do it with content that is relevant, current and youthful. We look forward to bringing such to our valued customers.

“At MultiChoice Botswana, we have every intention of helping Ytv enhance its content offering, providing viewers quality shows that meets their standard of entertainment. It is therefore our responsibility to ensure that through Ytv, DStv Botswana subscribers are offered value-for-money television entertainment that meets and exceeds their television entertainment needs that rivals that of the other channels on the platform.”

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Spotlight falls on gender-based violence

The Spotlight Initiative, a joint European Union/United Nations initiative in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and the Foundation for Resilient Empowerment & Development, has unveiled a film about gender-based violence (GBV).

Deafening Silence

Deafening Silence delves into the realms of societal transformation and explores themes of gender equality, empowerment, and sex- and gender-based violence in Nigeria. Its aim is to spark conversations and create awareness around gender/social norms and its challenges and the societal impact of GBV on women and girls.

The film’s cast includes Kate Henshaw, Bimbo Akintola, Pere Egbi, Toni Tones, Chidi Mokeme, Susan Peters and Femi Jacobs.

Henshaw said: “Many victims have endured silence for too long and it’s important we speak out for them, whether they are close to us or strangers.”

Directed by Biodun Stephen (Introducing the Kujus) and produced by Emem Isong Misodi, the film serves as a platform to give a voice to survivors who have faced various forms of abuse.

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Abiola’s supernatural thriller set for 2024

Agemo, a supernatural thriller film from Nigerian director Moshood Abiola Obatula, is set to debut next year.

Agemo

Agemo is written by Esther Olayinka, directed by Obatula and coproduced by Adewale Obatula, Oluwashina Olanrewaju and Saheed Busari.

In the film, a young woman decodes cryptic messages from a mysterious old lady within a haunted house, and stumbles upon dark secrets from her town’s past.

The narrative delves into the themes of manipulation, power dynamics and the repercussions of exploiting vulnerable individuals. It brings attention to issues like manipulation, secrecy and the exploitation of the less privileged by those in authoritative positions, exposing concealed agendas within contemporary society.

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Showmax takes Flawsome to S2

Dami Elebe is the lead writer on Flawsome S2

MultiChoice-backed African video-on-demand service Showmax has ordered a second season of drama series Flawsome.

The streamer, which is now also backed by US cable giant Comcast, revealed the news alongside announcing that award-winning Nigerian screenwriter Dami Elebe would be head writer on the new season.

Season one of Flawsome delved into the lives of diverse characters navigating life’s challenges and triumphs, revealing the strong bonds that held four female friends together despite their flaws.

The cast is led by Bisola Aiyeola (Sugar Rush), Ini Dima-Okojie (Blood Sisters), Sharon Ooja (Òlòtūré) and Enado Odigie (Unmarried).

Elebe is known for series including Skinny Girl in Transit, The Men’s Club, Rumor Has It and Far From Home.

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MultiChoice, BBC extend partnership in SA

African pay TV operator MultiChoice Group and UK-based BBC Studios have collaborated to expand reach of the BBC’s channels on MultiChoice-owned satellite TV platform DStv in South Africa.

Pierre Cloete

Through this deal, BBC UKTV, a multi-genre channel from BBC Studios, will be added to South Africa’s DStv Compact package. The move provides around eight million families in South Africa access to a variety of entertainment shows, natural history series, soaps and children’s programmes from BBC Studios’ award-winning catalogue.

Furthermore, BBC Lifestyle will join the DStv Family package for the first time next month, offering programming including The Great South African Bake Off S4, Listing Jozi, Jamie Oliver: Cooking for Less, Come Dine With Me South Africa S9 and Britain’s Most Expensive House S2.

DStv audiences will have access to the content for longer, with the catch-up window on BBC-owned content being extended from 30 days to 60 days from September 1.

Pierre Cloete, commercial director at BBC Studios in Africa, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with MultiChoice and are proud of our six incredible BBC channels on the DStv platform. Each channel offers something for everyone with broad genre, trusted quality and international and local talent.

“This will give even more people in South Africa access to the very best BBC content, and I can’t wait for new audiences to find their new favourite shows.”

Arran Tindall, chief commercial officer and exec VP for EMEA key markets at BBC Studios, added: “Adding BBC Lifestyle to Family and BBC UKTV to Compact enables us to reach wider audiences, utilising the richness of the BBC’s content and providing more DStv subscribers access to award-winning shows.”

Georginah Machiridza, executive head of general entertainment channels at MultiChoice Group, said: “We continue to strengthen our content offering. Therefore, we are excited about broadening the content scope for our customers.”

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Showmax apprehends The Outlaws

Tshedza Pictures production The Outlaws

MultiChoice-owned African video-on-demand service Showmax is set to debut a new locally produced series named The Outlaws.

From Johannesburg-based Tshedza Pictures, The Outlaws is set on the border between Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal. It tells the story of two families at war with each other: the Zulu cattle-farming Biyelas and the Basotho cattle-raiding Tseoles.

The show stars Lehlohonolo Mayeza, Mmabatho Mogomotsi, Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku, Nolwazi Shange, Siyabonga Shibe, Mnqobi Kunene, Mmabatho Mogomotsi and Thembinkosi Mthembu. It will premiere on September 6.

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Small World gets Note for Note rights

Note for Note’s Emo Adams and DJ Shelly (Rochelle de Bruyn)

US distributor and formats sourcing company Small World IFT has acquired the international licensing rights to South African musical game show Note for Note aka Noot vir Noot.

Originally created in 1991 by Johan Stemmet and Johan van Resburg from Johannesburg-based prodco Stemmburg Television, Note for Note has screened on SABC in South Africa for 47 seasons and 750 episodes.

It is the longest continually running gameshow in South Africa and Africa. The presenter is musician Emo Adams, with resident DJ Shelly (Rochelle de Bruyn) providing musical clues.

The show sees contestants attempt to identify melodies, titles, lyrics and general knowledge based on both the local and international music scene.

Founded in 2005, Small World IFT has previously distributed the rights to formats such as I Survived a Japanese Game Show, Better Late than Never, and South Korea’s Grandpas Over Flowers.

“I love finding new entertainment properties in places others don’t dig into,” said Tim Crescenti, co-owner at Small World IFT.

“Noot vir Noot is such a fun, family show. Add in those super-crazy numbers of episodes with so many different fantastic games, and this is exactly what viewers are craving around the world.”

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OUTtv preps first South African original

The G-List comes from The Red Pill Productions

LGBTQ+ television and streaming service OUTtv has commissioned its first South African original series, reality format The G-List.

Produced by The Red Pill Productions, the unscripted series is set in Johannesburg and is scheduled to start production this month.

It follows three of the city’s gay influencers, Kyle Clarke, DJ Lula Odiba and Mthaux, as they explore topics such as identity, love, friendship and fame.

The G-list will be released on OUTtv’s broadcast and streaming services worldwide and on Openview’s Ultraview service this autumn.

Philip Webb, chief operating officer of OUTtv, said: “South Africa is an emerging market for us and also home to an incredibly rich, dynamic and culturally vibrant queer community which we are excited to be showcasing through The G-List.”

Dale Jacobs, production lead for The Red Pill Productions, added: “We will challenge preconceived notions, celebrate diversity and uplift the power of self-expression, creating a global platform for amplifying LGBTQ+ voices in South Africa.”

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Canal+ gets Saudi league in France, Africa

A host of high-profile footballers and managers have joined Saudi clubs in recent months

French pay TV outfit Canal+ Group has secured the rights to broadcast Saudi Pro League football in France and across Africa for the next two seasons.

Starting with the 2023/24 season, which kicks off this weekend, Canal+ will present two matches per week in the French regions and African territories on its Canal+ sports channels, myCanal platform and social media networks.

Thomas Sénécal, director of sports at Canal+ Group, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer this brand new soccer league exclusively to Canal+ subscribers. The Saudi Pro League brings together a line-up of prestigious players that we’ll be able to see every week on our channels and in our programmes such as Canal Football Club.

“We’re looking forward to following some of the world’s biggest star –  Ballon d’Or winners Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, World Cup champion N’Golo Kanté and Sadio Mané – in this fast-developing league.”

With this addition, the Saudi league joins the expansive Canal+ football portfolio, which already includes significant competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League, D1 Arkema and Ligue 1.

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Durban FilmMart 2023 winners revealed

Prize winners assemble for a photo at the Durban FilmMart 2023

African filmmakers received awards at the recently concluded Durban FilmMart in South Africa, with the four-day event based on the theme of African constellations.

The 14th edition took place from July 21 to 24 and featured more than 28 official projects, in addition to seven partner projects.

The winning projects included Showmax series Jua Kali, directed by Kenyan filmmaker Joash Omondi; eight-episode 2D animated series Boy Boi, produced by Shadrack Munene and director J Njogu Macharia; and movie Graft, produced by Zimbabwean filmmaker Sue-Ellen Chitunya.

Other winning projects included Coconut, directed by South African filmmaker Karabo Lediga, and documentary Beyond Fela, produced by Nigerian film director Aderonke Adeola.

The Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs award of C$1,000 (US$745) was presented to Cameroonian documentary The Circuit, produced by Martinel Nemalieu and directed by Arice Siapi, while The Red Sea Development Grant of US$10,000 was presented to South African feature film Nomvelo & the Wolf, produced by Leanne Gail Kumalo and directed by Lindokuhle Langa.

The Sisters in Cinema Filmmakers Sustainability Award of US$2,500 was presented to South African documentary Eaglette – A Superstar Erased, produced by Thandi Davids and directed by Beverley Ditsie, while NFVF Best Non-Fiction was presented to Moroccan documentary Flying Like a Bird.

Magdalene Reddy, director of the Durban FilmMart Institute, said: “We are delighted to have hosted a diverse array of industry professionals from around the world for our in-person event, while also making select sessions available online.

“The outstanding calibre of the physical programme presentations and film projects once again underscored the exceptional talent present on our continent. We are hugely grateful to our partners from across the globe for helping DFM celebrate African storytellers, producers and content creators.”

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Nolly Africa HD debuts on Plex

Free, ad-supported streaming TV channel Nolly Africa HD, owned by international Nollywood broadcaster African Movie Channel (AMC), is now streaming on global entertainment platform Plex.

The 24-hour premium channel airs curated English-language Nollywood movies as well as African TV series, talkshows, reality series, crime thrillers, dramas and more.

The collaboration between Nolly Africa HD and Plex was made possible by a joint distribution agreement with Amagi, a cloud-based company in the connected TV and broadcast industries.

AMC founding director Yinka Mayungbo said: “AMC has always strived to be the leading Nollywood entertainment provider and we continue to achieve this through notable expansion. We are honoured to announce Plex as our newest partner. We are proud of our reputation for producing truly authentic Nollywood programming and are delighted that our stories are now available to Plex’s audiences.”

Shawn Eldridge, VP of business development and content at Plex, added: “We’re excited to partner with African Movie Channel to bring Nollywood entertainment to our growing Plex audience.”

Nolly Africa HD now airs on the Plex mobile app, free-to-stream website and the Plex app, which is available on several streaming platforms, including Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and smart TVs.

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Netflix to premiere new Femi Adebayo film

Jagun Jagun will debut on August 10

Global streamer platform Netflix is set to debut the latest movie from Nollywood actor and filmmaker Femi Adebayo next month.

Yoruba epic Jagun Jagun will land on Netflix on August 10. It follows a young man who,  determined to become a powerful warrior, joins an elite army and encounters the wrath of a maniacal warlord and the love of a fierce woman.

Directed by Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani, the film stars Nollywood actors Ibrahim Yekini Itele, Fathia Balogun, Debo Adebayo, Lateef Adedimeji and Bukunmi Oluwashina.

Femi Adebayo’s most recent movie was last year’s King of Thieves (aka Agẹṣinkólé) , produced by the filmmaker’s prodco Euphoria360 Media and coproduced by Niyi Akinmolayan’s Anthill Studios.

“The dream was to surpass Agẹṣinkólé in every [way],” Femi Adebayo said. “It almost seemed impossible because people kept asking, ‘What else could be bigger than Agẹṣinkólé?’ Well, it happened. We beat our record! We made a didactic story about life, power, people, change, chance and purpose.

“We made a story that talks about the two important days of our lives as humans – the day we were born and the day we find out why we were born. Ladies and gentlemen, we made Jagun Jagun! This movie made warriors of us; it called to our inner strength – and we answered. There is a fighter in all of us. What calls to your inner warrior?”

 

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Anikulapo sequel series wraps production

Production has wrapped on Nigerian actor, producer and director Kunle Afolayan’s latest project, Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre, which serves as a sequel to 2022 Netflix movie Anikulapo.

Kunle Afolayan

Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre is a four-part original series written by Sola Dada and produced by Afolayan’s KAP Motion Pictures in collaboration with Lagos studio Golden Effects Pictures. It takes viewers on a journey through time, exploring the concept of reincarnation and the idea that souls are connected across lifetimes.

The cast includes Bimbo Ademoye, Sola Sobowale, Lateef Adedimeji and Gabriel Afolayan.

Afolayan said: “It’s officially a wrap on the set of Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre. Congratulations to all the cast and crew. We hope it resonates, entertains and sparks conversations that go beyond the cinema screen.

”Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre has been a labour of love, combining the extraordinary vision of my humble self, the writer Sola Dada, the exceptional talent of our actors and the expertise of our production team. We are confident the final result will captivate and leave a lasting impression.”

Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre will be released later in the year as a Netflix original series.

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Wildscreen, BBCS launch Tanzania festival

Conservation charity Wildscreen, BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit (NHU) and non-profit organisation Afrisos have partnered to launch an event titled Wildscreen Festival Tanzania.

Lucie Muir

The festival will take place on June 7-8 in the East African city of Arusha and will enhance NHU’s partnership with Wildscreen, following its role as the headline sponsor of last year’s Wildscreen Nairobi Festival, according to the backers.

Wildscreen Festival Tanzania will open its doors to aspiring and established professionals from the African film industry and participants from the global natural history film sector. In addition, African storytellers and filmmakers will have the opportunity to share their insights and expertise alongside prominent figures from the global industry. There will be keynote speeches, panels, workshops, commissioning sessions and networking opportunities.

The event’s programming will receive support from a festival advisory board chaired by Faith Musembi, producer/director at the NHU. It will precede Wildscreen’s biannual global festival, scheduled to take place in Bristol, England from October 14 to 18.

Wildscreen CEO Lucie Muir said: “There were so many tangible impacts off the back of the inaugural event in Nairobi last year, whether it be connections, jobs, film funding or simply demystifying how the wildlife factual genre works. We want to build on that energy and momentum, to support a more equitable international wildlife storytelling community.”

Jonny Keeling, head of the NHU, added: “Following the success of Nairobi last year, we are excited to partner with Wildscreen again to celebrate and recognise the role of African storytellers in the world of wildlife filmmaking. Supporting in-country talent is key to building a more inclusive and sustainable industry. This event promises to bring together programme makers from across the African continent to share new ideas and new opportunities.”

Jigar Ganatra, chairman of Afrisos, said: “Over the last few years, there has been an upswell of authentic storytellers from the continent who have shown immense talent in the wildlife filmmaking industry. The energy for raising our voices for the world to hear and see our perspectives as Africans has led to a refreshed wave of natural world storytelling.

“As a local community of filmmakers and photographers, we are electrified by the fact that our work is being acclaimed internationally, and now, for the first time, the big players are coming to our doorstep to celebrate our achievements and pave a path for future collaborations. It’s about time a bridge is built between African wildlife filmmakers and the international industry – Wildscreen Tanzania promises to be that bridge.”

Wildscreen’s first festival outside of the UK was in June 2023 in Nairobi, which showcased 35 speakers, all of whom shared their expertise and experience as African storytellers with an audience of over 200 industry professionals. Last year, Wildscreen initiated trials for three global hubs located in Nairobi, Cape Town and Bangalore, with the East African hub surpassing expectations and reaching remarkable levels of success, according to the company.

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KwaZulu-Natal win Clash of the Choirs S4

Team KwaZulu-Natal pose after winning Clash of the Choirs

Team KwaZulu-Natal, a singing group led by choirmaster Ntencane, have won the fourth season of South Africa’s version of Banijay reality singing format Clash of the Choirs.

Across 13 weeks on MultiChoice-owned channel M-Net, nine teams competed for a chance to win the R1m (US$54,000) grand prize.

Team KwaZulu-Natal emerged victorious and were awarded the R1m as well as a R250,000 donation to a charity of their choice. They chose the Ntenga Foundation, whose focus is on youth, water, sanitation and entrepreneurship.

Shirley Adonisi, director of local entertainment channels at M-Net, said: “We would like to congratulate Ntencane and Team KwaZulu-Natal on this win. They along with every choir and choirmaster who took part in this season reminded us of the impressive creativity our artists possess. It was a pleasure to watch them perform incredible renditions of local songs every week.

“It’s been an exciting season of Clash of the Choirs SA, one that allowed us to show the depth and breadth of raw, true talent we have throughout the country, ready to shine on stage given the opportunity. We hope some new musical careers are able to bloom going forward.”

Clash of the Choirs is based on a format devised by Swedish singer Caroline af Ugglas and prodco Friday TV and is produced locally by Goat Originals. The executive producers are Jemma Ford and Graeme Swanepoel. The series producer is Vanessa Tloubatla and the director is Bongani Morgan.

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