Tag Archives: MipAfrica

Nigeria honoured at FAME Week Africa 2024

Last year’s MipAfrica, which is part of FAME Week Africa

Nigeria has been selected as the Country of Honour for the third edition of creative media conference FAME Week Africa, which is set to take place from September 1-7, 2024.

The move recognises Nigeria’s significant contributions to the creative industries within Africa and on the global stage, according to the conference organisers, adding that Nigeria has become a trendsetter in the global creative arena, particularly in film, music and fashion.

Nigerian fashion labels such as Head of State, Tia Adeola and Oshobor garnered international acclaim at New York Fashion Week 2024, while Nigerian music stars Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Asake, Arya Starr and Odumodublvck continue to achieve worldwide success.

Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry is valued at over US$6.4bn and produces more than 2,500 films annually, making it a major player in global entertainment, second only to Bollywood in production volume.

FAME Week Africa 2024 will highlight Nigeria’s creative sector through a series of high-profile events designed to foster international collaboration, including exclusive screenings, panels on coproduction opportunities and a Nollywood-themed opening-night party. These events, organised in partnership with Nigeria’s National Council for Arts & Culture (NCAC), are aimed at showcasing the best of Nigeria’s creative industries.

The Nigeria Pavilion, organised by the NCAC, will serve as a networking hub for coproduction and distribution agreements, alongside other career-enhancing discussions. Throughout the week, it will host various activities celebrating Nigeria’s designation as the Country of Honour.

“The Country of Honour designation is a celebration of a nation’s rich culture and creativity,” said Martin Hiller, FAME Week Africa’s portfolio director. “Nigeria’s historical influence on African film, television, music and fashion is indisputable, and its recent rise on the global stage is undeniable. This year is the perfect time to spotlight Nigeria, and we have exciting plans in place to celebrate this spectacularly.”

Obi Asika, director general and CEO of the NCAC, added: “This recognition as the Country of Honour at FAME Week Africa is a tremendous opportunity for Nigeria to showcase our vibrant culture and abundant creativity. We are also keen to do business in collaboration with regional and global partners as we want to see our film and TV producers gain more market access, our fashion brands enter retail and our music reach live audiences across the continent.”

FAME Week Africa kicks off on September 1 with Nollywood Night at the Rockefeller Hotel. The event then moves to the Cape Town Convention Centre 2 from September 2-4 for MipAfrica, Muziki Africa and the African Fashion Forum, concluding with the FAME Shorts Festival from September 4-7.

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Ghettuba: tell African stories to the world

Netflix’s Dorothy Ghettuba told the MipAfrica conference this week about the need to take African stories around the world and to work with African creatives, and explained the streamer’s efforts to be inclusive.

Dorothy Ghettuba at MipAfrica

Ghettuba, director of African originals at Netflix, told the inaugural MipAfrica event in Cape Town, South Africa, that storytellers are important because they are the custodians of our history, present and the future. “We are responsible for preserving our culture, for showcasing our culture in whatever form you tell your story,” she said.

“If you look at Hollywood, it’s local American stories; in Bollywood, those are local Indian stories; and in Nollywood — I admire Nigerians saying, ‘This is the party, you are welcome to join’ — they are telling authentic Nigerian stories,” Ghettuba told delegates.

“We have found that the shows that do the best are the ones that are locally specific. There is an unwavering dedication to telling local stories and it is our responsibility to tell our stories to the world. Let us continue being brave, courageous and tell our stories to the rest of the world.”

She added that for an organisation like Netflix, being inclusive was key and a sound business decision because good stories come from around the world.

The streamer has embarked on a mission to get more African content on to its platform, including signing deals with Nigeria’s EbonyLife Media and John Boyega’s UpperRoom Productions.

African content on Netflix so far incudes spy thriller Queen Sono, teen drama Blood & Water, gangster drama King of Boys: The Return of the King, sci-fi animated series Team 4 and historic drama Amina.

On getting along with African creatives, Ghettuba suggested MipAfrica delegates try three things: “You need to honour them and respect them for their craft, you need to pay them well and pay them on time, and make sure our creatives are happy. They are doing what it is they need to do to tell the best stories.”

She added that she makes sure the team at Netflix have what they need to be able to help creatives do their best work.

MipAfrica is a market for film, television and digital content distribution and coproduction in Africa. The event joins event organiser RX’s portfolio of TV industry gatherings MipTV and Mipcom in France, plus MipCancun in Mexico and MipChina.

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