MIPAfrica was launched on Monday and is specifically focused on the television and digital content industry for the African market.
Speaking at the opening of MIPAfrica on Monday, MultiChoice Group CEO General Entertainment, Nomsa Philiso, announced that African films and TV series are reaching audiences around the world more than ever before.
“The African film industry is likely on the brink of a global breakthrough,” says Philiso. “We are already seeing this with Afrobeat, Amapiano and African music in general.”
MIPAfrica showcases African content
MIPAfrica is an event focused on the television and digital content industry, specifically tailored for the African market.
It serves as a platform to showcase African content, facilitate networking and foster business opportunities between African and international media professionals.
The event will highlight the growing influence of African film, television and digital content on the global stage, providing a space for industry players to network, collaborate and explore new ventures.
Filiso highlighted some major achievements for African content over the past year.
- Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story It won the Audience Award at TriBeCa.
- Two sides It was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Sports Documentary.
- Catch the killer It became the first South African series to compete at SeriesMania and won a British Production Designers Guild Award.
- Wifey It was nominated for the Global Production Awards and Seoul Best TV Series Awards.
- Spinner It became the first African series to win the Cannes Film Festival award and won Best Foreign Series at the Magnolia Awards in Shanghai, topping its Emmy-winning final season. Inheritance.
African story becomes big hit at major studio
MultiChoice is also promoting African stories through its partnerships with MultiChoice Studios and distribution companies such as Abacus, AMC, Fremantle, StudioCanal and The Exchange, which is responsible for MIPAfrica's opening films. Solution.
Reika In 2022, it was the opening film of the Monte Carlo Television Festival. In 2022, it was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Drama and Best Actress for Kim Engelbrecht. Fremantle subsequently sold the series to more than 150 territories. Season 2, which premiered in February 2024, moved the setting to the port of Durban, and Fremantle again recorded strong sales.
Other success stories include:
- The Real Housewives of Durban The series is currently airing on platforms such as Hayu, Peacock, and Bravo, where it originally aired.
- Devil's Peak It is scheduled to be sold to Tubi for North America in January 2024.
- Catch the killerIt will be sold by Abacus to BritBox North America, UKTV and SBS Australia in February 2024.
- White Lie The film has been sold by Fremantle to Sundance Now in North America, reached #3 on STAN in Australia and recently aired on Channel 4 (UK).
- Spinner It aired in primetime on France's CANAL+, reached number six in the charts and was also sold to Globo Brasil, with a second season currently in production.
- A recipe for love and murderA Berlinale International Film Festival Series Market Select, has been sold by Acorn TV to UKTV's Alibi Channel, making the murder mystery available in 95 countries including Japan, including on the NHK Mystery Channel.
Continued focus on creating content for African audiences
Filiso stressed that while international success is important, MultiChoice's main focus is on producing content for African audiences.
“Africans, like everyone else, want to hear their language and see themselves reflected in what they watch,” she said.
“Since the relaunch in February, nine of Showmax’s 10 most-watched shows have been local. House of the Dragon To make an impact.”
As Africa's largest content producer, with a presence in 50 of the continent's 54 countries and telling stories in 45 languages, MultiChoice continues to lead the way in African storytelling. Recent successes include: Shaka Ilembethe most Googled TV series in South Africa last year. Big Brother Nigeria It received 1.8 billion votes. East African content is also thriving, with Showmax Originals Pepeta and Real Housewives of Nairobi It won the Viewers' Choice Award and Best Television Programme Award at the 2024 Kalasha Awards.
“We have been buying content from large global companies for decades. Now, as demand for African content grows, these relationships are becoming increasingly reciprocal. Our scale and track record make us the ideal partner in Africa for those as ambitious as we are to grow the global content sector.”
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