Best Practices for Non-African Entities Working in the African Screen Sector
July 20, 2024
To All Stakeholders in the Global Screen Industry,
We, the East African Screen Collective (EASC) - a coalition of companies and organizations advocating for narrative sovereignty in the screen-based sectors in Eastern Africa—write to address the essential practices and guidelines for non-African entities operating cultural funding, training, and research programs on the African continent. The extractive practices enabling non-African entities to sidestep involving African sectoral leaders in meaningful ways should and must stop.
Supporting African leadership, ownership, and control of the African screen sector is vital to dismantling colonial influences and fostering genuine narrative sovereignty, stability, and growth. Historically and currently, many of the funds and programs for the African screen industry are managed primarily from Europe, with limited engagement with/of African professionals.
Prioritizing genuine African governance and engagement from inception to evaluation ensures programs are responsive to the needs on the ground, culturally resonant, relevant, and designed to deliver meaningful long-term results. Empowering African and African diaspora professionals in critical roles shifts power and access back to African communities. This approach promotes the stabilization and growth of the African screen sector, paving the way for equitable and sustainable contributions to the global screen sector landscape.
As such, EASC presents twelve recommendations to institutions who manage or fund training initiatives, market/export programs and funding schemes in Africa to support an inclusive shift to recenter the growth of the sector into African hands on the continent:
African Ownership of Content: Ensure that African-owned and controlled companies retain majority or delegate ownership of content supported through labs, markets, and funding initiatives. This will support the retention of IP in African entities and promote their growth.
African Jurors: Selective funds and programs should establish selection committees of African jurors/selectors. This practice ensures a jury of our peers' approach to adjudication and connects projects to the wealth of African decision-makers and industry leaders.
African-Led Research With Fair Compensation: Research initiatives conducted on the continent should be led by African researchers with lived experience. This practice ensures that researchers are well-versed in local cultural contexts and norms, ensuring methodologies are adapted appropriately and respectfully. Additionally, African interviewees and research participants must be fairly compensated for their contributions, preventing the exploitation of free labour and recognizing the value of their expertise and time.
Cultural Sensitivity in Research Methodology: Research in Africa should be culturally sensitive, inclusive of local norms, and conducted using methodologies tailored to respect local customs and traditions. Researchers must engage with local communities to understand and incorporate their perspectives.
African Leadership in Training Programs: Labs, workshops, and other training programs must be designed and led by African sectoral leaders and experts as heads of studies, administrators, or curators with first-hand lived experience working in the local contexts. This leadership guarantees that the training content is relevant, culturally appropriate, and beneficial to the local industry.
Curriculum Focused on African IP Retention and Narrative Sovereignty: Training curriculums must prioritize African intellectual property (IP) retention, narrative story sovereignty, fostering regional collaboration and inclusive co-production models. These curriculums should not reinforce long-held colonial approaches to filmmaking and co-production, instead fostering practices that respect and elevate African perspectives and control.
Inclusive Markets and Export Missions: Inbound and outbound markets and export missions must include African buyers and decision-makers to ensure African content has adequate representation and opportunities for international distribution. This inclusion supports the 360 growth of the continent's screen industries.
Genuine Partnerships and Joint Collaborations: Non-African entities should engage in reciprocal partnerships that allow African institutions to lead or jointly design/operate programs. Collaborative efforts must be structured to ensure shared decision-making and joint ownership of programs, including shared budget decision-making.
Prioritizing African Mentors, Script Editors, and Trainers: Labs and workshops targeting African screen sector members must prioritize hiring African mentors, script editors, trainers, and other vital roles. This ensures that guidance and training are grounded in local contexts and that African professionals have prominent roles in shaping the industry.
Donor Funding for African Organizations: Donor funding on the continent should be allocated exclusively to African-owned and controlled organizations. This ensures that financial resources are managed by entities that understand the local landscape and supports the sustainable development of the African screen sector.
African Leadership: Organizations based in Europe, Asia, or North America that operate training, funding or market programs for Africans must prioritize hiring African and African diaspora leadership to design and deliver these programs within their institutions. Non-African program leaders should work to sunset their roles and undertake succession planning for transition to African staff. Additionally, there should be a deliberate effort to prioritize the hiring of African and Black staff in the programs.
Anti-Racism and Inclusion Training: To foster an inclusive and anti-racist work environment, it is essential for non-African staff to undergo deep and meaningful ongoing training on anti-racism, inclusion, and intersectionality as an integral part of their work. This training should be comprehensive and regularly updated to ensure continuous learning and awareness of diverse perspectives and experiences.
We believe these recommendations are crucial guidelines for creating a fair, equitable, and thriving screen industry in Africa. We invite all stakeholders to join us in implementing these guidelines and supporting the growth of Africa's equitable and culturally rich screen sector.
Signed by the East African Screen Collective (EASC)
Co-signed in solidarity by:
Tamara Dawit, General Manager, Gobez Media
Amil Shivji, Director, Kijiweni Productions
Peter Mudamba Mudamba, General Manager, Docubox - EADFF
Mehret Mandefro, Executive Producer, A51 Films
Mohamed Saïd Ouma, Executive director, Documentary Africa
Emily Wanja - Ground Volume Internantional
Samuel Tebandeke, Managing Director, Kiasi Productions Limited
Fibby Kioria, Co Founder & Director, Manyatta Screenings
Yirgashewa Teshome Managing Director, Ethiopian International Film Festival
Ng’endo Mukii, independent Writer and Director, Ng’endo Studios.
Mandisa Zitha, Director, Encounters South African International Documentary Festival
Samuel Tebandeke, Project Lead, Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab
Perivi Katjavivi, Old Location Films (Namibia)
Hawa Essuman, independent filmmaker
Perivi John Katjavivi
Maia - Circle and Square Productions
Karanja Ng'endo , Director , Purple Mango Pictures
Mai El-Gammal
Gertrud Reusing
Sihle Hlophe, Executive Producer, Passion Seed Communications
Imruh Bakari
Iqbal Dewji, Editor, Khojawiki.org
Lydia Matata, Director and Producer, The Film and Laundry Company
Abubakar Mwenda, Creative Director, Afro Blak Studios
Wanjeri Gakuru, Independent Kenyan Filmmaker
Dylan Habil, Founder, ALLDAY STUDIOS
Michelel Sohn, Director, Confluence
Zwangendaba Mtshali
Lara Sousa / Kulunga Filmes
Joshua Faber - C.E.O Nyumbani Films
Nsindiso Mngun, Black Mirror production
Salym Fayad MUICA African Film Festival in Colombia
Mbuso Langa, Managing Director
Veronica
Denis Onyodi, Director, GlobeVideo
Andreas Rothbauer, Co-Managing Director Picture Tree International GmbH
Manon LAVAUD - Producer - Muja Films
Jake Wiafe, Little Dot Studios
Thomas Kalume, Executive Producer, Fat Rain Films
Mikias Mulugeta, African Networks Coordinator, Focus On Ability International Short Film Festival
Leul Shoaferaw, Co-Founder/Managing Director, WAG Entertainment
Kekulu Portia Nyoni, Director, Porch Productions
Andile Khumalo, Managing Director, Afro Kingdom Holdings
Dantez Mwendwa
Lauren Rosenberg, Freelance Consultant
Samukelisiwe Khanyisile Nyawo, Producer, XkaNyawo Films
Tshililo waha Muzila, Director, Masanani Productions
Ekwa Msangi, CEO E-pic Film Productions, Inc
Liza Aziz, CEO Alternative Action Films (Pty) Ltd
Wilfred Kiumi - CEO and Founder, Vumi and ADMI
Njoroge Mbui, Creative Producer - Troglodyte Works
Jacqueline Rainers-Setai
Dhia JERBI, Producer, MUJA FILMS
Silas Miami
Edmund Mhlongo, K-CAP
Simanga Cibane /Mangamanga Business Production
Emilie Pianta Essadi, Head of CCI International Mobility
MTHETHE ENTERTAINMENT (PTY) L.T.D
Fidel Namisi, Namworld Productions.
Mosa Kuape, Founder and CEO, Inclusive Fashion Lesotho
Okuhle Dyosopu, Film Director, The Outsider Production
Jean Marie Teno, Les Films du Raphia
Meena Nanji, filmmaker and educator, Twende Pictures
TJ, Founder of NOSTALGIC MOTIONS
Heidi Gibson, Journalist
Marco Antonio Orsini, IEFTA
Daisy Masembe
Mizero Kabano Yannick, Head of Operations, Imitana Productions
Semulema Daniel, Managing Director, Dabbo D Films
Patrick Mahlasera, Founder, Zimwriter Productions
Morning Star Film Production, Mosonngoa Gift Lemena
Mosonngoa Gift Lemena Morning Star Film Production
Lebetha Kutlo Raditladi , Creative Director, Page 21 Production