AFP Dispatch

HBF+Europe Co-Production Support Projects Announced: Nigeria, Morocco, Ethiopia Repped

The Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) is the international co-financing arm of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), supporting filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe.

March 17, 2026

March 16, 2026

Film, Television

South Africa's 19th Annual SAFTAs Honor the Best of the Country's Screen Industry

The 19th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) wrapped up over two nights, 13–14 March 2026, at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, with Tshedza Pictures walking away as the night's biggest winner.

March 16, 2026

19th Annual SAFTAs winners collage — Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, March 2026

What “Africa” Meant in Next Narrative Africa Fund’s First Slate

Tambay Obenson analyzes the inaugural cohort of Akunna Cook's Next Narrative Africa Fund — what the nine selected projects reveal about the fund's priorities, and why the announcement has landed so differently among filmmakers on the continent versus those in diaspora circles.

Lakantane, La Méduse Heads to Vues d'Afrique Festival in Montreal

Angèle Diabang and Kismath Baguiri's Senegal-Benin series "Lakantane, la méduse" heads to the 42nd Festival international de cinéma Vues d'Afrique in Montreal, with screenings on April 5 and April 8, 2026.

Official poster for Lakantane: La méduse, the Senegal-Benin co-production series directed by Angèle Diabang

Baxu Maam Incubator Announces Six Producers Selected for Inaugural 2026 West African Cohort

The Baxu Maam Incubator has named the six producers selected for its inaugural 2026 cohort — a West African regional program conceived by Yetu (Un)Limited and supported by the French Embassy in Guinea, with mentorship from Angèle Diabang and Solmaz Azizi.

2026 BM Access Participants — Baxu Maam Incubator inaugural West African cohort: Kalista Sy, Gahité Fofana, Pedro Soulé, Amdy Moustapha, Mada Ndiaye, Med Leminme Rajel

Eritrea Announces Inaugural Asmara Film Festival, March 21–29, 2026

Eritrea's Commission of Culture and Sports has announced the country's first-ever film festival — the Asmara Film Festival — running March 21 to 29, 2026, under the theme "Renaissance of Film in Eritrea." The government-backed event will screen 55 selected films at four historic cinemas in the capital.

Next Narrative Africa Fund Announces First Nine Projects, Deploys $50M Framework

Akunna Cook's Next Narrative Africa Fund has named its inaugural cohort of nine film and television projects, the first wave of what the organization says will be $50 million in content funding over five years.

Canal+'s FY2025 Earnings Put Its Post-MultiChoice Acquisition Africa Plan Into View

Canal+'s March 11, 2026 earnings call gave one of the clearest public views yet of what the company is dealing with in Africa after completing its acquisition of MultiChoice in late 2025 — two very different positions inside the same business.

Canal+ and MultiChoice — Africa presents a very compelling long-term growth opportunity

Namibia Film Week 2026: What's On and Who's Talking

The Namibia Film Commission runs the 5th edition of The Film Week from 12 to 15 March 2026 at NUST in Windhoek — 140 films from 21 African countries, free screenings daily, and a packed industry programme of workshops, panels, and masterclasses.

March 10, 2026

Ghanaian Activist Ousman Umar's "North to Paradise" Heads to Buyers

Directed by Dani Sancho and brought to market by Latido Films, the feature traces Umar's journey from Ghana to Barcelona — starring Victor Sey, Benjamin Kakraba, Emma Vilarasau, and Umar as his adult self.

March 10, 2026

A still from North to Paradise — Latido Films

TV5MONDE Launches "Une femme à Kosyam," a Burkinabè Political Series

TV5MONDE spotlights the new Burkinabè political series created, directed, and produced by Serge Armel Sawadogo — a story of a woman who becomes president of Burkina Faso and confronts pressure, manipulation, and foreign interests tied to oil.

Une femme à Kosyam — Burkinabè political series on TV5MONDE

Film, Television, Digital Media

Realness Institute Names New Board and Alumni Advisory Council in Sustainability Push

The Cape Town-based organization has announced a new board and nine-member alumni advisory sub-committee, framing the move as part of a new phase of long-term institutional sustainability after a decade of program work.

Realness Institute announces new board and alumni advisory council

March 6, 2026

The Showmax Shutdown: Confusion, Reaction, Clarification

Showmax subscribers received an unexpected email confirming the service will shut down "in the near future." Across the continent, the reaction from industry professionals and consumers has been confusion, frustration, and a creeping sense that the closure is part of a larger structural breakdown. AFP's three partners separate what can be verified from what remains uncertain.

March 6, 2026

Canal+ and Showmax logos with text: The Showmax Shutdown: Confusion, Reaction, Clarification

Canal+ Moves to Shut Down Showmax After Years of Losses

Canal+ and MultiChoice have confirmed that Showmax will be discontinued. Subscribers received notice on March 5 that the service will shut down "in the near future." Akoroko examines the legal, financial, and strategic implications — including the NBCUniversal joint venture unwind, content licensing obligations, and the Canal+/Netflix bundle as the likely endgame.

Canal+ Shutting Down MultiChoice Streamer Showmax

Ghana's Akwaaba Magic Celebrates 5th Anniversary

Akwaaba Magic, the Ghanaian entertainment channel operated by MultiChoice Ghana, celebrated its 5th anniversary on March 3, 2026, at the company's head office in Accra.

Akwaaba Magic 5th anniversary celebration at MultiChoice Ghana head office in Accra, with channel head Nosisa Doe and cast members on the red carpet

March 3, 2026

Joburg Film Festival 2026: Opening Day Overview — Programme, Industry Platform, and Context

Eight years in, the Joburg Film Festival has developed a curation that few events on the continent match — a blend of international and African films tethered to a serious industry programme, hosted in the commercial and creative heart of South Africa's screen sector.

March 3, 2026

Trailer: "Eagles of the Republic" Lands in U.S. Cinemas April 17 via Cohen Media Group

Trailer debut for "Eagles of the Republic," directed by Tarik Saleh. The political thriller lands in U.S. cinemas on April 17, 2026, via Cohen Media Group.

Eagles of the Republic - Official Trailer poster featuring Fares Fares

Janus Films Acquires U.S. Rights to "Dao" Following Berlinale Competition Premiere

Janus Films has acquired U.S. distribution rights to "Dao," directed by Alain Gomis, following its premiere in Competition at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.