Terms of Service

Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the African Film Press ("AFP," "we," "us," or "our") website and services, including Akoroko Premium subscriptions, intelligence reports, consultation services, advisory services, and all related content and functionality.

By accessing or using our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use our services.

Description of Services

AFP operates as a publishing and intelligence platform serving African and African diaspora film, television, and digital media ecosystems. Our services include the publication of intelligence dispatches and analysis through our alliance of platforms (Akoroko, Sinema Focus, and What Kept Me Up); Akoroko Premium, a subscription-based intelligence service providing in-depth analysis, project tracking, and professional reference materials; the African Screen Index (ASI), a comprehensive database tracking projects, talent, and institutional activity; consultation and advisory services for industry stakeholders, development financiers, and institutional partners; and the AFP Critics Prize program supporting African film criticism within international festival contexts.

User Accounts and Subscriptions

Account Registration

To access certain services, including Akoroko Premium, you may be required to create an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration process and to update such information to keep it accurate, current, and complete. You are responsible for safeguarding your account credentials and for any activities or actions under your account.

Subscription Terms

Akoroko Premium and other subscription services are billed on a recurring basis as specified at the time of purchase. By subscribing, you authorize us to charge your payment method on a recurring basis until you cancel your subscription. Subscription fees are non-refundable except as required by law or as expressly stated in these Terms. You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings or by contacting us at [email protected]. Cancellation will take effect at the end of your current billing period.

Intellectual Property Rights

All content published by AFP, including intelligence dispatches, analysis, reports, databases, graphics, logos, and other materials (collectively, "Content"), is owned by AFP or our licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. The Content is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of our Content without our prior written consent, except for your personal, non-commercial use or as expressly permitted by your subscription agreement. Subscribers to Akoroko Premium may download and retain Content for their professional reference, but may not redistribute such Content to third parties without our prior written consent.

User Conduct

You agree not to use our services to violate any applicable law or regulation; infringe the intellectual property rights of AFP or any third party; transmit any harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable material; interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of our services; attempt to gain unauthorized access to our services or related systems; or use our services for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent, except as expressly permitted by your subscription agreement.

Consultation and Advisory Services

AFP provides consultation and advisory services to industry stakeholders, development financiers, and institutional partners. The terms of such services, including scope, deliverables, fees, and timelines, will be set forth in separate written agreements. All consultation and advisory services are provided on an "as is" basis, and AFP makes no warranties or representations regarding the outcomes or results of such services.

Third-Party Links and Services

Our services may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by AFP. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. You acknowledge and agree that AFP shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services available on or through any such third-party websites or services.

Disclaimer of Warranties

Our services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or course of performance. AFP does not warrant that our services will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, or that defects will be corrected. AFP does not warrant or make any representations regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the Content or the results that may be obtained from the use of our services.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall AFP, its affiliates, directors, employees, or agents be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from your access to or use of or inability to access or use our services; any conduct or content of any third party on our services; or unauthorized access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content.

In no event shall AFP's total liability to you for all claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or our services exceed the amount you paid to AFP in the twelve months preceding the claim, or one hundred US dollars ($100), whichever is greater.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AFP, its affiliates, and their respective directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of our services, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of another party.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or our services shall be resolved through good faith negotiations between the parties. If the dispute cannot be resolved through negotiations, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, with the arbitration to be conducted in New York, New York.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, AFP may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property rights or confidential information.

Termination

We may terminate or suspend your account and access to our services immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including if you breach these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use our services will immediately cease. All provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify or replace these Terms at any time at our sole discretion. If a revision is material, we will provide at least 30 days' notice prior to any new terms taking effect. What constitutes a material change will be determined at our sole discretion. By continuing to access or use our services after any revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Terms.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected or impaired.

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other agreements expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and AFP regarding our services and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

African Film Press
Email: [email protected]