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A vibrant convergence celebrating the richness of African creativity, this spectacular event brought together key players from across the African and international realms of film, television, animation and music. Over the course of three days, attendees immersed themselves in transformative discussions, enriching content sessions, enlightening masterclasses and invaluable networking opportunities.

The overwhelming presence of exhibitors, speakers, collaborators, sponsors and delegates from all corners of Africa and beyond is a resounding testament to the enduring significance of Fame Week Africa and its associated events: MIP Africa, Cape Town International Animation Festival, and Muziki Africa. Through these offerings, Fame Week Africa has firmly established itself as an annual cornerstone for Africa’s creative and cultural communities, poised to drive positive change within the industry.

Fame Week Africa portfolio director Martin Hiller says: “Fame Week Africa has truly proven itself a game-changer in the African entertainment and media industry. The event’s success is a testament to the supreme talent, innovation and potential that our continent holds.

“It has not only showcased the best of African creativity, but also provided a unique platform for collaboration and growth. Here’s to the continued success of Fame Week Africa, shaping the future of our vibrant and dynamic entertainment landscape.”

Green with envy? Here’s what you missed!

Welcome

Monday kicked off with an inspiring performance from the University of Cape Town (UCT) Choir. At the opening ceremony, award-winning producer, director and actor, Kudi Maradzika presided and welcomed the host city of Cape Town and guest country, Canada. This was followed by inspiring messages from RX Africa CEO Carol Weaving, His Excellency Mr Chris Cooter, High Commissioner for Canada in South Africa, and Alderman JP Smith. The opening ceremony set the tone for a phenomenal event.

Adire – A Nollywood showcase by FilmOne Studios takes centre stage at MIP Africa

FilmOne, Nigeria’s leading film distribution and production company, made a powerful statement at MIP Africa with the exclusive screening of Adire, a ground-breaking Nollywood masterpiece. As FilmOne’s first original set against Ibadan’s vintage background, Adire follows a retired Lagos-based prostitute fleeing her past. Starring Kehinde Bankole and Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, Adire marks FilmOne’s transition to solely produced content.

MultiChoice ramping up investment in content creation

Following the success of shows like Shaka iLembe, and with the highly anticipated M-Net drama Devil’s Peak as part of a packed upcoming show slate, MultiChoice reaffirmed its commitment to investment in content creation over the next three years.

“In every market we serve, we are the highest investor in content development,” said Nicola van Niekerk, head of content for Premium Channels and co-productions at MultiChoice.

According to Van Niekerk, the 6,587 hours of local content that MultiChoice produced during the past fiscal year will be doubled over the next three years. This follows a recent agreement with the US-based media conglomerate Comcast to create a pan-Africa video streaming platform. It’s a deal that presents enormous growth opportunities for African storytellers and creators, and builds on MultiChoice’s existing footprint across some 50 markets.

While MultiChoice’s investment in local content also created tens of thousands of jobs in the past fiscal year, this number is also likely to increase.

Among the MultiChoice titles featured at Fame Week this year were the Showmax Originals Outlaws, as well as the highly anticipated Spinners, making its debut at the end of October, alongside M-Net’s television adaptation of Deon Meyer’s cop thriller, Devil’s Peak.

Devil’s Peak is produced by Lookout Point and Expanded Media Productions in association with MultiChoice Studios and BBC Studios Distribution. BBC Studios, who own Lookout Point, will also distribute the series internationally.

Devil’s Peak comes on the back of a slew of premium local M-Net hits, including Legacy, The Wife, Reyka, and Trackers – which is also based on a bestselling book by Meyer.

During a panel discussion on unlocking new opportunities in the local industry, Van Niekerk highlighted the success of hyperlocal shows, specifically naming documentaries like Rosemary’s Hitlist and Unfollowed, as well as dramas such as SAFTA-nominated Donkerbos, and the Spoorloos franchise.

Spinners premiere at Ster-Kinekor V&A Waterfront

Monday night saw the exclusive screening of Spinners, the eight-part drama series that will premiere across sub-Saharan Africa on Showmax on 8 November 2023, with new episodes on Wednesdays for the rest of the year, and on CANAL+ in Africa on 13 November 2023. StudioCanal is handling international sales.

Cape Town Animation Festival

The animation industry is thriving and the CTIAF set was full of new projects, ideas and pitches. Here are some of the highlights:

Mukudzei – Authenticity in a futuristic African city was the idea behind this amazing short film from the Kizazi Moto anthology. Tafadza Hove spoke in great detail about the blend of authentic Zimbabwe, reverence, spirituality and sense of community in a cyberpunk stylized environment.

WIA Connect in CT Breakfast – Women in Animation brought industry trailblazers together over breakfast. WIA empowers and advocates for women and people of under-represented gender identities in the art, technology, production, and business of animation.

Students Become the Masters – Ed Bell and Nathan Stanton reflected with humour on their early careers, how their paths crossed, and being at the right place at the right time.
Q&A went into overtime with the audience wanting more anecdotes and views into their creative culture.

Pitches Galore at CTIAF 2023 – Remarkable pitches were seen on the PPP platform as well as on the general stage. We hope these projects are all successfully funded, and we look forward to seeing them come to life in the very near future.

Women in Entertainment Power Breakfast

Presented by EarCandy and powered by the CTICC, women in entertainment came together for a powerful breakfast session. The legendary Nigerian media mogul Mo Abadu shared her journey to success, with invaluable insights and her dynamic passion for shaping the future of women in entertainment. We watched in awe the extraordinary synergy among these accomplished women, which exemplifies the notion that behind every successful woman is a community of equally successful women who steadfastly support their journey.

Canada

Fame Week Africa was not just a playground for Africa, but also international players. Canada was the official guest country in a partnership designed to provide marketing support to Canadian film, television and animation companies with their eyes on Africa.

Fame Week Africa had the pleasure of hosting the signing of the Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) and the Canadian Media Production Association memorandum of understanding concerning the mutual cooperation between the two organisations. This MOU will enable the sharing of information.

Fameous Party hosted at Cabo Beach Club

The Fameous Party is always a must attend event, and this year was no different. Hosted by eMedia, it was a star-studded occasion as industry icons gathered at Cabo Beach Club, to mingle, dance and relax.

Networking, networking, networking

Primedia Studios participated once more, offering a space for African creatives to take a moment between meetings to rest up in the Masterchef Kitchen, hydrate, grab some nourishment and chat with industry icons.

Hot on the heels of delivering the top-rating successes of ‘The Masked Singer SA’ and ‘Deal or No Deal SA’ on SABC, Primedia Studios now looks forward to engaging with the creative industry at MIP Africa. This is the perfect event for finding new, imaginative and pioneering content ideas in various genres: original scripted movies and series, non-scripted formats, animation and documentaries.

Another highlight was the Creative Leaders’ Networking Function, hosted by BBC Studios, which took place at the Cullinan Hotel and offered the opportunity for world-renowned experts and senior influencers from the creative and cultural sector to gather and discuss issues and developments in the industry.

Fame Shorts Film Festival at The Labia Theatre

The Fame Shorts Film Festival was a showcase of thought-provoking films from innovative and creative independent filmmakers from across the continent. With six categories judged by industry ground breakers, Fame Shorts Film Festival was the perfect platform for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their work and engage with industry professionals.

Vogue Nights Cape Town – District 6

Fame After Dark’s Vogue Nights in Cape Town was a true celebration of dance styles and culture that originated in the New York City’s ballroom era in the 1980s. It was a night of sheer energy, talent and diversity this iconic dance form comprises.

And… That’s all, folks!

If you weren’t there this year, Fame Week Africa will be back in 2024. To keep up with all things Fame Week Africa, such as speakers, content sessions and event updates, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook or visit our website.