Reportage Africa

Finding financing, meeting producers, convincing partners: for many directors, everything is at stake even before filming begins. Due to a lack of strong structures in their countries, many African filmmakers still come to Europe in search of these opportunities, where a large part of the networks and financing are concentrated. In Paris, several projects led by directors from the continent are currently being supported to try to overcome this decisive step.

Autour d’un café, professionals in the sector and invited guests discover each year the projects of filmmakers and producers from Southern countries. They are ten chosen out of a hundred applications. A selection in which Africa plays a significant role, as explained by Eva Nguyen Binh, president of the French Institute: “Africa accounts for a third of the projects accepted by Fabrique Cinéma. Our goal is to support these talents with exchanges, experiences, master classes, and to connect them with the French ecosystem.”

Filmmakers and producers at the beginning of their careers are accompanied at a critical moment in their journey, where they must learn to stand out in a competitive market. “They learn how to sell their project, because cinema is not only artistic creation, but it’s also a market. So they must face this international market,” emphasizes a speaker.

For these filmmakers, the first step is often the Cannes Film Festival, an important opportunity to find partners and financing. Their films often express a sense of urgency, with stories rooted in strong social and political realities. Emilie Pianta, head of the Fabrique Cinéma program, explains this trend: “As these are debut films, directors put everything into them. They are films with high political and social stakes, expressing a demand for more social justice and the fight against discrimination.”

Once back in their countries, some continue this experience by passing on what they have learned. But behind this support, a question lingers: can these programs alone help structure the film sector on the continent in the long run? For Franco-Senegalese producer Jean Fall, the answer is nuanced:

“Fabrique Cinéma is one of the programs that have been supporting African cinema for years. But unfortunately, it’s not enough. The problem is that we still don’t have a real circulation of films in terms of distribution between African countries. Films still rely on festival selections to find a buyer, and producers themselves depend on external financing for their works.”

An observation that raises questions, as the ultimate goal is to see more autonomous local networks emerge. “The greatest success would be that they no longer need us,” concludes Eva Nguyen Binh.

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