Quote:
Adham Youssef
Nov. 20, 2024.
The Cairo International Film Festival made a considerable effort this year to showcase the African continent’s storytelling diversity. The lineup include Mati Diop’s festival hit Dahomey, Anis Djaad’s Land of Vengeance from Algeria, and Mohamed Subahi’s militant documentry Madaniya from Sudan. Other highlights are Walid Mattar’s The Bridge from Tunisia, Bassam Mortada’s much-talked-about Abo Zaabal 89 from Egypt, and I’m Not Myself by Morocco’s Hicham El Jebbari. Madagascar’s Luck Razanajaona celebrates musical heritage with Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story, while Yasemin Samdereli offers an international Somali perspective in Samia. The festival’s Best African Feature Film award, including a $5,000 cash prize, will be announced at the festival’s closing.
In addition to a jury dedicated to African cinema, a panel on African Representation in Cinema drew much interest as part of Cairo Industry Days. Moderated by Variety writer and critic John Bleasdale, it featured award-winning director and producer Amjad Abu Alala, South African project coordinator of the Durban FilmMart Institute Faiza Williams, and Franco-Burkinabč producer, critic, and film consultant Claire Diao from Africa No Filter.
Diao noted that both international and some Arab audiences have a tendency to perceive Africa through negative stereotypes. She highlighted Africa No Filter’s efforts to reshape these narratives by providing two types of funding: US $5,000 for short films and $10,000 for feature-length projects. Africa No Filter iAs an organization committed to amplifying authentic, diverse African stories while challenging outdated perceptions. Through grants, research, and advocacy, it supports creators showcasing the continent’s cultural richness and innovation.
Diao emphasized that projects are selected based on positive representations. She recounted her experience growing up in Europe, where NGO campaigns frequently portrayed Africa through images of poverty, such as malnourished children. When she worked on a project featuring African characters using phones and speaking Portuguese, audiences were surprised, a reaction that reflects deeply ingrained stereotypes.
She also revealed plans for Africa No Filter to expand its support for filmmakers, increase funding, and introduce a program on distribution for African professionals.
Faiza Williams stressed the importance of fostering a new generation of African mentors to guide filmmakers in avoiding harmful stereotypes. She introduced the Future Mentors Programme, a Durban FilmMart Institute initiative aimed at addressing the shortage of mentors from Africa and its diaspora. The program seeks experienced film professionals who want to mentor aspiring filmmakers.
The Durban FilmMart, hosted at the Durban Film Festival, connects African filmmakers with global industry professionals, facilitating co-productions, funding, and creative collaboration. It provides a space for project pitches, workshops, and networking sessions, contributing to the growth of African cinema.
She also mentioned the DMF Business Lab, a 14-week program designed to equip emerging producers with financial, legal, and accounting knowledge to ensure sustainable filmmaking practices.
Amjad Abu Alala discussed challenges his films faced, such as the lack of recognition for Africa’s diversity, including Arab Africans and speakers of English, French, and Portuguese. He noted that international funding entities often expected film posters to depict poverty. As the producer of Goodbye Julia — a Sudanese drama exploring guilt and reconciliation — he shared how the film overcame such biases, earning accolades like the Freedom Award at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard in 2023, and Best Film at the El Gouna Film Festival.
While Diao stressed the need for African voices on film selection committees to promote diverse representation and discourage films that reinforce stereotypes, Williams expressed optimism, citing the success of Durban alumni whose projects have gained international recognition. She referenced Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo, which participated in Durban’s development program in 2020 and later screened in Venice, Cairo, and the Red Sea Film Festival.
The topic of training skilled professionals came up more than once. Abu Alala called for more opportunities for Sudanese and African students in filmmaking institutions in Egypt and France. He identified the lack of technical training in Sudan as a major obstacle to developing skilled professionals such as cinematographers and sound engineers, and recommended apprenticeship models, like the one used in Goodbye Julia, where Sudanese film students shadowed professionals to gain hands-on experience.
Touching on the bottom line, Diao highlighted the practical challenges African filmmakers face, such as high intercontinental travel costs. She noted that flying someone from Europe to Africa is often cheaper than traveling between African countries. Panelists also highlighted the challenges posed by European funding, which often requires a significant portion of the crew to come from the funding country. Abu Alala overcame this in his first film by hiring Arab professionals with French passports to align with his vision.
Overall, the panelists emphasized how African filmmakers must challenge the systems that restrict them. Whether by forming regional alliances, exploring untapped narratives, or expanding collaboration with other creative sectors, the potential of African cinema lies in its ability to redefine global perspectives. This effort, they argued, starts with acknowledging and celebrating Africa’s diversity, both in its stories and the people who tell them.
