African countries with low cinema culture
African countries with low cinema culture face many challenges and opportunities in the film and audiovisual industry, according to a recent report by UNESCO. The report, which covers 54 states of the continent, estimates that the industry employs 5 million people and accounts for $5 billion in GDP, but has the potential to create 20 million jobs and contribute $20 billion to the economy. However, the report also identifies several barriers to growth, such as a lack of film policies and commissions, piracy and intellectual property issues, limited internet connectivity, gender inequality, and censorship.
The report recommends more international cooperation, national reforms, regional and continental approaches, and investment in education, training, and infrastructure to boost the sector. The report also highlights the importance of preserving and promoting the memory and diversity of African cinema, which reflects the rich cultural heritage and creativity of the continent.
Africa is a continent with diverse and rich cinematic traditions, but not all countries have the same level of development and recognition in the film and audiovisual sectors. According to a UNESCO report, some of the factors that affect the growth and sustainability of these sectors include: lack of funding, infrastructure, training, distribution networks, piracy, taxation, regulation and cultural policies.
The report identifies some of the countries with low cinema culture, meaning that they have low levels of production, exhibition and consumption of films. These include: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo , Uganda , Zambia and Zimbabwe. These countries face various challenges such as political instability , economic hardship , social unrest , environmental degradation , cultural diversity and linguistic barriers that hinder their participation and contribution to the African film industry.
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Hi, I’m OLUWANBEPELUMI Pelumi-Folarin, a filmmaker with over two decades of experience in people, project, and organizational management and over a decade of cultural consultancy experience. I’m a storyteller and filmmaker by profession. I also have a proven track record in publication, content creation, and consulting. I’m the founder and CEO of AfroFilm Herald Times Ltd., Shining AfriTest Studios, and I serve as the creative team lead within this organisation. In my free time, I enjoy watching good films. I also like to engage in my childhood obsessions, i.e., playing the piano, guitar, messing around with any available musical instrument, listening to audiobooks, and creating art pieces. Feel free to connect with me!
