AfricaFilms.tv + MobiCiné

AFRICAFILMS.TV + MOBICINÉ

Promoting Cultural Diversity through Effective Distribution of African Films

Countries: Africa and Europe

Project initiated in: 2010

Presented by: European Commission and ACP Secretariat

Partners: Media Mundus

Project budget: EUR 932 000

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// Context

The initial assessment is that the European public has almost no access to African films, particularly on the new media. Now, VOD (video on demand) seems to be the most relevant tool to reach a public of diversity lovers and African Diaspora living in Europe (> 10 M people, to date, notably neglected in public and private audiovisual strategies).

On the other hand, cinema from most African countries doesn’t reach the African public due to a lack of adequate economic model.

The project is divided into 2 “symmetrical” actions, pragmatically considering it useless to operate films in mainstream film theatres, whether African films in Europe or European films in Africa:

AfricaFilms.tv (AFTV), VOD platform dedicated to African film dissemination (beta test launched in November 2010), aiming at the Internet and then TVIP. Movie producers there are more interested in this format as it doesn’t require exclusivity and allows for a direct online follow-up.

MobiCINE (MC), legal circuit to show films in African cities, with a minimum 30% quota of African films and 30% European films and 25% young public film shows. The project consists in providing high quality public shows, at the same price as the illegal supply and as close as possible to the neighbourhoods where people live, with a light and mobile digital projection tool.

Both sub-projects share a common tool: a digital catalogue with a state-of-the-art copyright management tool, which has been developed since August 2009 and already includes 300 hours of programmes.

// Project objectives

• Contribute to the creation of an African film market.
• Reinvent a film use model adapted to African realities, population practices and means.
• Enable the public in the North to access African films.
• Contribute to the development and structuring of the movie industry in Africa.

// Action and impact

The project will have to lead to the development of a new economic competitive model, accessible to African populations, self-fundable and reliable (projection from locked hard disks, pre-payment of the producer part by the exhibitor).

African audiovisual productions will be permanently accessible through the Internet and will then benefit from an adequate commercial exposure.

MobiCiné foresees about 7 000 paying projections a year, in Senegal and Mali and the creation of 50 jobs in both these countries.

After 3 years, MobiCiné and AFTV should be autonomous and self-financed.

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