The award-winning Zambian film “I Am Not a Witch” will be the country’s first film to debut on Netflix. It joins other African films, such as “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” on the international streaming service.
“Period. End of Sentence.” won Best Documentary in Short Subject at the 2019 Academy Awards. The documentary examines cultural omission and the basic obstacles that millions of women still face in accessing disposable sanitary products.
Netflix beat out competitors in a bidding war to secure the rights to Zimbabwean newcomer Godwin Jabangwe’s musical ‘Tunga’. The musical was inspired by Zimbabwean mythology and the screenwriter’s upbringing.
“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” is the story of a Malawian boy who puts his education and science to work to build a wind turbine, saving his village from famine. The film, set to debut on Netflix, was shot in Malawi despite investor concerns.
The 2018 blockbuster film “Black Panther” has received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, which makes it the first superhero film to be nominated in this category. With its predominantly black cast, this movie is helping the Academy Awards to extend its frontiers.
Where does cultural appropriation end and good business begin? The film production company Disney sparked yet another discussion on what is acceptable when it trademarked the Swahili phrase “Hakuna matata”
Meaza Ashenafi is not only Ethiopia’s new Supreme Court president, she is also a women’s rights activist whose achievements inspired a movie produced and championed by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie.
Since its original premiere last year, ‘Liyana’, which has received critical acclaim on the continent and at global festivals, is finally set to premiere in the US this October. The short film, produced by ‘Westworld’ actress Thandie Newton, is a story within a story about five Swazi orphans and a girl who goes on a journey to save her family.
Rafiki, the first Kenyan film to premiere at Cannes and the recipient of an international commendation, was banned in its country of origin by the Kenya Film Classification Board. The film’s creator has now won a court case to temporarily lift the ban, making it eligible to enter for the Foreign Language Oscar.
Global streaming giant Netflix is injecting an $8 billion original production budget into Nollywood the world’s second largest film industry. This immense win for Nollywood points to the lack of domestic investment in the film industry and the infantilism of it elsewhere on the continent.
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