• Unveils third edition of CANEX short film competition
Stories by Vanessa Obioha
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) recently launched the US$ 1 billion Africa Film Fund that it pledged at the last CANEX Weekend (CANEX WKND 2024) in Algiers, Algeria, in October 2024. The Bank had announced plans to launch a private equity film fund through Fund for Export-Development in Africa (FEDA) to support film production and distribution across Africa and empower African filmmakers to create globally appealing content.
The fund is one of the ways the Bank is addressing challenges confronting the creative industry on the continent. This includes limited access to production facilities and equipment, a shortage of advanced post-production resources, and a lack of sufficient exhibition infrastructure.
Through this Fund, the Bank hopes that it will attract and direct crucial patient capital into Global Africa’s film and TV production industry, mobilising resources that would enable filmmakers and storytellers to produce world-class content that resonates globally.
“Film is a cornerstone of the CANEX programme and the establishment of the Africa Film Fund is timely as it will help accelerate the growth of Africa’s creative sector, which has witnessed rapid growth but continues to face significant challenges including funding, scaling and accessing global markets,” said President of Afreximbank and Chairman of both the Boards of Directors of Afreximbank and FEDA, Professor Benedict Oramah.
“Through investments in the film sector, alongside initiatives such as the CANEX Shorts Awards, Afreximbank is committed to celebrating and amplifying a diverse range of African voices and experiences, thereby catalysing the creative industry and unleashing the creative industry’s potential to drive economic growth across Africa.”
The Fund is seen as the right step in the right direction, not only on the continent but also in Hollywood. Viola Davis, co-founder of JVL Media LLC and an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winning actress, welcomed the initiative: “African stories are deeply human and universally powerful. This Fund is an invitation to the world to see Africa through the lens of its own creators — bold, unfiltered, and rich in truth. I am proud to be a part of this momentous step toward a more inclusive global film industry.”
Also, the Bank announced the third edition of the CANEX short film competition, CANEX Shorts, that is designed to recognise and celebrate the talents of young filmmakers from Africa and the Diaspora.
Filmmakers between the ages of 18 and 35 years can enter the competition for a chance to win a cash prize of $2,000 for outstanding work in each of the competition’s three categories: Best Fiction, Best Documentary, and Best Animation. Only Africans living on the continent, in the diaspora or in the Caribbean are eligible.
According to the Bank, each filmmaker can only enter one film for which they must hold all rights. The entered films should have been produced in 2023 or after and can be in any language. The selection committee will curate a shortlist of 30 films – 10 films per category for submission to the jury that comprises well-respected film experts from across the continent. The jury will then select a winning film in each of the categories during CANEX at IATF2025.
Winners will also get an opportunity to participate and have their films screened at CANEX at IATF2025, which will take place in Algiers, Algeria, from September 4 to 10, 2025, where they can connect with potential investors and partners.
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