Africa's Oscar-shortlisted films show an industry spreading across borders

As films from the continent continue to gain international recognition, Philippe Lacôte, Ivorian director of the 2020 film “Night of the Kings” (also on the shortlist for an International Feature Oscar nomination) says it is important for Africans to create movies that include their vision of the world.

His film explores themes across the physical world and the mythical one. Last year, he told CNN in an interview that it was key to show the world these themes because they are a part of Ivory Coast’s culture.

An evolving industry

African films are gaining more international attention as technology continues to remove some traditional access barriers — helping films flourish across borders and find new audiences.

Jason Njoku, co-founder of iROKOtv, says streaming services like his remove obstacles for Africans that traditionally blocked access to films from other regions. “If you’re interested in Nigerian movies, you literally just have to go online and within a minute, you can have a complete, unlimited library for you to watch,” he says, for “anyone, anywhere in the world.”

“Streaming platforms democratized content and storytelling,” says Moses Babatope, co-founder of entertainment company FilmOne. “What they have done is to break down any barriers like travel and immigration. They allow us to appreciate human stories across races and borders.”

Challenges and opportunities