CLARIFICATION:

            This document is private as wished by his author (myself) in order to make your understanding of a number of facts related to the African movie environment as a whole and ’s in particular easy. Besides, though this document does not fully comply with some specific scientific requirements and does not lay claim to be considered as a scientific survey, I would nonetheless like to bring to the fore that rigor and objectivity underlying any serious work have been scrupulously respected.

            Finally, it is worth mentioning that the information herein gathered, translate no more no less the vision may be naive but relevant of a young movie-maker who keeps a close eye on local movie news as well as on those from elsewhere in order to make the good choice.

INTRODUCTION:

As far as movie productions in Africa are concerned, the advantages a country like (in the western part of African continent) can offer are enormous and mainly two-fold: potentialities and current opportunities.

I) POTENTIALITIES

·        role in an African continent on a process of union

Following the example of the other regions of the globe, Africa (continent of 53 states) is at the moment actively involved in its social economical and political union. Therefore, the first institutions installed are working hard since they are due to generate (to give birth to) some others. It is with this end in view that some sector-based or partial sub-regional economical integration unions are installed : ECOWAS as far as West Africa is concerned is a striking example. Consisting of about fifteen countries with a population estimated at approximately 200 million inhabitants, mainly composed of French speakers as well as Anglophones, ECOWAS includes countries such as and which in a certain way play the role of leaders: for Francophone part countries and for the Anglophone one.

            Thus, as the spearhead of the Francophone part economy (WAEMF : West African Economical and Monetary Franc ) with more than 40% of GDP (figures published before the social and political events underwent by the country these last two years) Côte d’Ivoire is a melting pot with more than 26% of foreigners on a total of approximately 20million inhabitants, ranging first among the most hospitable countries of the world. Being one of the rare laic states of a continent totaling more than 750 million inhabitants, is endowed with modern infrastructures that attract preponderant many investors each year. This attests the role it plays in an African continent on the way mutations; even if it is true that in the domain of culture as a whole and movie in particular, many things must be done.          

·        Movie: A sector with prospects of success

It is worth mentioning that not with standing the popular infatuation for foreign films, mainly american ones so far, a real movie industry capable of giving a sense of pride to Africans and exportable as well does not exist. The main reason is that the rare films produced so far are not attractive, due to the many taboos of the continent. Fortunately, now a new approach is taking step to make the African movie win acclaim. In effect, a new generation of African moviemakers is emerging. However, what can this generation do vis-à-vis the lack of adequate production structures? Whereas the vast majority of the population, mainly the youth living in the towns, are expecting courageous movie initiatives to storm the projection rooms.

            This situation leads to the emphasis on the role must play to promote this industry since it is the hub of the African music. This responsibility is mainly due to its outstanding and westernized population. As the Frenchwoman movie director ELIANE DE LATOUR brought to the fore within the framework of the promotion of her film “BRONX-BARBES” dealing with the experience life of young idlers of the African megacities ghettos. is endowed with talented actors. (See attached newspaper extract)

            Thus, this film which opens a new horizon for the modern African movie, remains a great reference and an undeniable source of pride and hope for us. Because compared to the famous “TITANIC” by JAMES CAMERON, “BRONX-BARBES” remains so far the film that attracted the largest audience on the continent. Moreover, just when I am writing these lines (January 2002), in South Africa (the actress CHARLIZE THERON’S country of origin) a comic film “Mr. Bones” directed by GRAY HOFMEYR and produced by UNITED INTERNATIONAL PICTURES has broken, according to EURONEWS Channel, the record recently held by “Harry Potter” during the first month of projection. 

             Besides, according to the director of BRONX-BARBES (ELIANE DE LATOUR) all the partners in this daring understanding project have been fully satisfied since the financial earnings were beyond expectations. And if working with her has not been possible, it is simply because despite her outstanding success, not only she is a scriptwriter but also remains a researcher. Consequently, her immediate projects are directed in this way, even if she plans to repeat the feat later on.

            Altogether, the comment such an experience can inspire is the following truth: Africa highly needs a modern movie from which Africans can get a real sense of pride. This need is besides highly expressed by a lot of young people that I meet everyday in the street.

            It is worth mentioning that the African movie is more and more raising curiosity because people wonder about what it will be like in a more or less close future in view of the increased development of multimedia in a context of globalization; Including the numerous western cultural influences underwent by the continent for many decades. In other words, will it be like the American movie rooted in the sensational? The European movie bit too much sober and modest? Or the Asian one done either with fantastic or great stunts specifically based on martial arts?

            There is nothing to hint what this movie unknown to the public will be like; On my behalf, I would humbly say that it will be a bit mixture of all that. And it will undoubtedly be an explosive cocktail! And it is exactly at this level that an important positive factor will play a major role: the African movie-going public.

·        A public addicted to sensational films

Nowadays, the interest for sensational films is increasing more and more in the African countries, with an enthusiasm for Hollywood films or those widely inspired from them. It is I may add, one of the main reasons of the success of “BRONX-BARBES” and “Mr. BONES”, two of the rare African films of the kind so far.

            As far as projection rooms are concerned, accounts for many in most of its towns useful for cultural shows (parades) due to the absence of a real local movie industry. These projection rooms are besides taken over by numerous video libraries including what is commonly called here “Video clubs” which are in fact small projection rooms through a video recorder.   

            Widespread, these “video clubs” may reveal themselves if needs be very useful to conquer a wider audience and for a real promotion of actors. It is important to stress that not far from recently, some big American productions were simultaneously projected in (Europe) as well as in . This assures success and devotion in which local projection rooms owners can be proud of.

·        The advantage of an integrated economy

Today, it is undeniable that for so long African countries have been absent on the scene of world affairs and might be considered by a lot of western countries as hazardous countries with regard to the unsustainable weight of their debts which everyday increase a bit more poverty at the level of the population. However, defend such a view point would nowadays appear pure simplism. Simply because Africa has undergone a real mutation, adapting itself to all the political, economical and social order of the world. Thus, as far as finances are concerned, a great number of these states present less financial and monetary guarantees in view of the different regional and sub-regional integrations that are being installed for those recently created. for example shares with some other countries a common currency area (CFA franc zone) in which fifteen countries have their local currency tied since January 2002, to the EURO which is the currency of the united European countries. Some other examples exist on the continent just waiting for the implementation of the “AFRICAN UNION”. It is the case of the countries of the Maghreb (in the north of Africa), SADEC for the southern part of Africa with as leading country with its outstanding infrastructures.

            However, as we all know, the notion of integrated economies necessarily goes along with market extension and therefore currencies increase. The companies installed or working in these areas benefit best in that numerous business opportunities are created.

II) THE CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA  

            Today in Africa , the business opportunities are more and more numerous changing from one branch of industry to another. And among these opportunities, a special attention should be paid on the case of movie. In this present analysis, we are going to summarize all the current possibilities given by the movie by taking into account only two essential points:

            - The production facilities (cost)  

            - The easing of restrictions on audiovisual          

·        The production facilities

Everybody is aware of the resources given by movie (It is in fact good value for money), as far as the production itself and the receipts are concerned. However, there is one thing known by everyone and that always disturbs the producers of films: the production cost.    

The industry of cinema requires large incomes. That is why the most important will of all the partners to a film project is to minimize the cost production. Unfortunately, this is not always possible because the well-known actors, directors, scriptwriters and technicians cost them a lot and that is a serious problem. We think that one of the solutions in this case is to pay a special attention to a budding scriptwriter. It is an important solution in the sense that it offers possibility for the films producers to minimize really their production costs. And the African continent gives this opportunity to them. Because where a film to be produced needs perhaps hundreds of millions dollars ($ US), only few millions (about one to ten millions $) are sufficient in Africa . The examples of “BRONX-BARBES” (about 2,500,000 $ US, without advertising costs) and “LUMUMBA” by RAOUL PECK are really edifying. Another possibility is one of advertising. Indeed, when a film is a success (box-office sell-out) in Africa it is automatically an object of curiosity elsewhere. In this case, just a bit advertising which doesn’t require large sums is necessary in Europe, Asia or for gather the masses. That was the case of “BRONX-BARBES”       

·        The easing of restrictions on audiovisual

With the advent of multiparty system and the pressure of international financial organizations (the backers) African countries are giving place more and more to the freedom of speech. Thus, several private service channels (TV or Radio) are created. And the most important will of the directors of these enterprises is to vary their programs by broadcasting most of the time leisure broadcasts. And if we consider the impact such a broadcast has on the masses, we shouldn’t be worried. When, the films broadcasted are the rare African ones (describing all the aspects of the African scene) they have a particular success. On this subject, Brazilian movie-directors succeed here by giving to African public good films dealing with subjects of everyday life, mainly sentimentally speaking.

Another advantage of the liberalization of audiovisual in Africa is the minimization of the production cost as far as advertising is concerned because with the lack of private service channels, a little advertising is sufficient to inform a large audience. That is why I would like to insist on the fact that our work will be inspired by both Hollywood methods and African traditions (mainly the new context). Our ambition is to give a new vision to our movie, which will take absolutely into account only what is able to attract a large audience, what at the time being doesn’t require huge sums to invest.

CONCLUSION:

            At the end of our analysis about the situation of movie in Africa , we could say that the African movie is like a great field which is largely unexplored nowadays. What is really surprising is not the lack of people able to produce good films but the lack of daring initiatives. This is mainly due to the economical crisis and its numerous consequences. Fortunately, the situation is not hopeless because we may hope that the African countries will be developed soon. Why? Only because even if it is true that the continent looks like a huge field not yet exploited, we also know that Africans like good films. Many people say that the future of the world movie is here in Africa . we don’t know whether such an assertion is true. But we may personally share it because there are too many things to discover in this continent. The current difficulties as far as movie is concerned are to find producers which will be able to take any number of risks to exploit really all the curiosities of this continent. We have a certain faith, we have a certain force to believe that Africa will play an important role in the world movie of tomorrow. Don’t hesitate at all because globalization means having interest in things happening in other parts of the world even far away from us.