After the COVID years, during which most key events were suspended, transformed into virtual meetings, or simply disappeared, festivals, trade shows, conferences, and major events have regained their central place, demonstrating professionals' continued appetite for exchange and networking.
In the field of audiovisual and film production, there was no shortage of opportunities for professionals to meet each other and engage with the public in 2024. Whether in Congo, the DRC, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Benin, or Cameroon, there were nearly a dozen such events across the subregion.
CONGO Brazzaville—FILM WEEK
CONGO Kinshasa: The Kinshasa International Film Festival: FICKIN 2024
SENEGAL: DAKAR SERIES
BENIN: Cotonou International Women's Film Festival
IVORY COAST: FFAA The Abidjan Animation Film Festival (FFAA)
SICA International Audiovisual Content Exhibition
CAMEROON: The YARHA Festival International First Film Week
Another event worth mentioning in GHANA is the AFRICA CINEMA SUMMIT, given the importance of this event and Ghana's geographical proximity to other West African countries.
Major festivals such as the 2024 Cannes Pan-African Film Festival (FIFP) and the Africa Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival have attracted professionals, directors, and emerging talent from across the continent and beyond.
FESPACO, which remains the largest African film festival, takes place every two years in Ouagadougou and will be the first major event of 2025 in February.
These events have confirmed their key role for African producers and channels, providing platforms for exchange to sell and co-produce content on a regional and international scale. They have also accompanied the boom in African series, which have found an echo in these meetings where tomorrow's collaborations are decided.
For its part, the media and communications sector has also regained its vitality thanks to flagship events such as the AFRICAN CRISTAL FESTIVAL, which brings together agencies, advertisers, and media outlets in a new format.
Adicomdays, which took place this year in Kinshasa, continues to be the must-attend event for influencers and content creators, digital agencies, and businesses.
These two events have become strategic venues for joint reflection on new advertising trends and the future of communication on a continent undergoing rapid digital transformation.
All these professional events are not just showcases; they are a real driving force for the economic and cultural ecosystem in Africa, acting as catalysts for growth and innovation in the communications, film, media, and digital industries.
They also help to structure the creative industries, promote collaboration between professionals from different countries, and offer visibility to young African talent.