Mediawan has chosen to expand its activities in Africa. Can you tell us
where you are today?
We are implementing the Mediawan Group's strategy for global development in Sub-Saharan Africa, based on the three pillars of the audiovisual industry: production, distribution, and channel and service publishing. Thanks to the expertise and know-how of our various companies based in Africa, we are driving the development of the entire sector, in coordination with all our employees in French-speaking Africa and soon in other regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a highly rewarding collaborative effort on a daily basis.
KEEWU has been active in production for many years. What are
its main achievements over the last two or three years?
Under the leadership of Alexandre Rideau, one of the pioneers of production in French-speaking Africa,
Keewu Production has consolidated a solid foundation in recent years, also benefiting
from the support of the Mediawan group. Of course, there is the proven success of "C'est la Vie," whose fourth season is currently being filmed, which has made history in Francophone African production and whose impact is remarkable.
But we are also very proud of ambitious series such as Manjak and Terranga. Black Santiago Club, currently airing on Canal+, is a real success that has enabled African
productions to circulate and be represented around the world and at festivals,
including Séries Mania in France and the Dakar Series Festival, of which Mediawan Africa was a
partner this year. Our docu-fiction series Alley Oop Africa, about basketball and African
youth, will soon be broadcast. It uses sport to illustrate the dynamism of an entire
continent. Numerous shoots are underway, and we plan to work in three or
four countries on different types of projects, ranging from local fiction to international
co-productions.
Some of your productions have been very successful with audiences in Africa. Is there a recipe for winning over African audiences?
African audiences are demanding, and there is no magic formula. Our expertise and
know-how have enabled us to build premium projects that appeal to a wide audience, thanks to our experienced and close-knit teams. The quality of the productions we have already created is based on the creativity of African talent, which we are constantly seeking out because they are at the heart of our development and the key players in our success. We support them as best we can with our experience and expertise. But our goal is to give voice to storytelling that is resolutely African, original, and popular.
How are these projects generally financed? Is there a standard financing
model?
I would love that to be the case! Each of our productions is a prototype. But funding
constraints remain significant despite undeniable
improvements. We therefore have to be as pragmatic and agile as possible, and adapt
to different subjects. But of course, the contribution of broadcasters, particularly Canal+
and TV5, is fundamental, and we would not have been able to put together our latest productions without their decisive
support.
Training for production jobs is often referred to as the poor relation of the sector. Do you share this view, and how can you contribute to its professionalization?
Each shoot should be seen as an opportunity for professional development, bringing new collaborators
into experienced teams. To date, we have helped
to revitalize several production centers, including one in Cotonou, Benin, for the production
of the series "Black Santiago Club," co-produced with Canal+ International and Hiris Production
(Benin) and co-directed by Toumani Sangaré, an experienced director, and Tiburce Bocovo, a
young Beninese director. We are supporting a new generation of producers who are ready to
take over and bring powerful stories to life, and our productions are led by production
managers who have proven themselves over several years on
our shoots. Certain positions, such as those in production administration, are given special attention
and training, both past, present, and future.
Mediawan Africa also has a distribution business with Côte Ouest. How does this business contribute to the financing and circulation of works?
We
are extremely proud of Côte Ouest's rapid integration into our group, the quality of the collaboration with
the existing teams, and the creativity of the new projects currently in development. We are preparing a new "Côte Ouest
by Mediawan" with our current employees and those who will be joining us, with the main
objective, of course, being to promote African creations both in Africa and around the
world. We are also working hand in hand within the group with Mediawan Rights—Mediawan's distribution division
—which supports our content so that it can access the international
market. It's a virtuous circle that is taking shape.