Every year, funding for audiovisual and film productions is the central theme of these professional meetings, which bring together buyers, sellers, and producers. These debates often fall short, as most participants can only note the chronic underfunding of audiovisual productions in Africa.
Once again this year, this topic was at the center of discussions both during the African Film Summit, which took place on Tuesday, May 28, and during DISCOP Abidjan from May 29 to 31.
Although nothing has fundamentally changed yet, several speakers tried to propose new ways to move things forward.
Ana BALLO, Director of RTI Distribution, made a passionate plea for joint action and proposed a five-point action plan which, if implemented, would greatly improve the situation:
- Align the interests of all content financiers (Fonsic, ex-FSDP, private sector, etc.)
- Restore market value to all exploitation windows by revamping the media chronology
- Set up a private equity fund to support projects aimed at developing national champions
- Reproduce and adapt the SOFICA mechanism to the local market
- Draw inspiration from measures such as the PACTE law in France to encourage investment in the sector.
Uniting forces to make concrete and consensual proposals to public authorities is also the aim of the action taken by Bernard AZRIA, President of Côte Ouest, who invited professionals to an open discussion at the opening of DISCOP, sponsored by Mr. Sidi Tiémoko TOURE, Minister of Communication and Media of Côte d'Ivoire,
In front of a large and diverse audience of producers, distributors, and television channels from several African countries, the Minister first emphasized the importance of the sector for the country's economy and recalled the initiatives already taken by the Ivorian government to support the Ivorian audiovisual sector (VAT exemption on equipment, price caps on DTT equipment, audience measurement, support for training, etc.).
Bernard AZRIA then took the floor to emphasize that "we hold our destiny in our hands and it is up to all of us here today to decide our future and make proposals to the Minister" in order to build a strong, prosperous audiovisual sector that extends beyond national borders.
Several themes emerged from these very fruitful discussions, which must continue within an association bringing together all players in the audiovisual sector, something Bernard Azria is calling for:
- Clarifying the role of each player and enabling the recognition of the various professions in the audiovisual sector
- Improving the circulation of works and their expansion beyond national borders
- Raising awareness of other possible sources of funding (banking and advertising sectors)
- Develop local skills and training
The launch of four new private channels and a new public channel in Côte d'Ivoire is a historic opportunity to bring all these energies together and ensure that the ideas discussed in these various professional meetings are put into practice in the coming months, opening up new prospects for the entire sector.