Sinema Focus KE
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@sinemafocuske
Incisive coverage of film, TV & theatre in Kenya & beyond. Story tips, pitches & exclusives 📧: [email protected] IG: https://t.co/CZC03DTcBr
Introducing: Africa Streaming & Infrastructure Watch, First Edition You know the story: the platforms that spent the better part of a decade building a foothold in African streaming at scale have, one by one, pulled back or disappeared entirely. A question that's been most often raised by industry and consumers alike is some version of the same thing: what does the commissioning landscape across the continent look like now? Where are the next African originals coming from? What we do know is that the landscape is thin, and it was never especially robust to begin with. That gap is part of why we built this. To offer a guidepost. A big-picture view of where things stand that people can return to. We're calling it "Africa Streaming & Infrastructure Watch," a live tracker, updated at least monthly, or as major developments occur continent-wide (whichever comes first), from African Film Press (AFP), built inside the infrastructure that supports our internal research platform. The digital initiative captures activity across streaming platforms, telecoms, and major pay-TV industry developments, including launches, shutdowns, rebrandings, and changes in ownership, as well as pricing, deals, and acquisitions. This first public edition covers January 2025 through the first quarter of 2026: africanfilmpress.com/africa-streami… #AfricaStreamingWatch #AfricanStreamingWatch #Showmax #StreamingInAfrica
Showmax Confirms End of Operations in April 2026 as Content Moves to DStv Stream In an email to subscribers on Wednesday evening, the African streamer set 31 March 2026 as the final day for subscription renewals and voucher redemptions. From 1 April 2026, new subscriptions will no longer be available, as Showmax Originals move to DStv Stream. Read more below. sinemafocus.com/showmax-shutdo…
Our latest feature examines the rise of alternative screening spaces in Kenya as distribution remains limited - part of an ongoing Sinema Focus series on the infrastructure, economics and audience dynamics shaping Kenyan film culture and exhibition. Read more below. sinemafocus.com/kenyan-film-di…
Next Narrative Africa Fund Announces First Nine Projects, Deploys $50M Framework Akunna Cook's Next Narrative Africa Fund selected the inaugural cohort from more than 2,000 submissions, deploying $50M in funding over five years — $10M in development grants and a $40M commercial equity fund. All projects must bring at least 50% of production to the African continent. The nine: 🎬 Beyond Day Zero (South Africa) — A water tycoon's daughter and a township gangster lead a rebellion. Produced by Trevor Noah. 🎬 Innocent (Nigeria) — A Lagos whodunnit from the Esiri Brothers (Clarissa). 🎬 Skunk (South Africa) — Two models heist stolen government gold to reclaim ancestral land. Thuso Mbedu stars and co-writes. 🎬 Untitled Political Thriller (Sierra Leone/UK) — A 25-year-old soldier takes power in a bloodless coup — then has to hold it. Directed by Rapman (Supacell). 📺 United States Of Africa (Ghana) — Ghana, 1958. The CIA, KGB, and MI6 descend. One soldier builds Africa's first spy agency. EP: André Holland. 🎬 Bako (Nigeria) — A love story set in a near-future Nigeria where humans and aliens coexist. 🎬 The Return (Ghana) — Seven Gen Z friends, one Airbnb, one very angry deity. Comedy horror from Zoey Martinson. 🎬 About Love & September Laws (Sudan) — Sudan, 1983. Love and resistance as Sharia Law arrives. From Mohamed Kordofani (Goodbye Julia, Cannes 2023). 🎬 Jollof Wars (West Africa) — A magical cookery competition to save West African cuisine. Banky W and Adesua Etomi star. #AfricanFilm #NNAF #AfricanCinema #Akoroko
THEATRE: On the night of Jesus’ arrest, five women find themselves trapped on forbidden temple grounds where they face a deadly choice. Meet the cast of Followers, staging over the Easter weekend at Braeside Lavington. Read here: sinemafocus.com/kenyan-play-fo…
Showmax, the streaming service launched by MultiChoice and now operating within the Canal+ acquisition structure, will shut down in the near future. Subscribers received an email confirmation with no date, no transition details, and no explanation for existing productions or commissioning relationships. The message triggered widespread confusion among audiences and industry professionals across multiple African markets. The main questions: What will replace the commissioning role Showmax has played for a decade, and how does Canal+ — which completed its acquisition of MultiChoice in September 2025 — intend to restructure its streaming and local production investment? This piece separates what is confirmed from what remains uncertain as the sector waits for Canal+ to publish its first combined financial results on March 11, 2026. Read the full piece: africanfilmpress.com/articles/showm… #africancinema #africantelevision #showmax #canalplus
