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By Oparah Flourish
Chioma Ude, founder of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), has announced plans to introduce a film market at this year’s edition to connect African filmmakers with distributors, investors, and international industry players.
Ude disclosed this in an interview with Saturday Sun as the festival marks its 15th anniversary, noting that the initiative would create opportunities for filmmakers to secure business deals beyond industry recognition. She said one of her major motivations for establishing AFRIFF in 2010 was to bridge the gap between African filmmakers and the international market while promoting African storytelling globally.
“The most important thing is to create avenues for filmmakers to meet the right people. At the end of the day, you have to sell yourself. Nobody will hand opportunities to you on a platter, but you need access to the people who can help you move forward,” she said.
Citing the experience of filmmakers who attended last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Ude said two of five participants secured deals after meeting distributors, sales agents and investors.
She explained that AFRIFF’s role was to create access to key industry players, while filmmakers must take advantage of the opportunities presented to them. The 2026 edition, themed Frames of the Future, will explore emerging trends in filmmaking, including artificial intelligence and the growing influence of women in the industry.
Ude revealed that about 85 per cent of the films selected for this year’s festival either focus on women or feature women as producers or directors, describing the trend as a sign of filmmaking’s future.
“For me, that suggests that women could be a significant part of the future of filmmaking. It might be AI, but it will also be about women,” she said.
She also disclosed that three films submitted by their respective countries for Oscar consideration had been selected for the festival. The event is expected to feature a range of productions, industry networking opportunities and international guests.
Reflecting on her 15-year journey with AFRIFF, Ude attributed her commitment to passion and a strong sense of purpose.
“Honestly, it sounds cliché to say it is passion, but it really is passion. I cannot think of anything else that would have kept me going,” she said.
She added that although she occasionally questioned her commitment to the project, her faith continued to reinforce her sense of purpose
