The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), in partnership with mahala.tv is excited to announce the first annual SOKO FILAM East African Film and TV Market. SOKO FILAM will be a three-day business-focused gathering from 12 to 14 July at the Hyatt Hotel in Stone Town.
Industry stakeholders will come together to buy and sell film and TV content, exchange new ideas, identify alternative channels for distribution, and discover the latest technology and innovative business models that are driving the expectations and usage of a rapidly growing consumer base in East Africa.
SOKO FILM is being made possible by the support of film distribution and funding platform mahala.tv which will launch later this year.
mahala.tv will revolutionise the way that content producers can create, share, monetise and ultimately fund their productions; from films and TV shows, to short content and music videos. The platform will create a community for filmmakers across Africa to cooperatively and effectively create a viable industry.
mahlala.tv will be co-hosting with ZIFF in this first annual SOKO FILAM event which aims to enable and develop the African film industry.
mahala.tv CEO who is also a South African producer and director, Gerhard Mostert explains it further: “As mahala.tv we are thrilled to be the driving force behind ZIFF’s first ever content market. We are confident that our new platform will revolutionise the industry and we can’t wait to share all our exciting news with filmmakers and content producers from East Africa at this important and most needed industry gathering.’
SOKO FILAM will provide a platform where key industry players and influencers within East Africa and beyond including filmmakers, independent producers, broadcasters, distributors, aggregators, industry support services, and other stakeholders can be able to engage on deal-building, form new partnerships through networking, participate in content forums/conferences and broaden their expertise during industry training workshops.
Set against the backdrop of the annual Zanzibar International Film Festival, the market will provide an exhibition space for companies looking to sell or buy content, as well as a sidebar programme of forums and workshops. A networking lounge will also be available for those looking to have one-on-one business meetings.
SIDEBAR PROGRAMME: Workshops and Panel Discussions
A full programme of panel discussions and workshops will be offered as part of the SOKO FILAM event. Panel discussions will cover topics including technology and content, intellectual property, new models of distribution and funding, Nollywood, social media and content, marketing and distribution and many more.
In partnership with the US Embassy of Tanzania, below are just a few of the workshops that will be available to qualifying and pre-registered participants:
Creative Documentary Film Production
Judd Ehrlich, an Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker will facilitate a documentary workshop that will include leading a one day of discussions with 15 Tanzanian and East African documentary filmmakers and a day as a judge/panelist in a pitch competition. The pitching component will be managed by Dexter Davis of D Street Media Group.
Women Make Movies Workshop / Documentary Workshop
This year, ZIFF has announced a new award for women documentary filmmakers led by Aylin Basaran, Priscilla Mlay and Debra Zimmerman.
Basaran is a filmmaker and scholar currently working on her PhD and a documentary film on film production in Tanzania after independence.
Mlay is a filmmaker, who has been working in the Tanzania film/TV industry since 2012, and Debra Zimmerman is the executive director of Women Make Movies, a New York based film organization that supports women filmmakers.
Marketing and Distribution Workshop and Pitching
Debra Zimmerman will facilitate one day of a two-day workshop on the marketing and distribution of films, in collaboration with Dexter Davis. This workshop will culminate in a day of pitching for funds at the SOKO FILAM market.
Registration and Exhibition Stalls
As this is the inaugural SOKO FILAM event, ZIFF has decided to make the event as accessible as possible to small companies and independent producers. Pre-registered independent producers and buyers can apply to attend the event and enjoy some of the panel discussions, the networking and meeting opportunities, and the exhibition at no cost, whilst a range of affordable exhibition packages are also available.
For businesses wanting to take their SOKO FILAM experience to the next level there are a host of exhibition and sponsorship opportunities that can be designed for maximum benefit.
Source: seifkabelele
