Compiled by Shaibu Husseini

AILFF’26 Ends As festival Celebratesg Indigenous Language Cinema In Parakou
The third edition of the African Indigenous Language Film Festival (AILFF’26) has ended successfully in Parakou, Benin
Republic, following four days of film screenings, professional development, cultural exchange, and industry engagement.

Held under the theme, ‘Digital Bridges, Ancestral Voices: Reclaiming African Screens with Indigenous Tongues’, the festival brought together filmmakers, academics, students, policymakers, and creative professionals from Nigeria, Benin Republic, and other African countries to explore the future of indigenous language storytelling in an increasingly digital world. A major highlight of the festival was a two-day immersive workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in
Filmmaking, facilitated by acclaimed film director, animation professional, and digital technology expert, Jimi Ojikutu.

The practical training introduced participants to emerging AI tools and workflows for filmmaking, including content development, subtitling, and post-production. The festival also featured a keynote address by Dr. Victor Okhai, who spoke on the opportunities and responsibilities facing African filmmakers in preserving indigenous languages while embracing technological innovation. Mr Lawrence Akande introduced participants to the Pan-African University Modular Programme, highlighting opportunities for continuing professional education within the creative sector. Representing the Director-General/Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Madam Uju delivered a presentation on the Board’s statutory responsibilities and its role in Nigeria’s film regulatory framework, providing participants with valuable insights into the country’s evolving screen industry.

Delegates also attended a special screening of Tenants of the House, produced by Dr. Wale Okediran and directed by Kunle Afolayan, followed by discussions on storytelling, adaptation, and contemporary African filmmaking. The Université de Parakou provided valuable technical and institutional support throughout the festival, assisting with venues, audiovisual facilities, and other logistics that contributed to the successful delivery of the programme. In addition to the professional sessions, delegates visited the historic Azèkè Market in Parakou, where they experienced the city’s rich cultural heritage and gained a deeper appreciation of the traditions and communities that continue to inspire authentic African storytelling. The African Indigenous Language Film Festival continues to serve as a platform for promoting indigenous language cinema, encouraging professional development, fostering cross-border collaboration, and celebrating Africa’s diverse cultural heritage through the art of film.

AfriExim Unveils Financial Opportunity For African Creators
THE African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, has partnered with Gebeya, a pan-African technology company with a proprietary Large Language Model and infrastructure designed for African language users, to launch the CANEX Create-thon 2026. With a total prize pool of US$50,000, the competition is designed to help African creators turn original ideas into working creative projects, bringing together musicians, filmmakers, storytellers, game developers and other creative builders to develop projects in three categories: music, video and gaming. Participants will have access to Gebeya’s Dala Studio platform, computing resources and practical technical support to help them develop their ideas, during an intensive four-day creation sprint scheduled to take place from 20 to 24 August 2026. Unlike a conventional pitch competition, the CANEX Create-thon will challenge participants to build and submit working prototypes or completed creative projects.

The initiative is intended to demonstrate what African creators can produce when they have access to appropriate digital tools, resources, guidance, funding and opportunities for wider exposure. Mr. Temwa Gondwe- Director, Creatives and Diaspora at Afreximbank, said: “Africa’s creators are visible and have the digital talent but have often lacked the financial backing and access to digital tools to grow their trade.  The CANEX Create-thon bridges this gap by equipping our creators with access to technology to turn their viral ideas into viable long-term businesses. Through CANEX, we are enabling creators retain more value from their work, and to build a competitive base in regional and global markets. It’s time African creators captured the true financial value of their global influence.” The CANEX Createthon competition will be open to amateur, emerging and established creators across Africa. Participants will not require the backing of a production company, access to a conventional studio or an existing audience. Throughout the creation sprint, participants will be supported by between 30 and 40 ambassadors from Gebeya’s community network. The competition will recognise and award first, second and third place in each of the music, video and gaming categories.

First-place winners will receive US$7,000, second-place winners US$3,500 and third-place winners US$1,500. Additional awards of US$500 will recognize qualifying finalists, in line with the competition guidelines. Approved entries will then proceed to a public voting stage, which will determine the top 100 projects. The first-place winner in each category will receive the opportunity to attend CANEX WKND 2026, which will hold at the National Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria, from November 5 to 8, 2026. Registration will open on July 30 and close on August 19. Creators can register and obtain the full competition guidelines, including eligibility, intellectual property and submission requirements, at https://apo-opa.co/4yLdsw9.

Kaduna International Film Festival Is Next
The 9th edition of the Kaduna International Film Festival will hold in Kaduna from August 25 to 29, 2026.. Preparations leading to the actualisation of the 2026 edition started with the official unveiling of the nominations which according to the KADIFF festival director Israel Audu Kashim is made up of films that celebrate outstanding achievements in African and international cinema. More information on the festival can be sourced at www.kadunainternationalfilmfestival.com