MultiChoice CEO Nomsa Philiso on the rising global demand for African Films and TV

At the MIPAfrica conference this morning, Nomsa Philiso, CEO of General Entertainment at MultiChoice Group, highlighted the unprecedented global interest in African films and television series. Philiso’s address underscored a significant shift in the international entertainment landscape, reflecting a growing appetite for African content.

 “There’s a good chance that Africa’s film industry is about to have its own global moment,” Philiso declared. “We’ve already seen that happen with Afrobeats, Amapiano, and African music as a whole.”

Philiso noted several recent achievements for African content, including:
• Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story winning the Audience Award at Tribeca.
• Two Sides being nominated for Best Sports Documentary at the iEmmys.
• Catch Me A Killer achieving recognition as the first South African series in competition at Series Mania and winning a British Production Designer’s Guild award.
• Wyfie receiving nominations at the Global Production Awards and Seoul for Best TV Series.
• Spinners making history as the first African series at Canneseries and winning Best Foreign Series at Shanghai’s Magnolia Awards.

MultiChoice’s global reach is further exemplified through its sales arm, MultiChoice Studios, and strategic partnerships with distributors such as Abacus, AMC, Fremantle, StudioCanal, and The Exchange. Notable international successes include:
• Reyka: Following its international Emmy nominations, Season 2 has expanded its reach with Fremantle’s continued sales.
• The Real Housewives of Durban: Now available on hayu, Peacock, and Bravo.
• Devil’s Peak: Sold to Tubi for North America.
• Catch Me A Killer: Sold to Britbox North America, UKTV, and SBS Australia.
• White Lies: Gaining traction on Sundance Now in North America and Channel4 (UK).
• Spinners: Achieving top chart positions in France and Brazil, with Season 2 in development.
• Recipes for Love and Murder: Sold to UKTV’s Alibi Channel and available in 95 countries.

Philiso emphasised that while expanding international reach is vital, MultiChoice remains focused on serving its core African audience. “Like everyone else, Africans want to hear their own languages and see themselves reflected in what they watch,” she noted. On Showmax, local content dominates, with nine out of ten top shows since its relaunch being African productions.
 
MultiChoice stands as Africa’s leading content producer, operating in 50 of Africa’s 54 countries and producing in 45 languages. Highlights include Shaka iLembe, South Africa’s most Googled TV series last year, and Big Brother Naija, which generated 1.8 billion votes. East African content also shines, with Pepeta and The Real Housewives of Nairobi receiving top honors at the 2024 Kalasha Awards.
 
“As it stands, as MultiChoice, we have over 84 000 hours of local content to showcase on the world stage. We’ve been buying content from all the global giants for decades, but increasingly these relationships are becoming reciprocal as demand for African content grows,” Philiso concluded.
 
 Showmax