PARIS:
Paris is turning its gaze towards Africa’s booming film industry this week as the NollywoodWeek festival opens, offering audiences a curated look at storytelling from Nigeria and across the continent, alongside voices from the diaspora.
Now in its 13th edition, the five-day event brings together a diverse slate of films spanning romance, music, social issues and documentary narratives, reflecting the breadth and evolving sophistication of African cinema.
Founded in 2013, the festival was born out of a desire to introduce Nollywood to wider audiences in Europe and challenge long-held perceptions of the industry as dominated by low-budget productions.
“With my partners, we came to the realisation that a city like Paris just could not ignore the cultural phenomenon that Nollywood had become,” co-founder Serge Noukoue said, describing the initiative as an effort to reshape global narratives around African film.
Screenings this year include ‘East West Love’, a cross-border romance between Nigeria and Kenya, and ‘Evi Superstar’, which follows a Nigerian singer rebuilding her career, alongside the documentary ‘Mothers of Chibok’, examining the aftermath of the 2014 kidnappings.
The programme also extends beyond Nigeria, featuring films from Ghana, Kenya and Senegal, underscoring the growing interconnectedness of African filmmaking and the increasing visibility of its creators on the global stage.
The industry’s rise has been bolstered by streaming platforms and the global popularity of African music genres such as Afrobeats and Amapiano, which have helped expand audiences and improve production quality.
As Nollywood continues to evolve, events like this aim to bridge cultural gaps, offering Paris a window into a dynamic cinematic landscape still striving to realise its full global potential.
