NollywoodWeek Film Festival Paris x NIFS Join Forces to Position African Cinema Globally

The organizers of the NollywoodWeek Film Festival, in collaboration with NIFS, will establish new global opportunities for African film in Europe.

Announcing a new collaboration that will bring together African storytellers from with French film investors, financers, broadcasters, buyers, co-producers, and global industry stakeholders for a high-value program which will include the Best of Africa Pitch for in-development or already finished African Film & TV projects. high level panel conversations, capacity building workshops, movie screenings and networking events just days ahead of the Cannes Film Festival.

The partnership between the Paris based NollywoodWeek Film Festival and NIFS set to take place in Paris this May will give birth to one of Europe’s leading platforms for African cinema.

Positioned just ahead of the Cannes Film Festival and Marché du Film, this partnership is designed to create a powerful meeting point between stakeholders from across the African film ecosystem including financers, distributors, producers and institutions seeking international and global growth for the film industry in Africa to connect with European film professionals looking to engage with the energy, creativity, and commercial potential of African storytelling.

The collaboration will feature a carefully curated series of industry-focused events which include the NollywoodWeek screening line-up, the NIFS Best of Africa (BOA) competition, as well as panel discussions, roundtable conversations, and networking opportunities. Together, these moments will create meaningful opportunities for connection, visibility, and deal-making across African and European film ecosystems.

This partnership reflects a shared ambition: to move African stories beyond admiration and into stronger systems of global circulation, financing, co-production, sales, and long-term industry collaboration. For filmmakers, producers, buyers, distributors, and cultural institutions, Paris becomes a strategic gateway — not just to discover standout African projects, but to engage directly with the people building the future of the industry.

With support from French partners such as TransPerfect, Canal Plus, The French Embassy in Nigeria, Cinekita etc., the program will also contribute to ongoing conversations around international market readiness and the tools required for African content to compete and thrive on a global stage.

According to Ijeoma Onah, NIFS Founder “this partnership with Nollywood Week Paris underscores the importance of collaboration and unity in strength towards promoting a truly global African film and cinema industry”.

“This collaboration with NIFS reinforces our shared commitment to building bridges between talent, industry stakeholders, and international markets” says Nollywood Week’s co-founder Serge Noukoué.

For film professionals in Paris, this is an opportunity to access a vibrant pipeline of African talent, projects, and partnerships in one of the city’s most exciting film gatherings.

Nollywood creators and executives, it is a chance to gain visibility, build international relationships, and position projects for the next stage of global growth.

More details on the program, speakers, participating projects, and event access will be released throughout March. Industry professionals, creators, and partners are encouraged to follow NIFS and Nollywood Week and subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated. This May, Paris becomes the room.

About NIFS

The Nigerian International Film Summit (NIFS) is a global platform committed to accelerating the growth, visibility, and international competitiveness of African film and television. Through strategic partnerships, industry convenings, market access initiatives, and talent development, NIFS connects African storytellers to global opportunity.

About NollywoodWeek

NollywoodWeek is a Paris-based festival dedicated to showcasing and elevating Nigerian and African cinema for international audiences. Through a curated program of film screenings, industry engagement, and cultural exchange, it serves as a key gateway for African content to access global markets and opportunities.