Abidjan's SICA Positions as a Lynchpin Event for African Film, TV

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3 days ago

A bourgeoning film-TV market, the International Salon for Audiovisual Content (SICA), is set to return June 26-28 for its third edition in Abidjan, positioning itself as a lynchpin for Africa's film and television industry. This year's edition, moreover, is more ambitious than ever.
Unfurling under the banner of Digital Sovereignty and Exporting Our Stories: Building a Competitive and Globalized African Audiovisual Market, SICA, the International Salon for Audiovisual Content will focus on strengthening the continent's digital footprint while boosting the global reach of its talent and content.
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'SICA 2025 is all about consolidating Africa's digital sovereignty and fostering a structured export of its stories,' SICA General Commissioner, Oumar Konaté, tells Variety. 'We want to reaffirm our capacity to produce, distribute, and create value for our own content on our own platforms, and at the same time give this content the international visibility it deserves.'
That strategy is reflected across this year's program. It features an opening panel with ministers from key sectors, including culture, youth, tourism, and digital economy. In Konaté's words, the program is 'a concrete response to the transversality of these issues with panels, co-production labs, and workshops on regulation, rights, AI, and sovereign data.'
SICA 2025 also brings new initiatives. The SICA Business Hub will offer direct financial support to promising projects; a SICA d'Or, which will recognize excellence across local DTT channels; and a SICA Off initiative to take screenings directly to four districts of Abidjan – Yopougon, Abobo, Cocody, and Koumassi – democratizing the forum by making it accessible to local audiences.
In a promotional video on SICA's website, Konaté has further detailed these innovations. 'This year, we want participants to better appreciate the content,' he says. 'That's why we've decided to reduce the number of panels and focus on quality.' The SICA Business Hub is also designed to go beyond concept-stage pitches. 'Here,' he explains, 'young creators can come present pilots and seek potential funding partners.'
Konaté explained that the aim of the Business Hub, above all, is 'to remove the financial barriers that often keep African stories trapped at the concept stage. By helping creators produce professional-grade pilots or teasers, we increase their chance of landing serious international partners.'
As for the SICA d'Or, Konaté calls it 'an opportunity for both the public and professionals to appreciate content already airing on DTT and recognize what's making an impact.
Abel N'Guessan Kouame, CEO of animation studio AfrikaToon and a SICA participant, echoes those sentiments to Variety, saying 'African people need local stories.' He adds, 'In order for a production to be really successful it has to be local. For example, you have 'Squid Game' in Korea, in Europe, 'Money Heist.' You see that local content is very successful and can be spread around the world.'
It's this commitment to authenticity that SICA aims to cultivate across its screenings and workshops.
With SICA OFF, the salon is keeping its focus local, with plans to host free screenings and industry workshops to engage grassroots talent and audiences. 'This is a territorial approach,' Konaté explains. 'We want to inspire future creators and show that our stories come from every corner of our cities, not just the privileged areas.'
Konaté teased the African premiere at SICA of 'Le Grand Déplacement' ('Black to the Future') from French actor-director Jean Pascal Zadi and shot in Ivory Coast as a highlight of the three-day event.
The salon's closing day will include a new emphasis on Ivory Coast as an attractive filming destination. 'This year, we decided to add a more scientific touch, showcasing Ivory Coast's appeal as a filming location through a dedicated panel with the Tourism and Culture Ministries,' Konate emphasized.
This is all in service of SICA's core goals, which Konaté spelled out clearly to Variety. 'We want to accelerate the integration of the African audiovisual market with the cooperation of government bodies and industry leaders,' he said. 'That means creating real, actionable financing and co-production opportunities and positioning Abidjan and Ivory Coast as a true hub for the continent.'
That commitment is reflected not only in SICA's focus on co-productions and industry partnerships––drawing in regional players like Cinékita, Studio KÄ, Orun, Loqui-la-Technologie, RTI, NCI, Life TV, SABC, and more, but also in its global outlook.
SICA expects to welcome 700 accredited delegates, up from 400 last year, with a 40% increase in international guests. With over 100 international buyers and co-producers expected from across Africa, Europe, Asia, the U.S., and the Middle East, SICA aims to act as a catalyst for international interest and South-South alliances for years to come. Heavyweights like Showmax, Canal+ Afrique and Netflix will also participate in pitch sessions, co-production forums, and keynotes, signalling robust international interest.
The opening day at SICA will feature an inaugural conference on the theme of Digital Sovereignty and Story Export of Stories: Building a Competitive Globalized African Audiovisual Market, featuring American producer Larry Kasanoff, founder of Threshold Entertainment and executive producer of the 'Mortal Kombat' franchise. There will also be keynote talks from Japan's Shuzo John Shiota, CEO of Japan's Polygon Pictures, and American-French producer Alex Berger of 'The Bureau' and 'La Maison' fame.
SICA's three-day conference strand will host panels on topics like AI and Audiovisual Creation: Opportunities and Challenges for Africa and African Diaspora: Diversity and the Promotion of Storytelling. Panels on subjects like Distribution and Export Strategies for African Audiovisual Content and Building Impactful Branding Around African Stories are also on the menu.
As Konaté concluded, SICA's role is both cultural and industrial: 'In five years, we want SICA to be one of the most important markets for African content, a true hub that reinforces the ecosystem locally while projecting African talent globally.'
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