Netflix, the world’s top streaming service, is set to showcase African talent and stories to its global subscribers with a collection dubbed ‘From Cape to Cairo,’ which will debut on May 1, 2022, as part of Africa Month.
The collection is in response to calls for media companies to invest in creating a space for African content creators to share their stories about Africa with the rest of the world by supporting content production and promoting access to continental and global audiences, with the goal of changing people’s perceptions of Africa and showcasing African talent and culture.
Ms. Leslie Richer, Director of Information and Communication for the African Union, said of the initiative: “We welcome the initiative by Netflix in response to our call to media to redefine and change the narratives about Africa by showcasing African stories conceived of and told by African content creators and talent. The Cape to Cairo showcase on Netflix during the Month of May celebrated as Africa Month and in which we also celebrate Africa Day on May 25th, will create visibility for those in front of and behind the camera doing their part to build the Africa We Want as envisaged in the Aspirations of Agenda 2063 through investment in Africa’s Creative Economy and the Culture and Creative Industries. The initiative also builds on our goals to encourage Dignified Storytelling and ensuring that stories told about a people and their culture is captured in an authentic and balanced manner and this can only happen when we encourage diversity and inclusion in the media space.”
Ben Amadasun, Netflix’s Director of Content in Africa noted that with Africa’s rich cultural heritage, there’s a multitude of stories to be told from, and about, the continent and its people. He further said that “Netflix has not only invested in promoting African talent through content creation and skills and capacity building initiatives but wants to enhance the narrative of Africa beyond the continent’s borders to our global audiences and that’s why in May 2022, we are celebrating these stories and storytellers through a new collection titled ‘From Cape to Cairo’.”
‘Our Music, Our Culture, Our History; ‘Award-Winners & Critics’ Favorites;’ African Women Behind the Camera,’ ‘Love Across the Continent,’ and ‘African Diaspora Stories,’ among others which will be showcased. Aside from the new Netflix collection, the firm will also launch a new podcast called Never Late | African Time, which will feature some of Africa’s biggest film and TV stars discussing various facets of the creative sector that affect their work. The five-episode podcast, which will premiere on May 4, 2022, is available on the AfricaOnNetflix official YouTube page, as well as Spotify and Apple iTunes. Every Wednesday, a new episode is produced, and the podcast is available in both video and audio forms.
