WHAT IS AFRICA ENGAGE?
Africa Engage boosts professional collaboration across borders and supports voices from the African continent through film. We believe that creative storytelling can shift narratives and move relations, audiences and societies. The program aligns as a film-industry response with the Danish "Africa’s Century" strategy.
Following the enriching Africa Engage 2024 and 2026 experiences, we are now designing the scope for the next edition and raising funds. We aim to twist the program in 2027/2028 by including new target groups and partners - and we envision to build and add a training and content development program in East Africa.
We thank our partners, delegates and network for your engagement, trust and support.
Africa Engage is initiated by Film Lab Zanzibar (Tanzania) and Bullitt Film (Denmark) in 2024, realized in partnership with STEPS (South Africa) and CPH:DOX, and supported by OPEN.
In 2024 and 2026 , Africa Engage included the following components:
The Africa Engage Delegation at CPH:DOX
African directors and producers take part in professional meetings with Danish film professionals, strengthening relationships, networks, and opportunities for future co-productions, training and festival collaboration.
Screenings & debates with Danish audiences at CPH:DOX
African filmmakers present their films at CPH:DOX and participate in panel talks and audience debates.
Africa Engage in schools
African filmmakers visit Danish schools, where students encounter films and stories about global development - told from an African perspective.
The Africa Engage Plan
The partner group develops a long-term plan for equal collaboration, based on new research and dialogue with key stakeholders in both Denmark and Africa – aligned with the Danish Africa Strategy.
Trailer from Africa Engage 2024. Delegates at CPH:DOX.
Video by Anna Harder, Bullitt Film
PARTNERS IN AFRICA ENGAGE
Bullitt Film and Film Lab Zanzibar are the initiators of Africa Engage, and they are realizing the initiative through a great partnerships with STEPS and CPH:DOX. The programme Is supported by OPEN (CISU), which is a funding scheme under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bullitt Film is an award winning independent Documentary film production company with vast experience in co-producing international titles. The company is profiled through their creation of socially conscious film with a strong artistic vision.
Film Lab Zanzibar is a training hub for African storytelling. FLZ provides short-term workshops and long-term residencies for filmmakers in Tanzania & East Africa - and forsters international partnership programs like Africa Engage in Denmark. FLZ supports young professionals to grow their skills, nurtures their creativity and confidence - and empowers them to tell their untold stories to the world in their own ways.
FLZ’s particular emphasis is on creative documentary filmmaking while also engaging in animation and fiction. Zanzibar is the center of Swahili culture and an exponent of multiculturalism - and it has a magic pull. Karibu!
Instagram: @filmlabzanzibar
STEPS from South Africa, is probably the most experienced producing entity to collaborate with documentary filmmakers from across the entire African continent. STEPS is a nonprofit organization and media company, passionate about the power of documentaries to disrupt, shift and move the world. The company has won numerous awards, like at the Oscars and the Ouagadougou-, Berlinale- and Cannes film festivals. STEPS focuses on films dealing with development topics, made with artistic ambition, and with ability to make impact and create local change.
CPH:DOX is an established Danish and international platform - and the second largest world wide. The documentary film festival attracts a huge number of film professionals and public audiences with high quality festival content and curated films from all over the world including Africa.
