The NIFS session brought together industry leaders, financiers and creatives to discuss the current challenges and future possibilities in amplifying African narratives on the global scene, with Filmhouse Group leading the conversation.
By Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku
The Nigerian International Film Summit (NIFS) at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival hosted a pivotal session titled “The Nollywood Conversations: A Deep Dive into Opportunities to Present African Stories for Global Screens,” focusing on Nollywood’s evolving role on the international film scene.
The NIFS session brought together industry leaders, financiers and creatives to discuss the current challenges and future possibilities in amplifying African narratives on the global scene, with Filmhouse Group leading the conversation. The programme featured insights from Kene Okwuosa, the CEO of Filmhouse Group, and Ladun Awobokun, the Chief Content Officer at FilmOne Entertainment, the distribution arm of Filmhouse Group.
In a presentation on expanding Nigerian cinema to the world and FilmOne’s role in elevating Nollywood and building global distribution pathways for Nigerian content, Awobokun noted the importance of structure and sustainability as well as creativity in promoting Nollywood on the global stage.
Speaking on the panel, Okwuosa emphasised the need to build scalable ecosystems to ensure global distribution of Nigerian content. “The world wants African stories, but it’s our responsibility to ensure we’re creating the ecosystems to sustain that demand,” he said. “From licensing frameworks and exhibition strategies to co-productions and international distribution, we must build for scale, not just success.”
The event also included exclusive previews of upcoming projects backed by Filmhouse Group, including Izu Ojukwu’s 77: The Festac Conspiracy, which Afrocritik earlier reported on, and Daniel Etim Effiong’s directorial debut, The Herd.
FilmHouse Group is a leading African entertainment company, with FilmOne Entertainment holding a majority market share for distributing Nollywood titles as well as West African theatrical licences for titles from Disney, Warner Bros., Empire, Angel Studios and Sony.
The participation of Nigerian industry stakeholders, including Filmhouse Group, in the discussions at Cannes reflects a concerted effort to promote Nigerian cinema more expansively on the international stage and to push for sustainable growth and stronger international partnerships.