Our team has returned from FAME Week Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, where we introduced the Open Call for the next edition of Alternativa Film Festival and explored new opportunities for collaboration. Alternativa was represented by Liza Surganova, Head of Alternativa; Vitaly Lavi, Head of Alternativa Distribution; Masha Shilova, Licensing Manager; and Andjelka Jankovic, Head of Marketing and Communications.
Held from October 28 to November 1, FAME Week Africa is a marketplace for Africa’s creative industries, bringing together professionals from film, television, music, and fashion. Its events include the MIP Africa content market and the FAME Shorts Film Festival. We thank the FAME Week Africa team for their warm welcome!
Connections and Insights
Throughout the week, our team attended panels at MIP Africa, exploring key developments in African cinema and discovering emerging voices. Meetings with broadcasters, filmmakers, and potential partners helped us expand Alternativa’s network across the continent ahead of the next Festival edition. One of the highlights was a MultiChoice Talent Factory event focused on nurturing the next generation of African filmmakers and industry professionals.
Among our new connections was Xabiso Ngqabe, founder of TVMzansi, a growing South African platform covering local television, film, streaming, and entertainment. We also met Lerato Bokako from STEPS, a Cape Town-based nonprofit that uses documentaries to drive social impact. Lerato shared valuable insights into South Africa’s festival landscape.
We also connected with Tarha McKenzie, Festival Manager of Encounters, one of Africa’s leading documentary festivals, held in Cape Town and Johannesburg for nearly 30 years. Our conversation covered documentary filmmaking, community screenings, and the festival’s Junior Movie Club, which introduces children to cinema from an early age.
