By Paris is hosting the 13th edition of NollywoodWeek, a five-day festival showcasing films from Nigeria, other African countries and the diaspora. Organisers say the event aims to broaden European audiences’ understanding of African cinema.
The French capital is hosting a fresh showcase of African filmmaking this week as the NollywoodWeek festival opens its latest edition, bringing together films from Nigeria, other African countries and the diaspora.
Now in its 13th year, the five-day event presents a selection of films covering romance, music, social themes and documentary storytelling, highlighting both the range of subjects and the growing maturity of African cinema.
The festival was launched in 2013 with the aim of introducing Nollywood to broader audiences in Europe and pushing back against entrenched views that reduced the industry to low-budget productions.
“With my partners, we came to the realization that a city like Paris just could not ignore the cultural phenomenon that Nollywood had become,” co-founder Serge Noukoue said, describing the project as an attempt to change how African film is viewed internationally.
Films from Nigeria and beyond
This year’s programme includes East West Love, described as a romance spanning Nigeria and Kenya, and Evi Superstar, centred on a Nigerian singer trying to rebuild her career. The line-up also features the documentary Mothers of Chibok, which looks at the aftermath of the 2014 kidnappings.
While Nollywood remains at the heart of the festival, the programme also includes films from Ghana, Kenya and Senegal. The selection reflects stronger links across African film industries and the rising international profile of filmmakers from the continent.
Industry growth and global reach
The expansion of African cinema has been supported by streaming services, which have helped films reach wider audiences. The global success of African music genres including Afrobeats and Amapiano has also contributed to that momentum, helping broaden viewership and support better production standards.
Organisers say events such as NollywoodWeek are intended to connect audiences across cultures and offer Parisian viewers a closer look at a film landscape that continues to develop and seek a larger place on the world stage.
The festival’s latest edition comes as African cinema gains increasing visibility internationally, with filmmakers from across the continent drawing attention for stories that span personal relationships, music, social realities and documentary accounts of major events.
By combining Nigerian productions with films from elsewhere in Africa, the Paris event is presenting a wider picture of a fast-evolving creative sector whose reach now extends well beyond its traditional markets.
