DISCOP Zanzibar has announced the preliminary backbone of the NEXT GEN knowledge-transfer and development programme. The NEXT GEN program will feature a potent trio of tracks aimed at delegates attending both the Zanzibar International Film Festival, Africa's largest and most respected film festival, and DISCOP Zanzibar as both events will take place at the same time.
DISCOP Zanzibar takes place on 11-13 July 2018, at the brand new and 100% green VERDE HOTEL, champion of sustainable development and located 2km from Stone Town (the main city). Zanzibar is one of the greatest cultural crossroads, where Africa meets Arabia meets the Indian ocean. On offer is:
- DISCOPRO, organised in partnership with Screen Africa, will focus on international distribution opportunities for entertainment content produced in Africa. Some of the industry’s biggest buyers of content produced in Africa, from broadcasters and VOD platforms to aggregators and theatrical distributors will share their insight
- DISCORE is organised in partnership with ONGEA Africa, East Africa’s largest music conference. It will focus on the production of original music to accompany film, television, and online entertainment content in a world under the influence of multiple cultural backgrounds. This track will also see international experts including music supervisors, publishers, content producers and others sharing their insights specifically for the East African market.
- DISCOMICS is organised in partnership with the African Animation Network. This track will focus on the ubiquity of animated content, the staying power of comic books, the evolution of video games, and the surging popularity of eSports across all platforms and screens.
Driven by the tastes, expectations and usage patterns of an extremely young demographic, Eastern Africa is booming and has not just become a desired location for international productions, but is also now the hub of a booming film, television and online content production, adaptation and distribution industry.
Over 500 delegates from 50 countries representing over 300 companies will attend DISCOP Zanzibar, including over 150 film, television, online content and adaptation right buyers representing 100 plus broadcasters, satellite, cable, online pay-tv platforms, mobile operators, airlines and territorial sub-distributors operating in Eastern Africa.
The three-day market will primarily facilitate business, with and across, Eastern Africa's eight major countries Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda.
The inaugural edition of DISCOP Zanzibar will also feature two special additions to its program:
- Open to the public, the Zanzibar TV Series Festival presented by The Africa Channel will screen for three days some of the best TV Series from across Africa and beyond.
- Sponsored by the Pan-Africa Ladima Foundation which works to create and promote opportunities for women in the industry, the Women of Influence Evening Conversation will bring together the most creative, iconic and culturally relevant women in Africa’s entertainment and media industry.
Celebrating the sustained and growing presence of Ethiopian companies on the international scene, Ethiopia will be named as DISCOP Zanzibar 2018 ‘Guest Country’. This nomination will help the nascent Ethiopian film, television, digital content production and distribution sectors build stronger connections with key industry executives driving Africa’s multiplatform entertainment content production and distribution industries.
