They sound like unlikely bedfellows — a UN agency focussed on building world peace linking up with a giant global streaming service.
So I was intrigued to find out more about the partnership between the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural organisation (Unesco) and US-based Netflix as I made my way to the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff in Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.
Turns out that their joint project, “African Folktales, Reimagined”, is a short-film competition seeking to uncover new talent across the continent by challenging fim-makers to come up with a new spin on time-old stories.
It cleverly lets Unesco meet its mandate of promoting cultural diversity and gives Netflix the chance to entice African audiences with home-grown content as its subscriptions in key markets like the US slow down.
The entertainment company has around 2.6-million subscribers across Africa, but faces competition not only from Multichoice’s Showmax but also incoming players such as Disney+.
More than 2,000 entries were received since the contest was announced last year — and the night marked the opening reception for the 21 finalists from 13 countries who had made it to the next round.
Arriving at the Acadia ballroom of the luxurious hotel perched atop a hill with its Jacaranda-framed views of the city, one of the first people I meet isn’t a finalists but someone who knows the power of a good story.
That’s Samad Davis, a US-born financier who has produced a dozen TV productions, including the local Netflix hit Kings of Jo’burg.
The series, set in the City of Gold’s criminal underworld, starred Shona Ferguson, who announced a couple of months before his death in July last year that there would be a follow up show.
When I ask Samad whether Shona will appear in the series which notched him a posthumous international award for his role as Simon “Vader” Masire, “in spirit”, he responds.
Next I meet award-winning producer Bongiwe Selane ,whose debut film Happiness is a Four-Letter Word was released on the streaming service in 2016 and went on to become SA’s best performing local flick.
Bongiwe, who I don’t initially recognise as she wasn’t wearing her trademark black rimmed specs, and Nigerian filmmaker Femi Odugbemi were two of six judges set to listen to the pitches of those young film talents over the following two days.
From there, six concepts would be chosen, giving their creators a $75,000 production budget and $25,000 for them to pocket for their efforts.
I ask another judge, Leila Afua Djansi, an American and Ghanaian filmmaker, what she’s looking for.
“I want to be inspired. To feel Africa — the strength of the people, the culture. I want to see an identity, a strong African voice because it’s time for our voices to be heard at the table,” she answers.
Onto saying hello to Masana Chikeka, the acting director for the creative industries at the department of sports, arts and culture. And I get to meet Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, Unesco’s assistant director-general.
Having learnt that in a previous life Ernesto had been an actor in his native Chile, I ask the diplomat if he missed being in front of the camera.
“No,” is the firm response from the former Chilean culture minister who holds a master’s in public policy in culture.
From Netflix’s side I meet Shola Sanni, the director of Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, and the recently appointed Tendeka Matatu, who oversees African film projects such as the folklore series.
Although I won’t be able to mention every one of those 21 budding filmmakers, I’ll wager that, judging by the number of West African finalists, at least one Nigerian effort makes the cut. I’m also crossing fingers that spunky Gqeberha-born Gcobisa Yako has her mami wata inspired tale greenlighted.
Food-wise, we tucked into a heavy-on-Mzansi inspired buffet including cheese braai broodjies, a yummy roasted potato salad with caramelised onions, Karoo lamb chops and boerewors straight off the braai.
Vegans would have enjoyed the plant-based sausages and haloumi and veg skewers. Those of us with a sweet tooth relished the mini malva puds with minted crème anglaise and bite-sized milk tarts.
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