The Authenticity of African Films

If you’re being honest, ask yourself how many African films or animations can you recall that give a true, in-depth insight into Africa? In our opinion, a candid depiction of Africa was showcased in the first Lion King animation produced by Walt Disney in 1994. This animation brought out Africa’s savannah in an authentic manner and celebrated the uniqueness of East Africa's Swahili culture, portrayed, for example, through key phrases such as "hakuna matata."

Image of African Savannah courtesy of Thomas Bennie

Other great influences on or depictions of the state of Africa during its colonization period under Europe's rule include Out of Africa, which is the memoir of Karen Blixen that was made into a film in 1985. Other productions that equally brought a level of insight to Africa were Shaka Zulu, the South African series produced in 1986, and the Gods Must Be Crazy film series, produced in 1981.

The aforementioned films and series were mostly written from an external perspective, meaning that the drivers of the narratives in these stories were not inherently African voices. That is not to say that their voices or the narratives given were inaccurate; it is to imply that their perspective was that of an outsider. A notable African proverb by Chinua Achebe states, "Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter."

In present day, inasmuch as technology has brought the world together as a global village, African-led films still struggle to capture an authentic African voice. Among the films that have inspired the possibility of a new narrative for Africa, though fictional, is Black Panther. In addition to this, The Woman King, written by Dana Stevens, offers an authentic representation of West Africa in the 1820s. Though the above movies have been globally successful, they are still written and directed by outsiders.

An attempt at redefining what authentic African content is, is African Folktales Reimagined, a series on Netflix that is a collection of short films adapted from stories that have been passed on from generation to generation, each with a moral lesson. In a sense, these are the African versions of stories such as Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This is a step in the right direction.

Other modern day depictions of authentic African content showcased tastefully include the 2012 film Nairobi Half Life directed by David Tosh Gitonga, the 2023 drama series Single Kiasi produced by Philippe Bresson on Showmax, the 2023 film Gangs of Lagos on Prime Video produced by Jade Osiberu to name a few.

With existing platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Paramount, and even Apple TV, room exists for African executive producers to champion authentic voices in film. When considering authentic African voices in film, at Find My Africa we define this in the following way: Pushing for stories that inherently come from African film makers, ensuring the process of filming, including securing film locations, is local, promoting the cultural aspects involved, including using music and local tailors for costume designs, and ensuring the entire ecosystem is inherently sourced within Africa.

How Find My Africa Can Help

Find My Africa would like to see future productions of African-inspired content produced externally (by Hollywood, Europe, Asia) incorporate a more authentic African representation. This includes the use of African filming locations, the use of more African soundtracks, and the promotion of up-and-coming African actors without limiting their options to those who have relocated or reside abroad. If an entity chooses to profit from the concept of Africa, logic dictates that a portion of those funds be invested in enhancing Africa's economic outlook through the aforementioned measures.

Find My Africa offers the necessary expertise in ensuring an authentic African representation for companies looking to have a diverse and holistic representation of film content emanating from Africa.

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