Cross Continental Forum moves to South Africa

CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG) has announced that the Cross Continental Forum, a global market access platform connecting producers across Africa, the Caribbean, and their wide diasporas, will this year expand to South Africa.

“After two successful years in the Caribbean, the Cross Continental Forum expands to South Africa in 2026, acknowledging its role as a gateway to co-production with the wider African continent … After two groundbreaking editions in Barbados, CCF extends its mandate to deepen collaboration between African creators and the wider Global South diaspora,” CTMG says.

This year’s programme includes four weeks of online sessions and curated B2B meetings, connecting producers, funders, and industry stakeholders worldwide. Thus, applications are now open to black producers from Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, the UK, Europe and South/Latin America, working in documentaries, feature films, and television series, who are seeking to expand their businesses into international co-production. Applications are open until April 15, 2026, at http://decolonisingcoproduction.com/apply/. Bursaries may be available to assist with travel costs.

The 2026 programme has a hybrid format, four weeks of virtual sessions, and two in-person gatherings, in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa from July 21 to 27, and at the Toronto International Film Festival Market in Toronto, Canada from September 8 to 13, “to connect producers, funders, and stakeholders to catalyse co-productions and expand market access for black and global majority producers”.

In the curated industry panels and match-making sessions with international broadcasters, streamers, and investors, there will be targeted match-making to connect black producers with strategic global partners. In the creative and business labs, there will be case studies and practical labs on international co-productions, financing, and distribution strategies. The focus will be on building equitable, sustainable, decolonial production and business models.

The pitch and networking events are designed to showcase projects from black, indigenous, people of colour (BIPOC) producers. They will provide structured environments for forming long-term partnerships and co-production deals. Co-production seed funding is presented in partnership with leading screen industry organisations and cultural agencies from Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada.

STRATEGIC GATEWAY

Founded by award-winning film-maker and Academy member, Frances-Anne Solomon, “CTMG is a multifaceted media organisation dedicated to producing, marketing, and distributing African and Caribbean diaspora stories to global audiences”.

“Through its Creators of Colour Training hub and related incubator programmes, CTMG delivers year-round development and co-production training for BIPOC film-makers, supporting over 80 producers from around the world with mentorship, pitching, and market access opportunities. Its initiatives, including the Cross Continental Forum, are designed to build sustainable co-production ecosystems across Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, and the wider Global South, advancing equitable partnerships and story sovereignty for BIPOC creators,” a release notes.

And, with the recent co-production agreement signed between South Africa and Nigeria, and the continued growth of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), cross-regional collaboration in the creative industries is entering a transformative phase.

“We’re witnessing the potential of the AfCFTA to come to life through creative industry partnerships,” Dr. Keith Nurse, Caribbean economist, creative industries specialist, and chair of CaribbeanTales Media Group, said. “South Africa’s dynamic screen industry, combined with its co-production infrastructure, positions it as a strategic gateway for South–South collaboration and creative entrepreneurship,” he adds.

The AfCFTA connects 55 African Union nations, forming the world’s largest free trade area by membership. Within this framework, South Africa stands at the forefront of developing production ecosystems that can enhance global visibility and commercial return for regional creators.

The project is funded by Creative Export Canada, part of the Creative Export Strategy that provides visibility and funding to help Canadian creative works achieve financial success abroad. CCF2026 is funded by Creative Industries Funding from the City of Toronto, that supports organisations building skills for jobs in film, TV, music, and creative tech.