DISCOP Africa Sees Attendance Growth

LOS ANGELES/JOHANNESBURG: The eighth edition of DISCOP Africa drew an 18-percent increase in attendance over last year's event, with delegates representing 670 companies.

This year's event drew attendees from more than 300 TV stations and pay-TV platforms.

The DISCOPRO conference agenda shined a light on producers and co-production opportunities. During the event, The Format People’s Pitching Competition announced winners across three categories. The ‘Formats’ category was won by Kaye Ann Williams from Penguin Films for the project The Hook Up (South Africa); ‘TV Series’ by Marie Lora-Mungai from Buni Media/Buni TV with the animated series Once Upon a Time in Africa (Kenya); and ‘Documentary’ by Wairuri Njeru from Tattuah Films with Ex Generation (Kenya).

Additional highlights included an opening address by South Africa’s arts and culture minister, Paul Mashatile, in which he stated, “DISCOP Africa 2013 takes place at a time when our continent is increasingly being viewed as the continent of hope, the continent of the future and a new growth frontier. We have no doubt, therefore, that emerging out of this gathering will be effective partnerships and programmes aimed at accelerating the growth of film and TV production across the African continent.”

“We are pleased to report another very successful edition of DISCOP Africa—both African and non-African producers and distributors reported a busy three days of deal-making, alongside inspirational and relevant conferences and sessions,” commented Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki, the general manager of Basic Lead, organizer of DISCOP Africa. “The growth of Africa’s content industry and its role in the international marketplace continues to accelerate and DISCOP Africa is now firmly established as the must-attend event in this region.”

DISCOP will convene in Istanbul from March 4 to 6, 2014; the next DISCOP Africa is confirmed to take place from November 5 to 7, 2014.