Iran eyes deeper film ties with Africa
Iran is seeking to expand its film industry’s reach across Africa through joint productions, festival collaborations and cultural exchange, officials and academics said at a Tehran panel hosted by the Cinema Organization of Iran.
The event, held by the Center for Cinematic Studies, drew cinema officials, experts and artists to explore how Tehran could tap into what one speaker called the “vast, underutilized potential” of African film markets.
Amir Bahram Arab Ahmadi, associate professor at the University of Tehran, said Africa, home to a quarter of the world’s countries, is fast becoming a strategic cultural and economic frontier.
Arab Ahmadi highlighted Africa’s cinematic diversity, pointing to Egypt’s century-old film industry and South Africa’s post-apartheid cinema revival.
He noted Nigeria’s Nollywood as the world’s most prolific producer, with some 2,500 films annually. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia also show signs of steady growth despite limited resources.
“In most African countries, cinema is managed by the state with support for both public and private players,” he said, noting that many governments have “borrowed models from countries like China.” Professional guilds and unions have also emerged over the past decades, signaling structural maturity.
Iranian filmmakers, he added, have mostly worked in East Africa due to historical ties dating back to the Shirazi diaspora. Documentaries and features have been shot in Kenya, Somalia, and South Africa, including ‘The Fourth Child’ by Vahid Mousaian and Majid Majidi’s ‘Muhammad: The Messenger of God,’ partially filmed in Bela Bela.
Arab Ahmadi criticized Tehran’s limited engagement with Africa, saying the government “has yet to prioritize” the continent in its cultural diplomacy.
He pointed to countries like Turkey and China that actively use their media exports to build soft power in Africa.
“African film festivals are golden opportunities,” he said. “They’re not just showcases — they’re gateways to global recognition.”