UNESCO reports that the film industry in Africa has an estimated potential to create over 20 million jobs and contribute US$ 20 billion to the continent’s combined GDP. It argues that this potential remains largely unexplored, despite considerable growth in production across the continent. Many aspects of the film and audiovisual industries in Africa remain informal, with only 44% of countries having an established film commission and 55% having a film policy. The industry also faces additional issues such as education and training, gender equality and freedom of expression.

To help address this uneven access to opportunities for African filmmakers, the TUI Care Foundation has launched a TUI Colourful Cultures Programme together with the Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin (KBB). The three-year programme supports the already existing World Cinema Fund initiative.

Founded in 2004, the World Cinema Fund was initiated by KBB and the Berlin International Film Festival. It quickly established itself as one of the leading institutions in the field of international film funding for artistic and innovative productions.

The World Cinema Fund concentrates on backing the production and distribution of films from different geographies, and the TUI Colourful Cultures Programme focuses this effort in twelve African countries. Through the creation of an annual TUI Care Foundation award over three years, movie projects produced in these countries will receive prize money to support their project.

The TUI Colourful Cultures World Cinema Fund programme provides support in the fields of production, post-production or distribution for feature length films and creative documentary features. All World Cinema Fund films completed to date have screened at cinemas and/or in the programmes of renowned festivals. Many have also won significant prizes, demonstrating the worldwide success of the initiative.