This invitation prompted me to pause and reflect. 

I’ve been making films in Canada for nearly 20 years, yet I've rarely received support or acknowledgment from Canadian institutions. TIFF has been one of the few exceptions. Their backing made me feel seen—a rare experience for a Black filmmaker in Canada, especially one focused on African stories. In my interview, I spoke about this sense of being seen as an African producer.

As an Ethiopian-Canadian producer, I have spent my career working between two continents. Much of the content I produce is set in Africa or made with African—primarily East African—storytellers. 

Despite my production company being based in Canada and often collaborating with Canadian creators and suppliers, only a few of my projects have received Canadian federal or provincial financing. African Canadians like myself, who produce stories in foreign languages, collaborate with creators in Africa, or set their narratives on the continent, often find themselves outside the scope of traditional film and TV financing systems.

Due to this lack of support, I left Canada nearly a decade ago to live and work in Ethiopia. Although Canada is globally known for its significant film and TV content financing, many complex reasons explain the gap in support for African stories—often policy-related, involving the Canada Revenue Agency, Treasury Board, and the Department of Canadian Heritage. 

Yet, one of the most pervasive barriers is the systemic racism embedded in the industry, which still prevents many leaders of screen organizations from making meaningful changes. I didn't want to spend time in a system where my only pathway to success was telling stories through a Eurocentric lens or infusing a white Canadian point of view into them—yes, these are notes I have received from decision-makers in Canada.

My time in Ethiopia enabled me to build my career and produce content with a network of African, European and Arab sectoral supporters. Now that I’m back living in Canada due to instability in Ethiopia, I am quickly reminded that not much has changed. I immediately see the missed opportunities for collaboration between Canada and Africa in the screen sector and the lack of support for African Canadians amid the focus on Black content in Canada.

The North American premiere of my film Alazar, directed by Ethiopian filmmaker Beza Hailu Lemma, at TIFF exemplifies these challenges. The film, released to critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival, was the first film in over 30 years from a Black Canadian production company to screen at Cannes. What could have been a proud moment for Canada’s diversity and the Black film industry went largely unnoticed. 

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Produced and owned by my Canadian company in collaboration with a French co-producer, the film was made without support from the supposedly well-funded Canadian finance system. As I prepare to finance the follow-up feature film by the same African director through my Canadian company, it remains to be seen if we can secure domestic support—or if we will be seen here in Canada as part of the screen industry.

According to a recent UNESCO report, African cinema is no longer confined to the continent; it now has a global reach and is projected to grow to $20 billion by 2025. From Nollywood’s celebrated works to critically acclaimed films emerging from West and East Africa, the industry produces diverse, high-quality content that resonates with audiences worldwide. African filmmakers tell stories deeply rooted in their cultures and experiences yet universal in their appeal.  ‘Atlantics,’  ‘You Will Die at Twenty,’ and ‘This is Not a Burial, it’s a Resurrection’ have won international awards at film festivals including Cannes, Venice, and Sundance.

Canada is home to a vibrant and substantial African diaspora. Of the Black population in Canada born outside the country, 55.3% were born in Africa. This community forms a significant audience for African cinema. Yet, many African Canadians do not see their experiences and stories reflected in Canadian film and television.

In Canada, film and TV financing systems and decision-makers are predominantly white, as is the perceived audience. As a result, most screen content centers on white perspectives and stories that reinforce familiar worldviews, often sidelining diverse voices.

While European countries have been at the forefront of financing African films and fostering successful collaborations, Canada lags behind. Content by African writers, directors, and producers in Canada remains ignored and underfunded. Strict “Canadian content” rules, meant to keep jobs local, often restrict diverse projects. For instance, a Swahili-language film may lack fluent Canadian actors, or hiring a cinematographer from Vietnam could be more suitable than using a Canadian crew member without local expertise. But these would not be considered “Canadian enough” to qualify for funding.

In contrast, institutions like France’s CNC (National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image), Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Fund and the UK’s BFI (British Film Institute)-  not without their issues - have actively invested in African films leading to a robust pipeline of content that has succeeded on the international stage.

The absence of similar initiatives in Canada means the country is missing out on a wealth of opportunities and often contributing to a brain drain, as many producers like myself seek greener pastures abroad. I’ve been studying this, and I’ve found that there are actually very few African films with Canadian money. They are only from South Africa and Senegal, as Canada has treaties there. I have never encountered any examples of films from other Sub-Saharan countries with Canadian government financing.

Canada is missing out big time! The African cinema industry is projected to continue its growth trajectory, and countries positioning themselves as partners in this growth will benefit economically. The success of African films on international platforms demonstrates the demand for this content, and Canada has the resources and talent to be part of this success story. However, without adequate support and investment, Canada risks sidelining itself from this burgeoning industry. 

Policy changes are urgently needed to create an enabling environment for African Canadian filmmakers and encourage co-productions with African countries. This includes revisiting funding models, offering incentives for international collaborations, and actively promoting African Canadian stories.

This year at TIFF, there is a strong cohort of African films, including The Legend of the Vagabond Queens of Lagos by the Agbajowo collective, Dahomey by Mati Diop, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl by Rungano Nyoni, The Village Next to Paradise by Mo Harawe, and Mother Mother by K’naan Warsame, among others.

I see the premiere of these films, and my own film Alazar at TIFF, as proud moments but also reminders of the untapped potential for stronger collaborations between Canada and Africa in the screen sector.