African Cinema and the Legacy of Guido Convents

Guido Convents (1956-2025) pictured here with Charles Ayetan

Guido Convents, the recently deceased Belgian, was a dedicated and pioneering academic, film critic, historian, and anthropologist. Charles Ayetan, a media professional, film critic, and expert on Togolese African cinema, was a friend and colleague of Guido's. He says Guido Convents's impact on African cinema is a legacy worth celebrating.
Paul Samasumo – Vatican City.

For most of his working life, Guido Convents worked for SIGNIS and served in its secretariat in Brussels. SIGNIS is the World Catholic Association for Communication.

Charles Ayetan, currently the Communications Officer for SECAM (Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar), based in Accra, Ghana, is also president of the African Catholic Press Union (UCAP) and a member of the African Federation of Film Critics (AFFC/FACC). Recently, Charles Ayetan shared his lasting impressions of Guido Convents' life and work from an African perspective.

Guido Convents' contribution to African cinema

I met Guido Convents in person at the 2009 FESPACO International Film Festival in Ouagadougou, and I saw him again that same year in France at the Amiens International Film Festival. However, before that unforgettable meeting, Guido and I had exchanged articles and news about African cinema and news related to Africa. At the time, I was contributing to the Togolese church newspaper, Présence Chrétienne.

For me, Guido was like a brother, and in terms of filmmaking, a key figure. Despite being a young media professional and film critic, he showed great confidence in my abilities.

A tireless promoter of the African image

Guido was a tireless defender of the African image, especially African cinema. For decades, he dedicated his life to researching and publishing extensively on the history of African cinema, as well as ensuring the visibility of African filmmakers. In total, he published between six and seven books on African cinema. One of his most notable books, published in French in 1986, is "À la recherche des images oubliées: Préhistoire du cinéma en Afrique" (1897-1918). Another of Guido's works is "Images and Animation. Animated Cinema in Central Africa. Introduction to Animated Cinema in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi" (2014).

Together with Guido Huysmans and others, Guido founded and regularly organized the Afrika Film Festival in Leuven, which served as an important platform for promoting African cinema, celebrating African cultures, and combating stereotypes about Africa and its people. In his own way, Guido was also committed to strengthening the presence of the Catholic Church at international film festivals and supporting the recognition of filmmakers through the Ecumenical Awards and SIGNIS.

Is African cinema growing?

Yes, African cinema is experiencing growth. Across the continent, more films are being produced each year in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Togo, Ghana, and many other countries.

Online streaming platforms and international film festivals are giving African films greater visibility and creating new markets.

This growth is primarily due to African youth, the growing demand for local stories, digital technologies that reduce production costs, and a growing sense of national and cultural pride. While challenges such as limited funding, piracy, and distribution gaps persist, the overall trend indicates expansion. African cinema is growing in both quantity and quality, forging a vibrant presence on the world stage.

For example, Nollywood in Nigeria releases more than 2,000 films a year, making it the second-largest film industry in the world by production volume, surpassed only by Bollywood in India. African films are quickly sold and consumed by audiences across Africa, the diaspora, and beyond. Despite the challenges, strong storytelling and innovative business models can generate substantial revenue. African cinema is booming.

Advice for young African filmmakers

African cinema plays a fundamental role in telling our stories, preserving our memory, and shaping the world's perception of African people. I advise young filmmakers to stay rooted in their identity: tell authentic African stories that reflect their culture, history, and realities.

As Guido Convents used to say, cinema is not just entertainment; it can also be a tool for education, cultural identity, and transformation. Similarly, Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembene believed that cinema is a "night school." Sembene argued that cinema should be both entertaining and instructive, provoking critical thinking and serving as a vehicle for social and political reflection that fosters social development.

The world is eager to hear your unique narratives. Africa is rich in original stories that only African filmmakers can tell, so be creative.

Paul Samasumo – Vatican City https://www.vaticannews.va/en/africa/news/2025-09/african-cinema-and-the-legacy-of-guido-convents.html