Yaoundé moves toward dedicated funding for Cameroon’s film industry ⁰

Cameroon’s Minister of Arts and Culture, Bidoung Mkpatt, has pledged to establish a new framework to secure dedicated State funding for the country’s film industry, responding to long-standing calls from filmmakers for more structured government support in production, infrastructure and distribution.

The commitment was made during a meeting in Yaounde with a delegation from the Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF), shortly after the event concluded its 10th edition on 25 April in Buea, South West Region. The delegation was led by CAMIFF founder and chief executive Gilbert Agbor and included American actor Blair Underwood alongside other film industry figures.

The audience gave festival organisers an opportunity to present a report on the week-long event and highlight structural challenges facing Cameroon’s film and audiovisual sector, including the shortage of modern cinema halls, weak distribution networks and limited access to production financing.

Minister Bidoung Mkpatt said the main obstacle was not policy intent, but the lack of a clear operational framework enabling the State to dedicate funding to the sector. He said projects linked to film production, cinema infrastructure and distribution all fall within the ministry’s mandate.

“The State has a methodology for developing a budget to address the challenges facing the sector’s development. In the case of cinematography, for instance, it can provide credit facilities to help clear the path forward,” the minister said.

“The challenge now is to establish a working method that enables the State to allocate a specific budget for activities in the cinema sector,” he added.

The minister also announced plans to create a committee and a dedicated reflection group to examine concerns raised by filmmakers and develop both short- and long-term strategies for the sector. The process is expected to produce a formal strategy document aimed at structuring future interventions. He urged stakeholders to remain patient while the work progresses.

“Whatever the difficulties may be, they are temporary. You must not give up. Remain vigilant and exercise patience while the committee works to identify both short-term and long-term solutions,” he said.

The policy direction comes as creative industry stakeholders increasingly call for more predictable State support, arguing that the absence of dedicated financing continues to limit production capacity and discourage private investment in the sector.

Blair Underwood, who has traced his ancestry to Cameroon’s Babungo tribe in the North West Region, welcomed the government’s engagement. He described CAMIFF as an initiative that had demonstrated both “vision and execution” over the past decade and said progress in the film industry required collaboration between filmmakers and public authorities.

“It takes the collective effort of many people, and in this instance, the government as well, working in concert to advance to the next stage and reach the next level. So, it is exciting to see that in motion, and to witness such a positive reception from the Minister of Arts and Culture,” he said.

Cameroonian-Nigerian actress Prisma James also called for stronger government backing for the industry, describing show business in Cameroon as challenging despite signs of gradual progress.

“Cameroon is still developing, and show business here remains rather challenging. But we have people who are going to bring about change,” she said.

According to data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Cameroon had fewer than 10 modern cinema halls in the early 2020s. The country’s film industry still operates largely through independent productions and informal distribution channels.

Source: Business in Cameroon