ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Within the glittering ballroom of Abidjan’s Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire, the heart beat of Ivorian creativity was palpable because the 2025 version of the Worldwide Salon for Audiovisual Content material (SICA) got here to an in depth with the much-anticipated award ceremony of the pitch competitors, an initiative spotlighting the subsequent era of storytellers from throughout the African area.
As a part of SICA’s third version, the Ministry of Communication and the Media Assist and Growth Company (ASDM) issued a name for pitches, encouraging filmmakers, producers, screenwriters, and content material creators to submit unique initiatives throughout movie, tv, and digital codecs as a part of the SICA Enterprise Hub.
4 classes – skilled fiction, beginner fiction, documentary, and different codecs – gave rising and established creators the possibility to pitch their initiatives earlier than a jury of business professionals led by Ivory Coast TV presenter and producer Patricia Kalou.
On June 26, evening one of many salon, individuals had simply 5 minutes to make their case. Some used audiovisual helps, others opted for extra dramatic renditions of their pitches, reworking themselves into the characters their initiatives have created. The viewers responded enthusiastically, showering essentially the most compelling pitches with rousing ovations, although each presentation earned reward.
The winners had been unveiled through the subsequent night’s star-studded closing ceremony, attended by Ivorian authorities ministers and worldwide visitors.
Within the skilled movie and collection class, Franck Vléhi took high honors with “Manley,” a drama praised by the jury for its robust cinematic potential and narrative mastery. The challenge earned him a growth grant of 25 million CFA Francs (approx. $45,000).
Rooted in a West African legend, “Manley” weaves a historic and religious story of a younger woman born to be sacrificed for the survival of her village. As previous and current converge, the movie displays on reminiscence and custom.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind “Manley,” Vlehi shared, “The prospect to inform a narrative rooted in Ivorian custom, a residing legend from our personal historical past, moved me deeply.” He continued, “If we don’t inform our tales, if we don’t declare them as ours, others will come and inform them for us.”
The beginner class went to Polha Andrea for her sharp, character-driven collection “Paire de Trois” (“Pair of Three”), securing 5 million CFA Francs in funding (approx. $9,000). A relative newcomer to the scene, Andréa’s win marked a breakout second for the younger producer.
A tangled love triangle set towards the backdrop of household energy, social hypocrisy and gender double requirements, “Paire de Trois” follows Aridja as she navigates betrayal, ardour, and private freedom. The collection is deliberate for a 52-episode arc, every one working 26 minutes.
Within the documentary class, Cissé Babou was awarded for “Tout en direct” (“Every thing Stay”), a really private examination of the rise and dangers of reside streaming in fashionable society. Babou shared with Selection that she tragically discovered of her mom’s passing by a WhatsApp standing. Her work sheds mild on the impression of fixed digital publicity, incomes her a growth grant of 10 million CFA Francs (approx. $18,000.
Lastly, within the different codecs class, Yato Nejy was awarded for Aucun Repos, a digital platform producing quick movies that problem stereotypes “with humor and kindness.” Simply three months after its February 2025 launch, Aucun Repos already amassed greater than 12 million views throughout Fb, TikTok, and Instagram, shortly constructing a following by giving a platform to voices typically ignored.
The Ivory Coast authorities’s dedication to nurturing native artistic expertise to have the ability to inform genuine, homegrown tales was clear all through this version of SICA. Via initiatives just like the SICA Enterprise Hub pitch competitors, the Ministries of Communication and Tradition and different native actors supply essential assist to assist creators flip concepts into fully-realized initiatives, fostering each innovation and a thriving audiovisual business.
SICA’s pitch competitors acts as a strong car for accelerating the event pipeline, providing creators direct entry to funding, mentorship, and business publicity. As demonstrated by the success of this yr’s winners throughout movie, collection, and documentary classes, SICA is not only an occasion, it’s a dynamic ecosystem driving the expansion of Côte d’Ivoire’s audiovisual panorama and amplifying the nation’s distinctive tales on each a regional and worldwide stage.
The post SICA Abidjan Pitch Competitors Proclaims Winners appeared first on Allcelbrities.
from Celebrity News – Techyrack Hub https://ift.tt/PhlzYd0
via IFTTT