The inaugural Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) positioned Lagos as a rising global hub for creative-economy innovation, with its dynamic film and screen programme leading the debut edition. Spread across multi-venue hubs including Livespot Entertarium, Eko Hotel, EbonyLife Place, and Alliance Française, the festival delivered a robust platform for cinematic storytelling, premieres, and industry growth.
A Pan-African Showcase: 93 Films and High-Impact Conversations
EWA 2025 brought together filmmakers, executives, investors, and creatives from over 50 industries, offering an expansive screen programme that included:
- 93 Films Screened: Featuring a broad mix of African and international titles that highlighted both emerging and established talent.
- High-Demand Highlights: Screenings of Chronicles of Afrobeat, ‘The Herd’, ‘Dust to Dream’, and Mama Nike & Magazine Dreams drew significant attention, complemented by intimate director sessions that allowed attendees to explore the creative process behind the films.
- Venue Excellence: EbonyLife Place and Alliance Française served as the central hubs for premieres, conversations, and networking, further cementing Lagos’ growing role in global film culture.
Closing the Screenwriting Gap: Story Lab’s Impact
A standout element of EWA’s screen programme was the Story Lab, an intensive four-day workshop dedicated to nurturing screenwriting talent.
- Industry-Led Training: Facilitated by top storytellers—Lani Aisida, Nicole Asinugo, and Dami Elebe—and supported by Netflix, Amazon Prime, NdaniTV, and Africa Magic.
- Tangible Outcomes: From 15 contenders, 8 writers were selected. The workshop produced 6 polished loglines and pitch-ready story concepts, accelerating new African stories toward production.
Festival Attendance and Industry Reach
From November 18–23, EWA welcomed 28,683 pass holders from more than eight countries. Filmmaking, media, and business consulting industries accounted for the strongest representation, highlighting the growing professional appetite for structured creative-industry engagement.
Programming That Embodies “Close the Gap”
EWA’s screen programming powerfully reflected its 2025 theme by bridging talent, capital, policy, and distribution. The festival delivered:
- 35 Panels
- 22 Workshops
- 20 Masterclasses
These sessions tackled urgent sector-wide issues, including distribution bottlenecks, financing, and creative entrepreneurship.
Industry Support: Strengthening the Film Ecosystem
The success of the screen programme was underpinned by strong collaboration from key industry partners:
- Content Market Partners: Blue Pictures Entertainment, Circuits Global Solutions, Africa Magic, Showmax, MTN, Wonder Media Kind, MBO Capital, Regal Stone Capital.
- Industry Partners: Blu Pictures, Netflix, Amazon Prime, NdaniTV, Africa Magic, and others, demonstrating powerful corporate commitment to advancing African cinema.
A Vision for the Future
EWA Founder Deola Art Alade emphasised the long-term ambition of the festival: “Our ambition over the coming years is for Entertainment Week Africa to establish itself as a critical part of the economic, intellectual, and artistic capital of this great city. We’re delighted with the first steps towards that.”
Looking Ahead to EWA 2026
The next edition of Entertainment Week Africa is scheduled for November 17–22, 2026, and promises expanded pan-African programming and a continued commitment to creative-industry growth.
Registration for EWA 2026 is now open on the official website.
