AFRIKAMERA
AFRIKAMERA is a Berlin-based annual film festival organized by the non-profit toucouleur e.V., screening contemporary African cinema across multiple Berlin venues for European audiences, diaspora communities, and African filmmakers seeking industry exposure.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What AFRIKAMERA does
AFRIKAMERA is an annual film festival dedicated to contemporary cinema from Africa, held in Berlin and organized by the German non-profit association toucouleur e.V. Founded in 2007 and led by artistic director Alex Moussa Sawadogo, the festival operates a four-year thematic cycle — BELIEVE (2024), CHANGE (2025), REFLECT (2026), CREATE (2027) — and screens feature films, curated short-film programs, and discussion events across multiple Berlin cinema venues including City Kino Wedding, SINEMA TRANSTOPIA, FSK Kino, Brotfabrikkino, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, and MAAYA, plus free-admission programming at Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung. The 16th edition (CHANGE, 11–16 November 2025) foregrounds films by female and female-presenting filmmakers addressing gender roles, power structures, and social change, drawing films from across the African continent and the diaspora.
Beyond screenings, AFRIKAMERA runs industry programming for African and European film professionals: panel discussions and networking events, workshops for women and queer filmmakers (in cooperation with ProQuote Film, Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V., and Deutsche Afrika Stiftung), the discursive AFRO FUTURE(S) FORUM, and the AFRIKAMERA RESIDENCY post-production and scriptwriting program in Berlin. A separately programmed 'Spotlight on Windhoek' initiative, in cooperation with Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH, marks the 25th anniversary of the Twin Cities Windhoek–Berlin partnership. There is no proprietary technology platform; the festival's 'product' is the live, time-bounded cultural event itself, delivered through institutional venue partnerships.
The organization's revenue is derived from a mix of ticket sales (a €20 plus fee Afrotronix concert-and-film program being a typical paid offering, alongside many free events), recurring public funding — most notably from the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) for the RESIDENCY program — and contributions from cultural foundations and institutional partners (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Institut Français Deutschland, Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH, Deutsche Afrika Stiftung). AFRIKAMERA is not a venture-backed or equity-financed entity; it operates as a small founder-led cultural association with a core team of approximately six, expanded by project-based staff and volunteers for each edition, and generates no disclosed revenue.
AFRIKAMERA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AFRIKAMERA
- Legal name
- toucouleur e. V.
- Website
- https://afrikamera.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AFRIKAMERA is a Berlin-based annual film festival organized by the non-profit toucouleur e.V., screening contemporary African cinema across multiple Berlin venues for European audiences, diaspora communities, and African filmmakers seeking industry exposure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AFRIKAMERA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Festival
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH)
Keywords
Where AFRIKAMERA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
AFRIKAMERA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: The festival sells tickets for film screenings at various Berlin cinemas. Ticket prices vary by venue, with some events at City Kino Wedding, SINEMA TRANSTOPIA, FSK Kino, Brotfabrikkino, and Haus der Kulturen der Welt.
- Public Funding and Grants: As a non-profit cultural organization run by toucouleur e.V., the festival receives institutional funding. The AFRIKAMERA RESIDENCY program is funded by the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt).
- Partnership and Sponsorship: The festival collaborates with cultural institutions, foundations, and corporate partners who contribute to specific programs and events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard film screening tickets |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free admission events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Concert and film program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
AFRIKAMERA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AFRIKAMERA is an annual film festival held in Berlin dedicated to contemporary African cinema, screening current feature and short films from across Africa across multiple Berlin cinema venues. Beyond screenings, the festival runs industry talks, workshops for women and queer filmmakers, panel discussions, and the AFRIKAMERA RESIDENCY post-production program for African filmmakers, funded by the Federal Foreign Office. The 2025 edition runs November 11-16 under the theme CHANGE, focusing on gender roles and social transformation.
Product overview
AFRIKAMERA is an annual film festival focused on current African cinema, held in Berlin. The 2025 edition (CHANGE) runs November 11-16, 2025, featuring curated film screenings, short film programs, networking/discussion events, workshops for filmmakers, and special programs like Spotlight on Windhoek. The festival is organized by toucouleur e.V. and is not a technology product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AFRIKAMERA Film Festival Annual Berlin-based film festival dedicated to contemporary African cinema, featuring curated feature film screenings, short film programs, industry talks, panel discussions, and workshops across seven Berlin cinema venues. The 2025 edition runs November 11-16 under the theme CHANGE.
- AFRIKAMERA Short Film Programs
- Spotlight on Windhoek Special program celebrating 25 years of the Twin Cities Windhoek-Berlin partnership, featuring Namibian short films, panel discussions, and works-in-progress addressing colonial past and image restitution, held at SINEMA TRANSTOPIA.
- AFRIKAMERA Festival Workshops Practical workshops on funding strategies and authentic storytelling for female and queer filmmakers, conducted in cooperation with ProQuote Film and Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V.
- AFRO FUTURE(S) FORUM Forum exploring cinematic future visions from African metropolises that imagine futures beyond Western patterns of imagination.
- AFRIKAMERA Residency Program Month-long residency program for African filmmakers in Berlin, providing post-production studio work and mentoring; previously also included scriptwriting residencies in cooperation with Ouaga Film Lab. Funded by the Federal Foreign Office.
Quantifiable outcome
- The festival has run for 16 consecutive editions since 2007, demonstrating sustained operational capacity and audience loyalty.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use AFRIKAMERA
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AFRIKAMERA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AFRIKAMERA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbHcoreCollaboration on the Spotlight on Windhoek program as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Twin Cities Windhoek-Berlin partnership. Kulturprojekte Berlin curates and organizes the broader anniversary program with AFRIKAMERA presenting the film and discussion component.
- Deutsche Afrika Stiftung (German Africa Foundation)coreCooperation for the industry talk 'Breaking into the Industry: Training and Strategies for Women Filmmakers,' bringing together voices from Africa and Europe to discuss training, networking, and support for women in film.
- ProQuote FilmcoreCooperation for workshop 'Repräsentation trifft Ressourcen: Die Kraft der Selbstbestimmung' on practical strategies for financing and authentic storytelling in film and art, targeting female and queer filmmakers.
- Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V.coreCooperation partner for workshop targeting female and queer filmmakers on self-determination and authentic storytelling in film.
- Institut Français DeutschlandminorCooperation for the screening and talk 'Une Si Longue Lettre' including discussion on literature adaptation in the context of Mariama Bâ's significance for the feminist movement in Senegal.
- Heinrich-Böll-StiftungcoreVenue partner and co-organizer for screening of 'All the Colours of the World are Between Black and White' with discussion on LGBTQI themes, providing free admission venue for the event.
- Ouaga Film LabminorCooperation partner for scriptwriting residency program in cooperation with Ouaga Film Lab, supporting Togolese filmmaker Joël M'Maka Tchedre.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AFRIKAMERA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF): East Africa's largest cultural festival, featuring film alongside music and arts, based in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Comparable as an African-region film festival with cultural programming extending beyond screenings, but with broader scope than AFRIKAMERA's film-focused model.
- JCC - Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage: Long-running North African film festival held in Tunis, dedicated to African and Arab cinema. Comparable as a regional African cinema festival with industry programming; geographically distinct but functionally similar in curatorial mission to AFRIKAMERA.
- Durban International Film Festival: One of Africa's leading film festivals held in Durban, South Africa. Comparable as a major platform showcasing African and international cinema with industry programming, but anchored in southern Africa rather than Europe; serves both African filmmakers and diaspora audiences.
Direct peers
- FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou): The largest African film festival in Africa, held biennially in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Directly comparable as the leading pan-African cinema showcase; AFRIKAMERA explicitly cites FESPACO among its community ecosystem partners and serves as a European platform connecting African filmmakers.
- New York African Film Festival (AFF): A New York-based annual festival dedicated to African cinema. Directly comparable as a diaspora-anchored festival focused exclusively on African films, with parallel programming of features, shorts, and industry events serving the African diaspora in a major Western market.
- Film Africa (London): Royal African Society's annual African film festival in London. Directly comparable as a European-anchored African cinema festival with feature screenings, shorts, and industry events; competes for the same European audience and African filmmaker submissions.
Emerging players
- Ouagadougou Film Lab (Ouaga Film Lab): Pan-African script and project development lab based in Ouagadougou. Comparable as an AFRIKAMERA partner (scriptwriting residency cooperation); serves overlapping filmmaker audience but with a development focus rather than exhibition.
- Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA): Awards body and accompanying festival recognizing African filmmaking. Comparable because it serves the same African cinema ecosystem and filmmakers that AFRIKAMERA platforms; complementary rather than direct competition.
Broad incumbents
- Cannes Film Festival: One of the world's most prestigious global film festivals. Comparable as a European festival circuit reference point and aspirational platform that African filmmakers pursue before coming to festivals like AFRIKAMERA; far larger but relevant context for industry programming.
- Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival): Germany's premier and largest film festival, based in Berlin. Comparable because it shares the same city and screens African cinema (including a dedicated African programming strand), but operates at vastly larger scale and across all global cinema, not specialized on African films like AFRIKAMERA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AFRIKAMERA social profiles
Digital presenceAFRIKAMERA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AFRIKAMERA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
AFRIKAMERA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AFRIKAMERA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AFRIKAMERA
What does AFRIKAMERA do?
AFRIKAMERA is an annual film festival held in Berlin dedicated to contemporary African cinema, screening current feature and short films from across Africa across multiple Berlin cinema venues. Beyond screenings, the festival runs industry talks, workshops for women and queer filmmakers, panel discussions, and the AFRIKAMERA RESIDENCY post-production program for African filmmakers, funded by the Federal Foreign Office. The 2025 edition runs November 11-16 under the theme CHANGE, focusing on gender roles and social transformation.
Is AFRIKAMERA a public or private company?
AFRIKAMERA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AFRIKAMERA founded?
AFRIKAMERA was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is AFRIKAMERA based?
AFRIKAMERA is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does AFRIKAMERA make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are public Funding and Grants and partnership and Sponsorship.
Who are AFRIKAMERA's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), JCC - Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage and Durban International Film Festival. Direct peers are FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou), New York African Film Festival (AFF) and Film Africa (London). Emerging players are Ouagadougou Film Lab (Ouaga Film Lab) and Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Broad incumbents are Cannes Film Festival and Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival).
Does AFRIKAMERA have an API?
No public API is recorded for AFRIKAMERA.
What industry is AFRIKAMERA in?
AFRIKAMERA's product category is Film Festival. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAKAD, Film Festivals & Festival Organizers, with a secondary code of MPADAKAH, Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers). Its NAICS code is 51213.