A 12-week transformative journey, KAP–SOPA Pan-African Filmmaking Bootcamp, will culminate in a high-profile three-day celebration of continental collaboration, industry mentorship, and the future of African cinema.

The KAP–SOPA Pan-African Filmmaking Bootcamp, a landmark collaboration between Kunle Afolayan’s revered KAP Film & Television Academy and the Government of the Republic of Benin, via its audio-visual agency, SOPA, will hold a stellar three-day graduation and premiere event attracting global industry gladiators including Oscar-nominated filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, veteran film curator and festival director Keith Shiri, celebrated filmmaker and media entrepreneur, Femi Odugbemi and renowned international producer, Virginie Besson-Silla.

The spotlight will turn to the iconic KAP Film Village & Resort in Nigeria following an intensive 12-week journey, which began with four rigorous weeks of theoretical training in Cotonou and transitioned into a hands-on production residency in Nigeria, 20 talented young Beninese creatives are set to unveil original short films.

The partnership, established under a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year, directly tackles a deficit in the continent’s industry.

“This program was conceptualized to transcend borders,” notes Kunle Afolayan, visioner and founder of the KAP Group. “By merging Beninese artistic heritage with the robust production ecosystem of Nigeria, we are fostering a generation of filmmakers who view the continent not as fragmented markets, but as a unified canvas,” he said.

The scheduled events this week will transcend a standard graduation, they are slated to be a high-powered convergence of filmmakers, government representatives, diplomats, and cultural leaders from Nigeria, Benin, and across the wider African diaspora.

In the same vein, the KAP Group has announced that it will use the global stage of the graduation ceremony to unveil a major new milestone; an annual pan-African film conference named ITAN, The Screen Gathering and Awards, scheduled to launch in 2027.

According to Afolayan, this upcoming platform aims to institutionalize yearly dialogues on film financing, press release distribution, policy harmonization, and technological advancement across the continent.

“The events promise to redefine the benchmarks of cross-border creative partnerships in Africa and once again, signpost potentials of African cinema. This week at KAP Film Village, many will get to witness its structured reality,” Afolayan said.