It is only since the 1960s that Africa has produced world-famous directors such as Ousmane Sembene, Yusuf Chahine, Idrissa Ouedraogo, Gaston Kabore, Souleymane Cisse and Gavin Hood. However, it is important to understand the limitations and determinants, which under certain historical conditions, have led to late developments in African cinema in comparison to the rest of the world.
Under colonial rule, the African film industry was represented in a homogenous fashion by Western society, with the exception of the pre-revolution Egyptian film industry. In the rest of Africa there was a distinct oppression of local culture, which resisted the dominant colonial culture forced upon them. The filmic images did not depict 'true' African cultures, instead portraying stereotyped images of presupposed nativity, such as in the Tarzan films from the 1930s.
Alternatively, Africa served as an exotic background or elaborate set for many Western films. This is emphasised by the +/- 310 feature films produced by American and European production teams in the Maghreb between 1911 and 1963. Films in this tradition presented locals as part of the set or 'shadows' in the background, who were always exotic additives to a Western recipe/narrative.
The 1960s held more positive results for countries that had achieved national independence. The film industries of former French colonies were stimulated by the French government, which promoted indigenous films. In comparison, countries under British and Belgian colonial control found neither the same freedom nor promotion. The French Ministry of Cooperation assisted local filmmakers financially and technically, which in turn lead to the sophistication of indigenous film production such as Sembene's Borom Sarret, which is widely regarded as the birth of indigenous film art in French-speaking Africa.
African films were prominent at the Cannes Film Festival as early as 1973, when the Senglanese film of Dijibril Diop Mambety, Touki Bouki, was screened in the 'Quinzaine des realisateurs' section. During Francois Mitterand's presidency of France in the 1980s further efforts were made to integrate African film production with the overall cultural, political and economic development of the continent.
'African Cinema' is used as a blanket term for the continent; however, it refers most often to film production in sub-Saharan Africa. Obviously African film cannot be simply classified due to the immense diversity of the continent. Post-colonial countries face similar problems and it is important to acknowledge that each nation has its own culturally specific climate. In recent years films produced in North Africa (usually in Arabic), Southern Africa (very often produced in a multitude of languages e.g. Zulu/English) and central Africa (often in French), all have their own distinct flavours and styles, but are still recognisably African.
In modern times, South Africa is arguably the financial and technological super-power of Africa, which, at the end of Apartheid in the 1990s, established itself as the leader of African film. Prior to this the South Africa film industry was restricted, in terms of international access and limited production capability, by the Nationalist regime and political unrest. Therefore, it is only recently that South Africa's film industry has become defined by a well-developed and somewhat technically superior production line than elsewhere on the continent. South Africa also boasts the first African film to win an Oscar with Tsotsi (2006) directed by Gavin Hood.
Another cinematic-craze that is sweeping the continent and bubbling over into international immigrant markets is Nollywood, a booming film industry situated in Nigeria. Nollywood is commonly characterised by a low quality, B-grade films that are applicable to the everyman. Hugely popular to the lower classes and poorer communities, these films are mass-produced, which although without the finesse and technical superiority of international quality films, are still reaching their local audience's with rapid frequency and occasionally international fame, such as Osuofia In London (2003). Nollywood is becoming somewhat of a blueprint for the rest of the continent with an exhibition of African films for Africans. This is important in light of a growing need to overcome Western aid.
Contemporary African Cinema recognises a need to develop in certain ways and more film festivals, such as those held in Zanzibar and Durban, express a focus on cultivating local talent. However, there is an escalating need to balance socially aware and financially viable filmmaking. Cinema is still an industry, which is capable of huge financial profits. Africa as a continent is extremely poor and in order to expand and become financially stable and somewhat competitive it needs to recognise the capacity for film both to both educate and entertain. African film in the 21st Century has shown much positive progress, making waves in many areas such as the publication of a Journal of African Cinema, which is becoming increasingly studied in international tertiary institutions and having a dedicated African TV channel (Africa Magic) on satellite television broadcaster DSTV. Although far behind, Africa, the 'dark horse' of World cinema, is accelerating and gaining on the well-developed European and American industries.