Kenya Film Commission CEO Timothy Owase speaks during the Mashariki Creative Economy Expo 2026 [Courtesy]
East Africa is stepping up efforts to build an integrated film industry, with regional stakeholders pushing for easier cross-border collaborations, better financing models, and harmonised intellectual property frameworks.
The efforts featured prominently at the Mashariki Creative Economy Expo 2026 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where Kenya Film Commission Chief Executive Officer Timothy Owase joined regional players to discuss the future of the audiovisual sector.
Owase, who served on the task force that developed the Draft EAC Film and Audiovisual Co-Production Treaty and Protocol, participated in sessions focused on trading film intellectual property rights. He shared Kenya’s experience with co-productions while noting opportunities for regional collaboration in film development, financing, and distribution.
"East Africa has immense storytelling potential, but for our audiovisual industry to compete globally, we must begin thinking beyond our individual national markets," Owase said. He added that co-productions allow countries to combine talent, resources, and markets to create wider-reaching stories.
