The search for truly equitable models in international co-productions was the central focus of a panel held on November 16, bringing together filmmakers from Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Moderated by Nora Philippe, director of EURODOC, the discussion featured Sam Soko (LBx Africa), Rosa Spaliviero (Twenty Nine Studio & Production), Marcela Lizcano (Viceversa Cine/Nodo Sur), and Fabien Greenberg (Antipode Films). The conversation began with a clear premise: as the 2025 EAVE report on inclusive co-productions reminds us, equity is not achieved through good intentions alone; it requires transforming entrenched practices.
Kenyan filmmaker Sam Soko, co-founder of the production company LBx Africa, emphasized the importance of rebuilding trust within regional ecosystems and prioritizing alliances between African countries rather than depending on external interests. He explained that current funding systems reproduce the logic of the international aid model, shaping both the narratives that funds expect and the stories that ultimately reach the screen. He recounted that while producing Matabeleland—the debut film by Nyasha Kadandara and a co-production between Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Canada—they faced multiple rejections because funds expected a political angle that did not align with the team’s vision or the needs of local audiences. Although the film struggled to gain access to festivals outside Africa, its premiere at CPH:DOX and the packed screenings throughout the region demonstrated the strength of a truly local perspective.
From Belgium, producer Rosa Spaliviero shared her experience working consistently with African filmmakers and choosing to take on a minority role. In the production of Liti Liti (The Attachment) by Mamadou Khouma Gueye, she worked alongside Senegalese producer Aminata Ndao, a key alliance that enabled them to access the national fund FOPICA, which financed a quarter of the project. Spaliviero highlighted the need to make the usual pro rata terms more flexible—something they managed to negotiate—and underscored the majority presence of Senegalese talent in the crew. She also noted that those filming in Senegal often work under complex conditions, and that crew composition and local autonomy must be understood as essential components of equity.
Moderator Nora Philippe expanded the concept of co-production beyond the traditional axes of money, ownership, and responsibilities, proposing that impact also be incorporated. In that vein, Colombian producer Marcela Lizcano—director of Viceversa Cine and the impact initiative Nodo Sur—spoke of A Loss of Something Ever Felt (2020), co-produced by Estonia, Colombia, and Sweden. The narrative urgency of the film—a real-life search in Bogotá—led the team to shoot without waiting for funds or undergoing pre-production. In that case, her work as a co-producer focused on distribution and impact strategies. She argued that such tasks should be considered part of the formal framework of co-productions and that priorities must be discussed from the beginning: sometimes the goal is not Cannes or Venice, but reaching the communities directly affected.
Fabien Greenberg, from Antipode Films (Norway), contributed his experience with international collaborations, including his work with Iranian director Firouzeh Khosrovani. He stressed the importance of clearly defining the working model from the outset and of avoiding the all-too-common role of passive co-producer in Europe. He recounted how, in Past Future Continuous, they worked to secure European funding while respecting the director’s wish to remain the project’s lead producer—a gesture he described as essential for a truly horizontal relationship.
The event concluded with a call to strengthen South-South collaborations and to engage in a necessary unlearning process to prevent the reproduction of harmful structures within teams themselves. The panelists also agreed on the urgency of valuing non-financial contributions—such as community knowledge or creative input—which, although often rendered invisible, are fundamental to building fairer and more sustainable co-productions.
