Cameroonian filmmakers tap Nollywood to revive careers

Cameroonian filmmakers are increasingly turning to Nigeria’s thriving Nollywood to revive their careers and reach wider audiences.

Cameroon’s film industry is plagued by poor distribution, marginalisation and a growing preference for foreign talent.

While the African film industry broadly struggles with distribution, Cameroon’s challenges are compounded and intensified by linguistic divides, civil unrest, and economic constraints.

Eystein Young Dingha, a Cameroonian filmmaker who has witnessed the sector’s highs and lows, acknowledged that these challenges have driven many of his peers across the border.

For filmmakers like Stephanie Tum, a renowned Cameroonian actress and producer, staying afloat in the local industry has become increasingly difficult. Recently, she shot a couple of YouTube films in Lagos and plans to produce more in the coming months.

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A fractured industry: Anglophone vs. Francophone

With a population that is roughly 80 percent Francophone and 20 percent Anglophone, Cameroon’s internal divisions have long influenced its creative industries. According to multiple reports, the Anglophone regions continue to face systemic marginalisation and oppression, especially since the outbreak of civil unrest in 2016 that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced many.

This linguistic divide is deeply embedded in the film sector, where Anglophone filmmakers often find themselves sidelined in favour of their Francophone counterparts. Tum noted, “Francophone platforms often reject movies made by Anglophone filmmakers, forcing us to either assimilate or find markets outside Cameroon.”

Itambi Delphine, a veteran filmmaker with over 19 years of experience, recently shared this frustration, noting that even Francophone platforms like Canal+ favour content from French-speaking filmmakers over Anglophone ones.

“The French platforms ask us to film in French, which doesn’t always suit our stories,” she said.

A brief boom, a lasting bust

Delphine recalled a short-lived period of hope when Netflix explored the Cameroonian market between 2020 and 2023. During that window, production budgets surged from 5 million CFA to 40 million CFA, sparking optimism for a renewed industry.

“The growth was slow, but there was potential,” she stated. However, when Netflix failed to turn a profit, it withdrew, leaving the industry in chaos.

“After Netflix pulled out, we were left not knowing the next step,” Delphine explained. Investors and practitioners struggled to adapt, and the momentum fizzled out.

With no local Netflix aggregator, Cameroonian filmmakers now rely on Nigerian companies like FilmOne, deepening their dependence on Nigeria and limiting their ability to license content or monetise their work independently.

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Cinemas and cable TV

A critical barrier to growth, according to Delphine, is the near-total absence of cinema infrastructure. “We only have three cinemas in the whole country,” she said, a stark limitation that cripples local exhibition opportunities.

The challenge extends to cable television. Cameroon’s roughly 90 cable TV stations overwhelmingly favour foreign content—especially Nigerian films—over homegrown productions. “TV stations don’t prioritise local content,” Tum lamented.

Although Francophone filmmakers benefit slightly more from French media partnerships, the situation is worse for Anglophone creators, who face rejection from both local and international platforms.

YouTube: A lifeline with limits

With traditional distribution avenues closed off, many filmmakers have migrated to YouTube. However, monetisation is not available on YouTube channels using Cameroonian IPs, forcing creators to rely on foreign channels to earn income.

The pull of Nollywood star power

Cameroonian audiences’ preference for Nigerian actors has diminished the appeal for local talent, prompting filmmakers to cast Nollywood stars to enhance marketability.

Films like ‘The Planters Plantation’ (featuring Nkem Owoh), ‘Therapy’ (Richard Mofe Damijo, Iretiola Doyle) and ‘Fisherman’s Diaries’ (Ramsey Nouah) have used this tactic to secure international recognition. Delphine recognises the strategy’s value but sees it as a symptom of a deeper issue: the lack of recognition for Cameroonian talent.

Financially, Nigeria also offers an edge. According to Tum, filming a single YouTube movie in Cameroon can cost as much as N12 million, whereas the same budget in Nigeria could fund a film with a pan-African cast for a third of the cost. This price gap continues to push filmmakers to work across the border, combining Nigerian resources with Cameroonian storytelling.

Government inaction

Delphine pointed to a lack of government support as a critical roadblock. “The government isn’t open to bringing in companies that could make arts and film profitable for us,” she explained. Without incentives or infrastructure, filmmakers struggle to compete.

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Adapting to survive

Despite the challenges, Cameroonian filmmakers are finding ways to adapt. Collaborations with Nigerian actors have opened doors to platforms like Netflix, while YouTube, though limited, remains a valuable fallback.

Tum, for example, has launched her own YouTube channel (Tum TV) as she continues to build her brand, drawing inspiration from Nigerian peers like Omoni Oboli and Ruth Kadiri, who have successfully transitioned from cinema to streaming.

Still, not everyone is convinced. Dingha, earlier quoted, remains cautious, “I’m not ready to share my stories on YouTube until I’m certain it’s worth the effort.”

For her part, Delphine, firmly rooted in traditional filmmaking, said YouTube films often lack the narrative depth and production quality she values. “I love storytelling, and that passion keeps me from compromising on quality,” she noted.