Africa Film Finance Forum Unveils Inaugural Advisory Board to Drive $20B Industry Vision

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Africa Film Finance Forum (AFFF) has unveiled its first advisory board to help shape the future of African film financing. Continue reading for more context.

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The Africa Film Finance Forum (AFFF), founded by Mary Ephraim-Egbas on April 1st, 2025, is a game-changing initiative designed to bridge the persistent funding gap in African cinema. With a sharp focus on money, markets, and monetization, AFFF champions a shift from passion projects to profitable ventures. Through flagship initiatives like The Deal Table, a premium pitch platform for high-budget films, and the Investor Deal Room for one-on-one meetings, the forum connects filmmakers with serious financiers. AFFF also educates financial institutions on recognizing film as a viable asset class.

Now, in a major milestone, the forum unveils the members of its first-ever advisory board. Meet the trailblazers.

Meet the AFFF Advisory Board Members

Below is a list of the advisory board members of the Africa Film Finance Forum, along with their detailed biographies highlighting their expertise and contributions to the film and creative industries.

1. Mary Ephraim-Egbas — Founding Member

Ephraim-Egbas is the founder, Africa Film Finance Forum; President, Homelands Films; CEO, Okhma Gloral; MD, Goldstarr; and Secretary, Film Distribution Association of Nigeria.

2. Ben Murray-Bruce — Grand Patron

Regarded as the father of modern cinema in Nigeria, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has played a pivotal role in transforming the African creative landscape. As the founder of Silverbird Group, he led the revival of cinema culture in Nigeria at a time when it was nearly extinct, establishing a media powerhouse that spans film exhibition, television, radio, and pageantry.

His launch of Silverbird Cinemas raised the bar for movie-going in the country, delivering premium experiences that enhanced Nollywood’s international standing and marked Nigeria as a center for creative innovation. He is also the creator of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant, a platform that has produced global icons and strengthened the country’s cultural influence. With a career marked by vision and impact, Senator Murray-Bruce continues to be a driving force in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, championing creativity, excellence, and the power of purpose.

3. Michael Auret — Advisory Board Member

Auret is a South African film producer and financier, recognized for his work with Spier Films on titles such as The Salvation (2014) and Horizon Line (2020). He previously held leadership roles as CEO of the Sithengi Film and TV Market and as Festival Director of the Cape Town World Cinema Festival, playing a key role in the growth of Africa’s film industry. In addition to his production work, he supports policy development and training in the sector and has provided consultancy services to organizations including PwC and AFREXIM Bank.

4. Mike Burkenbine — Advisory Board Member

5. Jeanette B. Milio — Advisory Board Member

Milio is a veteran American film producer and entertainment financier with over 25 years of experience. She has been involved in projects like The Experiment (2010) and Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan (2004–2012). Currently an Executive Producer at Alliance Cinema, she also established her own film fund, Magnet Media. Milio teaches Entertainment Finance at UCLA and is the author of Entertainment Finance Today. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America and Women in Film.

6. Bolaji Abimbola — Advisory Board Member

Abimbola is a respected Nigerian public relations professional and the CEO of Integrated Indigo Limited, a consultancy specializing in PR and event management. With close to two decades of experience, he is widely recognized for his expertise in storytelling, crisis communication, and building strategic partnerships. His contributions to the industry have earned him several accolades, including PR Practitioner of the Year at LaPRIGA 2024 and the NIPR Presidential Award in 2019. He is also listed among Nigeria’s Top 50 PR Practitioners on the PR Power List.

7. Tebogo Malope — Advisory Board Member

Malope, also known as Tebza, is a renowned South African director and producer known for his work across film, television, and music videos. In 2017, he earned a Cannes Gold Lion for Best Use of Film and gained recognition for Spirit: The Movie. He also directed Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story, which won the Audience Award at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, and served as a producer on Queen Sono, Netflix’s first African original series. Malope is committed to elevating African stories on the global stage.

8. Michael Olsen — Advisory Board Member

Olsen serves as the CEO and President of Motion Media Group, Inc., an entertainment production company based in Vancouver. With more than 25 years of experience in the film industry, he has produced numerous films, including Absolute Deception (2013) and The Last Legion (2014). In 2021, Motion Media Group entered a partnership with Pantheum Studios to produce 30 films over a span of three years.

9. Oriane Mushatsi — Advisory Board Member

Mushatsi is a Legal and Business Affairs Manager with more than a decade of experience in intellectual property and contract law. She specializes in the cultural and creative industries, managing the legal, administrative, and business components of audiovisual and new media projects within an international framework. Her work is fueled by a strong passion for fostering innovation in the creative sector.

10. Eunice Sampson — Advisory Board Member

Sampson is an award-winning sustainability expert with more than 21 years of experience. She is an ISO-26000 Lead Implementer and Auditor, a certified management consultant, and a specialist in environmental and social risk management. Eunice’s areas of focus include social investing, community engagement, and stakeholder management, supporting businesses in addressing climate change challenges. She is also a PhD researcher in Sustainable Development and Diplomacy.

11. Ronya Man — Advisory Board Member

Man is an experienced filmmaker and acting coach, recognized for her contributions through Ronya Man Arts. With a solid background in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, she is skilled in developing film and TV content—from scriptwriting to distribution. She has mentored leading Nollywood talents and spearheaded initiatives such as the Realtime International Film Festival and the 20-hour filmmaking challenge, supporting the growth of emerging creatives. Her work reflects a deep passion for connecting cultures through international collaborations in entertainment.

12. Prince Nnamdi Adigwu — Advisory Board Member

Adigwu is an award-winning entertainment executive and the founder of Andiyn Global Entertainment. He also serves as a producing partner at Pantera Film Srl in Italy. With over a decade of experience in international film financing, content development, and strategic consulting, he focuses on building cross-continental content partnerships between Africa and global markets.

13. Clarinade de Freitas — Advisory Board Member

Freitas is a National Recruitment Specialist at Bizcommunity, a prominent South African B2B news publisher. She is instrumental in leading direct sales efforts within the recruitment space, supporting Bizcommunity’s mission to advance business across various industries in Africa. A skilled new business developer, Freitas previously served as the National Recruitment Specialist for South Africa’s largest B2B media publication, where she was actively involved in driving direct sales across more than 19 industries.

14. Funmi Onuma — Advisory Board Member

Onuma is the first woman to be appointed as General Manager of Silverbird Cinemas West Africa. Before this role, she was the Country Manager for Silverbird Cinema in Ghana, where she guided the cinema to remarkable achievements, including the highest box office earnings for Black Panther in 2018. Her forward-thinking approach has played a key role in transforming the cinema industry in Ghana. In recognition of her impact, she was listed among the top 50 women in Global Cinema by Celluloid Junkie in 2020.

15. Ken Egbas — Advisory Board Member

16. Thapelo Mokoena — Advisory Board Member

Mokoena is a South African actor, television presenter, and entrepreneur, recognized for his appearances in Fear Factor South Africa as well as his roles in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Wild at Heart. In 2017, he received the Youth Achiever Award at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs). He is also active in business, having launched Bakoena Beard Core and co-founded Nero Wine in partnership with Bosman Family Vineyards.

17. Dr. Mories Atoki — Advisory Board Member

Atoki is the Chief Executive Officer of the African Business Coalition for Health (ABCHealth) and previously led the Sustainability & Climate Change practice at PwC Nigeria. She holds academic qualifications in Law and Business Administration and has studied at Harvard Business School. Committed to youth empowerment and sustainable development, she also serves on various boards, including Partners for Review.

18. Stephanie Linus — Advisory Board Member

Linus is a Nigerian actress, film director, and producer, widely recognized for her performance in Through the Glass and for directing Dry, a film that tackles issues of child marriage and gender inequality. She is also a humanitarian and the founder of the Stephanie Linus Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting the rights of women and children. Her contributions to film and advocacy have earned her numerous awards.

19. Isioma Idigbe — Advisory Board Member

Idigbe is a Nigerian lawyer with expertise in media, entertainment, intellectual property, and technology law. She is a Partner at PUNUKA Attorneys & Solicitors, where she heads the Media & Entertainment Practice. Additionally, she is the Managing Director of Verif Content and serves as Secretary of the Music Publishers Association of Nigeria. Her work has earned her recognition, including the Rising Star Award in 2018 and being named a Rising Woman in Africa by CNBC Africa in 2020.

20. Solomon Ashoms — Advisory Board Member

Ashoms is a Nigerian-born journalist and author currently living in South Africa. He is recognized for his role as a BBC sports correspondent and as the host of the talk show My Opinion on Africa Magic TV. Additionally, he founded Parable Magazine and authored Dear Woman, a book featuring a collection of inspirational quotes.

Key Background

With a career spanning over two decades, Mary Ephraim-Egbas stands as a transformative figure in film, sustainability, and strategic marketing in Africa. From distributing some of the world’s biggest blockbusters to spearheading groundbreaking initiatives that shape the future of African cinema, Mary’s journey is a testament to visionary leadership and unrelenting purpose.

Her film journey began at NuMetro, where she played a pioneering role in bringing films from major Hollywood studios (including 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Disney) to audiences across West Africa. This early experience positioned her as a key player in the region’s distribution ecosystem at a time when access to global content was still highly limited.

In 2010, Mary founded Okhma, Nigeria’s first female-led marketing consultancy and independent film distribution company. That same year, she founded Homelands Films, the brand that now anchors her film distribution business. Her work through Homelands has helped bridge the gap between local productions and wider audiences, driving both reach and revenue for countless African filmmakers.

But it is perhaps through her most recent endeavor that Mary’s impact is ready to reach its fullest potential.

As the Founder of the Africa Film Finance Forum (AFFF), Mary Ephraim-Egbas is leading a powerful investment-focused platform designed to unlock the African film industry’s estimated $20 billion potential. AFFF brings together financiers, industry leaders, creatives, and policymakers to catalyze sustainable growth within the continent’s creative economy. It is more than a forum. It’s a movement committed to reimagining how films are financed, produced, and distributed in Africa.

With a focus on strategic connections, policy advocacy, and resource mobilization, AFFF aims to solve one of the industry’s most persistent challenges, which is access to capital. Under Mary’s leadership, the platform doesn’t just spotlight opportunities; it builds the financial and structural frameworks necessary to make those opportunities viable.

AFFF’s mission reflects Mary’s larger commitment to ecosystem building: empowering African storytellers not just with tools to tell stories, but with the business structures to thrive in a competitive global market.

In Summary

The Africa Film Finance Forum (AFFF) is a timely and promising initiative that stands to greatly benefit filmmakers and producers by addressing one of the most pressing challenges in the Nigerian film industry—access to funding.

With a strong focus on connecting creatives to serious investors through platforms like The Deal Table and the Investor Deal Room, AFFF is creating new avenues for financing high-budget film projects. As the forum rolls out its activities and unveils an impressive advisory board, we look forward to seeing how it will help reshape film financing in Nigeria and provide the support needed for sustainable growth in the industry.

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