There is a need for African governments and industry to explore innovative financing schemes alongside enactment of robust policies to spur the growth of the cinema and audio visual industry, [...] Speaking at a media roundtable ahead of the Africa Film Festival to be held in Nairobi from October 12 to 16, the officials said a vibrant creative industry will boost the continent's soft power and economic growth.

Pakistan is a land of unlimited talent and rich artistic tradition. [...] Pakistani entertainment at its current peak, have a tendency to lend a soft power status to the country. As one of finest cultural imports of Pakistan, efforts must be made to promote such creativity and talent.

Malaysia’s filmmaking industry is ready to move on to the next level, with the country’s first international film festival and award show – the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFF), and Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA) – to be held in the first quarter of 2017. [...] The international film festival is co-organised by Malaysia’s National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, and is a joint effort between Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

For China, the film industry’s lure is evident. China hopes to tap into Hollywood’s expertise as it builds up its own nascent entertainment industry. It also understands popular culture’s potential as a PR platform for the Chinese Communist Party on the global stage.

March 2015, an Australian researcher published a statistic that drew both laughs and gasps in the business community there: Fewer large Australian companies were run by women than by men named Peter. The damning statistic prompted some introspection in the Australian film industry in particular, where women represent 17% of directors, a number that hasn’t budged since 1970.

Film is a cultural diplomacy tool, a trade enabler, a global connector an employment creator. It is also a powerful tool for communication. [...] These were some of the points raised by a delegation to the Communications Ministry by stakeholders of the film industry, led by the Black Star International film festival (BSIFF).

Companies are snapping up US film studios, which all want a piece of the mainland’s booming box office. But there is no such thing as a free lunch, warn observers. [...] The US$3.5 billion agreement [to buy Legendary Pictures]  is the largest cultural takeover by China, with American studios keen to capitalise on its burgeoning cinema market at a time when Beijing is pushing entertainment as a source of “soft power”.