CCH Pounder to lead CaribbeanTales Media Group’s Cross Continental Forum expansion to KwaZulu‑Natal, reinforcing global co‑production pathways.
-- CaribbeanTales Media Group Announces Expansion of Cross Continental Forum 2026
CaribbeanTales Media Group has announced that the Cross Continental Forum (CCF) will expand its 2026 edition to KwaZulu‑Natal, South Africa, supported through partnerships with UMEDA and Pambili Media and led by award-winning actor and CCF Steering Group member CCH Pounder. This announcement reflects growing momentum for global co‑production collaboration across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and diaspora markets.
This expansion builds on the success of two previous editions of CCF hosted in Barbados and inaugurates a hybrid year‑long program that combines in‑person gatherings, curated virtual labs, and strategic industry match‑making sessions. The platform serves as an international co‑production exchange that offers training, networking, and expanded market access for Black and Global Majority producers.
“The Cross Continental Forum was designed from the outset to move between locations across the Global South,” said Frances‑Anne Solomon, Founder and CEO of CaribbeanTales Media Group. “This expansion to South Africa is part of a long‑term effort to build sustainable co‑production pipelines that connect African, Caribbean, and diaspora producers to the global screen marketplace.”
CCH Pounder Leads Strategic Growth in African Market
Award-winning actor CCH Pounder (Avatar, CSI New Orleans) will help to lead the expansion of the Cross Continental Forum into KwaZulu‑Natal in partnership with the uMgungundlovu Economic Development Agency (UMEDA) and South African production company Pambili Media. “Creation, to me, is our most powerful act of connection,” Pounder said in the announcement. “Expanding the Cross Continental Forum to South Africa allows us to turn shared heritage into shared enterprise — creatively, economically, and strategically.”
The partnership positions the Pietermaritzburg Midlands region as a gateway for international collaboration, connecting local creative industries with global producers seeking equitable co‑production pathways.
Michael Newton, UMEDA’s CEO emphasized that the partnership enhances regional engagement with the global screen economy, offering business and cultural exchange opportunities to both emerging and established filmmakers. Pambili Media’s Syney Masina affirmed that the collaboration builds conditions for local projects to access global markets while retaining narrative and cultural ownership.
Program Structure and Co‑Production Focus
The 2026 Cross Continental Forum will begin with an in‑person gathering in KwaZulu‑Natal from July 20–26 followed by a pitch showcase at the Toronto International Film Festival Market (September 8–13) and a series of virtual labs and business‑to‑business match‑making engagements.
This hybrid model supports creators through structured opportunities for information sharing , financing strategies, co‑production training, and industry engagement. Applications are open to Black & Global Majority producers from Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and South/Latin America, with a limited number of bursaries available to assist travel.
The forum’s theme “Bridging Markets, Building Futures” underscores its focus on strengthening creative partnerships and enabling producers to enter agreements as originating partners and rights holders. The initiative supports projects that aim to amplify culturally diverse voices and equitable storytelling on the international stage.
Context Within Global Creative Economies
The expansion of CCF also corresponds with developments in international co‑production frameworks, including co‑production treaties between African countries such as South Africa and Nigeria, as well as the broader economic integration fostered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). These elements contribute to new avenues for collaboration between film industries in Africa and the wider Global South.
Dr. Keith Nurse, cultural industries specialist and Chair of CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, highlighted South Africa’s dynamic screen industry and co‑production infrastructure as a strategic gateway for creative entrepreneurship and sustainable partnerships.
About CaribbeanTales Media Group
CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG) is a Toronto-based media organization operating across the full screen industry value chain, including development and training, production, festivals and events, exhibition, and distribution. Dedicated to supporting Black and Global Majority creators and producers from the Caribbean and its wide global diaspora, CTMG creates pathways for stories to move from script to screen and beyond.
Founded by filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon, the company builds international pipelines through flagship initiatives such as the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, the Creators of Colour Incubator, and the Cross Continental Forum—connecting Global South producers to international markets and equitable co-production opportunities.
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Frances‑Anne Solomon,
CEO & Founder
Caribbean Tales Media Group
Email: media@caribbeantalesmediagroup.com
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Name: Frances‑Anne Solomon
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Organization: Caribbean Tales Media Group
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