Six film companies from Africa have been selected as buyers for TIFF: The Market 2026. The new event is a seven-day film market run by the Toronto International Film Festival. The selected companies come from Nigeria, South Africa, and Tunisia.
TIFF: The Market is a brand-new film trading event, holding its first edition in 2026. It runs alongside the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most respected film events in the world. The market brings together film buyers, sellers, and content creators from around the globe. Participants trade distribution rights, discover new titles, and form business partnerships.
South Africa leads the African group, with four of the six selected companies coming from the country. All four are active film distributors with strong records in the local market.
- Filmfinity
- Sun Africa Group
- Forefront Media Group
- Digicine
Filmfinity is one of Southern Africa’s top film distribution companies. The firm handles both local South African titles and international releases for audiences at home. Sun Africa Group is headquartered in Johannesburg and forms part of Telefilms Group. The company recently entered a partnership with StudioCanal, a major European film studio. Forefront Media Group is another Johannesburg-based distributor active across multiple markets. Digicine rounds out the four South African companies in the selection.
Nigeria is represented by FilmOne Entertainment, a Lagos-based company with a well-known name in Nollywood. The firm has distributed some of Nigeria’s biggest box-office hits in recent years. Tunisia’s Hakka Distribution specialises in independent commercial cinemas and alternative screening networks. Its portfolio includes international titles distributed across the North African region.
The six African companies will join more than 130 buyers from 49 countries at this inaugural event. Other buyers are attending from Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, and Oceania. Africa will now have a clear presence among the global buyer community at TIFF: The Market.
TIFF: The Market is built to offer curated access and targeted matchmaking between buyers and sellers. The format includes innovations across different content types. The aim is to make it easier for distributors worldwide to find and license new titles.
Being selected as a buyer is a mark of each company’s standing in the film industry. It gives African firms direct access to international content and sellers in a single venue. African distributors have historically found it harder to gain this kind of access. Buyers in Europe and North America have traditionally had more options at major film markets. The selection of six African firms signals that this is changing.
For South African film audiences, this development could mean more international films coming to local cinemas. Companies like Filmfinity and Sun Africa Group can source new titles directly in Toronto. They can then bring those films home for local release.
Attending TIFF: The Market can also help South African companies build strong global business contacts. These connections can open the door to co-productions with overseas studios. New funding from abroad may also reach South African filmmakers through these business links.
TIFF: The Market 2026 is scheduled to run for seven days. The Toronto International Film Festival usually takes place in September each year. The market runs at the same time as the main festival programme.
More than 130 buyers from 49 countries will attend the first edition of TIFF: The Market 2026.
Mia Carter is Mzansi Online’s entertainment correspondent covering South Africa’s vibrant cultural scene. From the rise of amapiano and Afrobeats to local film, television and celebrity news, Mia keeps readers in the loop on what’s trending. She covers SAMA Awards, SA Fashion Week and the stories behind the country’s biggest artists, actors and influencers. Mia is passionate about celebrating the creativity and talent that makes South Africa’s entertainment industry one of Africa’s most exciting.