About

Big World Cinema was established in 1994 and is managed by Steven Markovitz. They have produced a number of award-winning fiction and documentaries. Big World has an extensive production and distribution network across Africa and has co-produced with over fifteen countries internationally. They have worked with over 120 directors from over 20 African countries.

Big World Cinema fiction work includes co-producing Baloji’s award-winning Omen (Cannes – Un Certain Regard 2023); producing Amil Shivji’s Tug of War (Toronto 2021, FESPACO), Wanuri Kahiu’s Kenyan feature Rafiki (Cannes – Un Certain Regard 2018, Toronto); hajooj kuka’s aKasha (Venice Critics’ Week 2018, Toronto) and Jenna Bass’ High Fantasy (Toronto 2017, Berlinale 2018). The company executive-produced Stories of Our Lives (Toronto and Berlin), which won Berlinale’s Teddy Special Jury award in 2015; produced the award-winning South African feature film Love The One You Love (Durban, Busan, Goteborg); co-produced Viva Riva! (Toronto and Berlin), the winner of MTV Movie Award for Best African Movie, 2011. They executive-produced the feature film Boy Called Twist (Cannes 2005) by Tim Greene; and produced the South African – Canadian feature film, Proteus (Berlin, Toronto, Sydney, Rio, Hamptons). They also produced the feature film Visa/Vie (Durban, Sao Paulo); Inja (nominated for an Oscar® – 2003); and Husk which premiered In Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival; and executive-produced the shorts Pumzi (Sundance) and Beyond Freedom (Berlinale Shorts Competition). They executive-produced the shorts omnibus African Metropolis (Toronto, Locarno, Rotterdam 2013/2014).

The company has produced and executive produced over 100 documentaries that have sold to over 40 countries including Khalid Shamis’ The Colonel’s Stray Dogs (Hot Docs 2021), The Prophet and the Space Aliens (CPH: Dox, Fantasia), 2017’s Winnie by Pascale Lamche (winner of Sundance Directing Award) and Silas (Toronto 2017, IDFA), Beats of the Antonov (Toronto 2014, IDFA, Dubai, FESPACO), winner of the TIFF People’s Choice Documentary award; Congo in Four Acts (Berlin, Hotdocs, IDFA), Behind the Rainbow (London International Film Festival, Rio, Tri Continental, FESPACO); It’s My Life, which won five international awards and sold to over 20 countries.

Big World Cinema executive-produced the series Project 10: Real Stories from a Free South Africa (Sundance, Berlinale, Hot Docs, Tribeca) which consists of 13 intimate, narrative stories by new South African filmmakers which represent a time capsule of South Africa 10 years into democracy. Films from the series have sold to eight countries.

Their films have been sold worldwide to theatrical distributors and many platforms and broadcasters including Amazon, Netflix, Vice, Mubi, Channel 5, arte, Canal + and Showtime.

Big World Cinema team