World Emmy-nominated South African production firm Every Worlds and Atlanta-primarily based outfit Freeli Movies grasp launched a co-production partnership to originate and draw top price microdrama collection and characteristic motion photographs, the corporations launched at the Joburg Film Competition on Thursday.

The productions will be shot in South Africa and all the way thru the continent, as effectively as in the U.S., with the corporations asserting in a assertion that their explain will be “designed initially for South African, broader African and American audiences, and from there, for the arena.”

Taye Diggs — who previously collaborated with Freeli on the upcoming romantic drama “One other Man’s Wife” (pictured) — has been tapped to characteristic in the corporations’ first co-productions, which will pair the U.S. star with established South African and African performers.

Freeli Movies used to be constructed by CEO J. Carter with the actual mission of centering Black experiences and Black skill both in front of and in the again of the digital camera. The firm says it’s starting off to repeat that Black-led drama belongs at the heart of the microdrama declare, moderately than at its margins, and is having a see to capitalize on its established relationships with predominant U.S. skill.

Every Worlds brings nearly three decades of award-winning production work, a ingenious group with deep roots in African storytelling and broadcasting, and acquire and examined distribution relationships.

The co-productions with Freeli Movies will get the pinnacle price global strand of Amazi, a new explain assign and production entity established by Every Worlds to originate normal short-get vertical explain for African audiences, starting in South Africa and expanding all the way thru the continent.

The banner’s slate will focal level on hyperlocal African collection, produced with native solid in native languages in South Africa and all the way thru the continent, as effectively as top price English-language co-productions with global partners corresponding to Freeli Movies, pairing South African and African display shroud skill with globally identified performers.

The banner’s distribution approach is constructed around partnerships with predominant cell operators all the way thru Africa, allowing it to capitalize on the continent’s billion-plus cell viewers. That underserved demographic, the firm says, makes Africa undoubtedly among the “most valuable declare markets” for a microdrama industry that’s projected to grow to $26 billion in annual income by 2030.

The partnership with Freeli Movies marks the predominant in a collection of world co-production agreements Every Worlds intends to set up below the Amazi banner, because the firm builds a varied global slate alongside its African-language originals program. The firm began producing its first microdramas in November 2025, led by govt producer Flavia Motsisi and used head creator and govt producer Karen Jeynes.

Motsisi, who will practical a microdrama panel on March 5 at the JBX market, has been tapped as Amazi’s chief ingenious officer.

“Africa has continuously had dynamic and unprecedented experiences. What has been missing is a structure constructed for the model Africans undoubtedly see on the phone, in native languages, in explain that reflects their very include lives,” acknowledged Motsisi. “Amazi is our solution to that. And the partnership with Freeli Movies is rooted in one thing we share: the conviction that representation isn’t very a gesture in opposition to an audience; it’s the root the work is constructed on.”

“We chose to partner with Freeli Movies due to we share the identical starting level: the realization that the audience you’re making explain for deserves to notice itself on display shroud, fully and with out compromise,” acknowledged Every Worlds govt chairman Thierry Cassuto. “South Africa and Africa grasp mighty skill, on both sides of the digital camera, that the arena hasn’t considered yet. Amazi is the platform that changes that. And Freeli is precisely the appealing partner to wait on us rob it additional than we could well per chance by myself.”

Freeli Movies CEO J. Carter acknowledged: “Partnering with Every Worlds is bigger than an global collaboration — it’s a strategic alignment rooted in culture, authenticity and scale. At Freeli Movies, we judge in meeting Black audiences where they’re, not where the industry assumes they desires to be. Which manner constructing microdramas and characteristic motion photographs that mirror their realities, ambitions and global impact.

“Enormous-serving the African and African American customers isn’t a distinct segment approach — it’s the model forward for storytelling. When we invest in experiences that honor the depth, complexity and buying energy of African audiences, we’re not appealing expanding markets — we’re constructing legacy,” he added.

The Joburg Film Competition runs March 3 – 8 in Johannesburg, South Africa.