Africa: Open for Business

Africa Open for Business is a documentary by producer/director/journalist Carol Pineau. It won BBC Documentary of the Year 2006 in addition to a CINE Golden Eagle Award. Highlighting ten stories of local African entrepreneurial businesses, Africa displays a unique perspective into the true stories of pioneering companies in challenging economies.

Often lost in the Western World, the truth behind Africa’s growing economy is portrayed in this film through personal struggles and ultimately accomplishments despite current conflicts. Such conflicts include political, social, and economic challenges; but the inspiring tales found in Africa: Open for Business give hope to a more prosperous future in a continent of potential undiscovered by much of the global community.

Countries portrayed in the film include Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Botswana, Uganda, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and more. In detailing the successes found in these nations, Pineau divests her viewer from the common misconceptions and myths of the Africa seen in the vast media today. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, said to director Pineau of the film, "Your analysis of the situation in Africa was very perceptive, and much more balanced than one usually finds in articles about the continent".

Pineau received the "African Vision Award" by Agoralumiere at the Cannes Film Festival where Africa: Open for Business was originally screened. It was also broadcast on BBC and PBS in addition to the US-Africa Business Summit in 2005, and has screened at World Economic Forum where Pineau was a plenary speaker, United Nations, US State Department, US Congress, and numerous other high level venues.