Don't Miss This: Osezua Stephen-Imobhio Reveals the New Rules of Film Marketing at DGN Diaspora Conference

Filmmakers, screenpreneurs, directors, marketers and distributors — this is one conversation you cannot afford to miss.

The old way of making movies is changing. That is the core message from Nigerian filmmaker, producer and strategist Osezua Stephen-Imobhio, who is set to challenge conventional thinking at the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Diaspora Virtual Film Forum 2026.

📅 Saturday, 29 August 2026
⏰ 1:00 p.m. West African Time (WAT)
💻 Virtual Session

FROM FILM TO AUDIENCE

Stephen-Imobhio's presentation, “From Film to Audience,” delivers a blunt wake-up call to African filmmakers:

«“Don't make a film and then ask, ‘How do I find an audience?’ Find the audience, understand them and build a relationship with them.”»

For too long, filmmakers have followed the traditional:

Make → Market → Hope

But Stephen-Imobhio advocates a different value chain:

Audience → Create → Engage → Distribute → Monetise

The message is simple: audience development must begin before production, not after the film is finished.

WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND

Stephen-Imobhio argues that film marketing should no longer be treated as a post-production afterthought. It should be part of the filmmaking strategy from the beginning.

A single film can generate an entire content ecosystem — teasers, trailers, behind-the-scenes stories, interviews, short-form videos, AI-assisted clips, memes, audience conversations and other digital assets — all designed to transform passive viewers into an engaged community.

AI: A TOOL, NOT A REPLACEMENT

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the film business, and Stephen-Imobhio believes filmmakers should embrace it strategically.

From research and audience intelligence to subtitling, localization, content adaptation and promotional materials, AI can become a powerful force multiplier.

But there is a warning:

AI should enhance human creativity — not replace it.

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES: THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Stephen-Imobhio also challenges the perception that indigenous languages are barriers to international success.

From Yorùbá and Igbo to Hausa, Edo and other African languages, he sees linguistic identity as a powerful tool for differentiation in an increasingly crowded global content marketplace.

The question is no longer:

“Can an indigenous-language film travel?”

The bigger question is:

“How do we build the audience and distribution pathways that will make it travel?”

THE BOTTOM LINE

Forget simply hoping for a miracle on opening weekend.

The future belongs to the filmmaker who approaches a distributor with more than a great film — but with evidence of an audience waiting to watch it.

As Stephen-Imobhio puts it:

«“Find the audience. Take the film to the audience. Convert attention into viewership — and viewership into value.”»

THIS IS MORE THAN A FILM TALK.

It is a conversation about audiences, strategy, marketing, distribution, technology and the future economics of African cinema.

If you are serious about turning films into sustainable businesses, mark your calendar.

Saturday, 29 August 2026 | 1:00 p.m. WAT

Don't just make films. Build audiences. Create communities. Generate value.