Zoey Martinson’s “The Fisherman” is Having a Continental Roll Out

Zoey Martinson’s Fisherman will be having a theatrical release in Kenya, Zambia, and Nigeria. The Nigerian theatrical release will be handled by FilmOne Entertainment, and the Kenya and Zambia releases by Century Pictures in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Lusaka. 

The Fisherman follows Atta Oko, a retired Ghanaian fisherman who teams up with a talking fish and three Gen Z associates on a road trip to Accra in pursuit of a long-held dream. The film’s narrative is shaped by its sharp comedy, magical realism, and heart. The film features a predominantly Ghanaian cast, led by veterans and rising stars. The main cast includes Ricky Adelayitar (lead), Abdulazeem Dulo Harris, Endurance Dedzo, William Lamptey, Kiki-Romi, and Adwoa Akoto. The supporting cast includes Fred Nii Amugi, Emmanuel Affedzi, Emmanuella Gyan, Ajeezay, Dorothy Konadu, Roselyn Ngissah, Andrew Adote, and others. 

The film will be rolling out across the continent after a strong theatrical debut in Ghana and a Joburg Film Festival premiere in South Africa. The Kenya and Zambia theatrical release is scheduled for April 3rd, 2026, while the Nigerian one is for May 15th, 2026. South Africa and Francophone West Africa are next in the rollout. 

The film has screened at Venice Biennale Film Festival, Pan-African Film Festival, African International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF), New York African Film Festival (NYAFF), Africa Film Fest Australia (AFFA), Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF), Ottawa Black Film Festival, Miami International Film Festival, New Orleans Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, San Diego International Film Festival, RiverRun International Film Festival, Woods Hole Film Festival, S.O.U.L. Fest, British Urban Film Festival and others. The film won the UNESCO Fellini Medal, Ja’net Dubois Best First Feature Narrative and Best Director at AFRIFF. 

Historically, African films have rarely enjoyed continental release. African theatres are still dominated by Hollywood and foreign titles. This has, for decades, made it impossible for Kenyan audiences to be able to watch Cameroon or Ugandan titles at their local cinemas and vice versa. According to Rwandan filmmaker, Mutiganda Wa Nkunda, this has continued the legacy of colonialism on the continent. “The African mind is still mentally colonized. Colonization isn’t with guns and violence but through cultural dominance.”

The absence of a continental distribution network has allowed this cultural dominance and dependency. The dominance of Hollywood and foreign titles in African theaters means that local films from African countries struggle to get continental distribution. This explains why Africans don’t passionately watch African films even if they want to. It also explains why, despite the popularity of Hollywood titles on the continent, the same can’t be said for African films. This limits exposure for African filmmakers, making it tough for them to reach wider audiences. Also, African audiences are denied the opportunity to see themselves and their stories reflected on screen, perpetuating a lack of cultural representation.

The continental distribution infrastructure doesn’t exist yet, but even pan-African initiatives like Screen Connect and other regional festivals are working to address this. The continental distribution of Martinson’s The Fisherman will be another contemporary indication of how to distribute African films to Africans. As the film prepares for its continental rollout, one will need to monitor its cultural and box-office impact in each country where  it shows. The box-office success of The Fisherman could further inspire local filmmakers and distributors to prioritize promoting and distributing African titles.