Brief
Deepixels launches WIC to bridge African cinema’s audience gap at Durban FilmMart
The new audience infrastructure aims to create sustainable routes from African screen content to paying viewers.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Deepixels introduced Watch in Community (WIC), an audience‑infrastructure platform, during a Durban FilmMart session on 9 October 2026, according to bizcommunity.com. The initiative seeks to close the long‑standing gap between African film production and commercial sustainability by integrating content discovery, ticketing, programming, venue operations, payments and audience intelligence into a single system.
Co‑founder Toni Monty said the continent has invested heavily in creative development, production capacity and market access, but “the missing discipline has been sustained audience development.” Ross Joughin, another co‑founder, described WIC as “a connected technology system” rather than a simple screening or streaming product, emphasizing its ability to be tested, measured and refined over time.
The platform will not replace existing cinemas, festivals, broadcasters, streaming services or distributors; instead, it adds new pathways for audiences and exhibition opportunities within the current screen ecosystem. At the Durban FilmMart session titled “Build the audience: WIC takes aim at African cinema’s missing link: audiences,” Joughin led a presentation joined by Monty, Molise Ramaili, Helen Kuun of Indigenous Film Distribution and Paul Robinson of Nefti Films. Delegates could also experience the model at a pop‑up WIC Cinema offering a curated program of African screen content.
Deepixels positions WIC as a practical route linking content, audiences, transactions and exhibition, with the goal of helping more African stories find viable markets over time.
Key facts
- Deepixels unveiled the Watch in Community (WIC) platform at Durban FilmMart on 9 October 2026. (bizcommunity.com)
- WIC integrates content discovery, ticketing, programming, venue operations, payments and audience intelligence. (bizcommunity.com)
- Co‑founders Toni Monty and Ross Joughin said the platform adds audience pathways without replacing existing cinemas or streaming services. (bizcommunity.com)
- The launch session featured co‑founders Monty, Joughin, Molise Ramaili and partners Helen Kuun and Paul Robinson. (bizcommunity.com)
- A pop‑up WIC Cinema at the festival allowed delegates to experience the model with a curated African film program. (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “African cinema’s missing link? WIC puts audiences at the centre”
