Moses Babatope, Founder and CEO of Nile Media Entertainment Group, has been selected as part of the Advisory Committee of the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) new market, TIFF: The Market. The market will be launch in 2026, running from September 10 to 16.
“Nile Media Entertainment Group was created to build a complete ecosystem for African storytelling, not just to make great films, but to ensure they travel, find audiences, and build lasting value. The new TIFF: The Market offers the kind of intentional, global space we need, where African stories can meet opportunity,” Babatope said.
He expressed his enthusiasm for TIFF: The Market, stating: “TIFF’s intentionality matters because it means our creators won’t have to shrink to fit old molds. Here, a Nollywood epic can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Hollywood, not as niche, but as art that demands its rightful spotlight.”
Babatope will be working alongside a group of industry experts on the committee, including Michael Barker, Co-President and Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classics; Arianna Bocco, Head of Global Distribution at MUBI; Janet Brown, President of Global Content Sales at BBC Studios; Diana Bustamante Escobar, a seasoned producer; Jeongin Hong, CEO of Megabox; Laura Michalchyshyn, CCO and Co-President of Content Production at Blue Ant Studios; and Vicki Dobbs Beck, VP of Immersive Content at Lucasfilm and ILM.
They join a roster of previously announced committee members, comprising Niv Fichman, Vincent Maraval, Jérôme Paillard, Noah Segal, Monique Simard, Roeg Sutherland, and Kerry Swanson.
The new market has received backing from the Canadian Federal Government, with C$23 million ($16.5 million) in funding. TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said: “We’re designing TIFF: The Market to meet the fast-changing needs of the global screen industries. We plan to grow the power of screen storytellers by bringing dealmakers, talent and audiences together in a new, much bigger way.”
Anita Lee, TIFF’s Chief Programming Officer, added: “As the momentum continues to build for TIFF: The Market’s launch, we have gathered together experts across all parts of the screen industries. Their extensive global knowledge and experience will be invaluable in helping us shape and deliver a best-in-class event that will support the industry of today and for the future.”
