Clash, an original commission for Canal+ Afrique, has won the Best International Francophone Series Over 20 Minutes award at the 28th Festival de la fiction TV de La Rochelle. The series shared the prize with Placee, a Swiss production by Léa Fazer for RTS. The francophone jury was chaired by actor Marie Kremer.
The eight-part series, with episodes running for 52 minutes, marks the television debut of Ivorian filmmaker Philippe Lacôte, whose feature films Run and La Nuit des rois were both selected for Cannes. Set against Abidjan’s coupé-décalé music scene, the drama follows DJs Shogun and Diamantino, whose friendship and musical partnership collapse after a manager separates them, triggering a rivalry that develops into a wider musical conflict.
Filmed in Abidjan and Kinshasa, Clash stars Ange Eric N’Guessan, Arnold Matondo and Jean-Baptiste Lafarge. The series premiered on Canal+ Magic on 30 August and airs on Sunday evenings at 20h30.
The award is significant beyond the recognition itself. A Canal+ Afrique commission created for African audiences has secured the same major festival recognition as a European public-broadcaster production, highlighting the growing visibility of African-originated French-language drama in the international television market.
For African producers, the result provides another reference point in discussions with international buyers and commissioning platforms about the creative and commercial potential of locally produced African fiction.
