Between 2002 and 2008, the dominant paradigm centers on audience-centered inquiry and postcolonial critique, linking reception with memory, identity formation, and the transnational circulation of African films. Researchers foreground dissensus and counter-narratives, particularly within Francophone cinema, while examining how language choices, urban media markets, and popular film practices democratize access and reshape public discourse. Methodologically, the period blends reception studies with theory-led analysis, charting a shift from overt political messaging toward more performative, surface-oriented aesthetics and hybrid formats.