The Nation Newspaper

Tag: AFRIFF

  • TEARS, AS DOCUMENTARY ON AMAKA IGWE SCREENS AT AFRIFF

    TEARS, AS DOCUMENTARY ON AMAKA IGWE SCREENS AT AFRIFF

    IN a profession dominated by men, it is not uncommon to find women who are strutting their stuff. But despite the desire to raise their head above the water, there are challenges they have to deal with.

    So when the late Amaka Igwe went into film production in the 80s, little did she know how much inspiration she will bring to a generation of female filmmakers.

    It was in her memory, and to honour other females in the film industry that filmmaker Tope Oshin put together a documentary, Amaka’s Kin: The Women of Nollywood.

    Screened to movie enthusiasts at this year’s Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) on Wednesday, the documentary takes it viewers into the minds of female movie directors and the challenges they have had to live with.

    A sombre ambience that drew nostalgia, viewers were reminded of one of Amaka Igwe’s famed mantra; “I will give to you what I have, added to what you have so that you can be more than me.”

    The documentary chronicles women directors and the peculiar challenges they have had to deal with. From difficult cameramen to unreceptive cast members, one thing they all agree on is that moviedom is a difficult turf to foray.

    However, women in the movie industry have refused to let their guard down as is evident in such film festivals as AFRIFF, Light’s Camera Action, and the Africa Movie Academy Awards, all floated by women.

    As the documentary puts it, “Amaka Igwe stood as a lone but very strong voice in the Nigerian movie industry.” Her film credit tells it all; from Checkmate, Fuji House of Commotion to Rattlesnake, Igwe charted a course that is hard to follow.

    As Omoni Oboli puts it, she’s been a force to reckon with. Even in death, she’s still there.”

    Mildred Okwoh, on the other hand, opines that “it is because of the sacrifices that people like Amaka Igwe made that I can stand here today.”

    Among other film directors who were interviewed in the documentary are Belinda Yanga-Agehda, Adeola Osunjoko, Patience Ochre Imhobio, Blessing Effiong-Egbe, and Stephanie Linus.

    In one of her many speeches which formed part of the documentary, the late filmmaker aptly captures the true state of the Nigerian movie industry. “We started making films, coping with no NEPA. So even if we don’t know how to use editing suites, we’ve been able to make fire come out of the mouth of people like Patrick Doyle. And we have put some people inside bottle, like RMD. So we’ve tried. Nollywood seeks to entertain a mass audience in search of more socio-culturally relevant stories. That’s what we do. We are not telling stories about explosions on bridges, or the destruction of the white house. Try and shoot that you destroyed Aso Rock and see where you’ll land. That’s who we are. Even when a woman died at 88, somebody said the enemies have done their worst… those are the things that bother Nigerians and that’s what we are telling.”

  • AFRIFF: DON OMOPE CHARGES YOUNG FILMMAKERS AT MENTORSHIP SESSION

    ONE of the producers of the highly anticipated movie, The Wedding Party, Don Omope, on Wednesday at the AFRIFF Alumni Engagement held at Genesis Deluxe Cinemas doled out a session on career development and integrity. Bringing the best of his professional and personal experiences to bear, he tried to mentor budding and seasoned filmmakers about the nitty-gritty of the filmmaking business and the need to detach friendship from a money-making venture.

    “Don’t put people in your films because they are your friends but because of their talent. When you bring talented people to your crew without them having doubts, you would only come out with something really amazing,” said Omope who is the Head of Film Production and Strategy at FilmOne.

    He also added that understanding how other people think is key to longevity in the movie industry. “What takes you far is how long you can cope with people, start to understand how people think because the way you approach people maters and it goes a long way,” Omope added.

    The award-winning producer however revealed that FilmOne doesn’t work with non-Nigerians on set of movies “because we feel that there are better Nigerians everywhere that can do better.”

    He made a revelation that two companies approached his team at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) asking to remake Taxi Driver as a Hollywood movie

    “I am saying this for the first time in public, but I just have to say it to encourage you people. Two companies in Toronto approached us asking to get an international license to remake Taxi Driver as a Hollywood film,” he revealed.

    In concluding his class on Mentorship, Omope urged the audience; “Spend time learning how not to do things because when you have made enough mistakes what is left is how to correctly do them.”

  • At AFRIFF, Minister reiterates govt support for film industry

    At AFRIFF, Minister reiterates govt support for film industry

    There was so much to look forward to, as the much publicised Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, opened in Lagos, Sunday night, making debut with Nate Parker’s Oscar hopeful, The Birth of a Nation, a film produced by American studio, 20th Century Fox.

    Based on a true life story, The Birth of a Nation, follows Nat Turner, played by Nate Parker, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. But as he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself, his wife and fellow slaves – Nat orchestrated an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.

    The film opened the floodgate to about 150 other flicks that are currently screening at the festival which would end with ’76, an Izu Ojukwu’s film on the Nigeria’s first military coup, and a Globe Award at the weekend.

    The opening of AFRIFF at the newly commissioned Filmhouse-IMAX theatres, Lekki, was a milestone, going by the IMAX experience, a larger than life screen format that is first in Africa.

    Filmmakers, actors, movie buffs, the media and dignitaries from all walks of life turned out for the event, which started with a red carpet session at 5pm. AFRIFF ambassador, Rita Dominic, her colleagues; Kate Henshaw, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Kunle Afolayan, OC Ukeje, Hilda Dokubo and Mary Remy Njoku were some of the stars spotted in their glam.

    The film show began with a welcome message from AFRIFF’s patron, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, MD/CEO of Access Bank, who was represented by the bank’s Executive Director, Titi Osuntoki. Wigwe pledged continuous support for the film industry through the bank’s intervention schemes for the creative sector. He emphasised the need to preserve Africa’s legacies through film and urged everyone to get involved in their own different ways.

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in his message to the filmmakers at the ceremony, reiterated government’s interest and support for Nollywood. The Minister noted that as the nation weans itself off its dependence on oil, it has to look inwards for industries that have the potential of giving Nigeria an alternative source of income generation.

    “I congratulate the organisers of AFRIFF for what promises to be another successful event. I want everyone to help me celebrate their commitment to the industry and their laudable investment in Nigeria, year after year. This is the sixth one and I’m here to assure us, the practitioners in the industry and the ever-growing customer base of this industry that the best days are here. Before now, maybe the Nigerian government did not really need the film industry and so threw crumbs at it, in terms of infrastructure and human capital investment. However, with failed oil prices, and a steady growth in the population, we have no choice than to turn to the creative industry. This current government is putting diversification for economy on the front burner and we make sure we don’t ever depend only on Hollywood movies again as a nation going forward.”

    The Minister noted that the film industry has proven itself to be not just a good employer of labour, especially for young people, but also a potentially high foreign exchange earner because of its international appeal and demand. “As the ministry charged with film industry and its sister ones like television, culture, advertising and tourism, we are taking the bull by the horn. When we trusted the almighty oil, we built refineries, pipelines, petrol marketing companies, petrol stations etc. Since we’re now rightly shifting our focus to this sector, we must now take necessary investments in the infrastructure that will grow the film industry,’ he said.

    He caught the emotions of filmmakers when he said, “You have all done a fantastic job without pre-requisite government support and partnership; you should have benefited of the largesse of the oil sector. We need professional studio facilities in every state of the federation; you should also have power to avoid travelling abroad for post-production.”

    He however assured that “Mr. President has shown his weight in the creative industry and has promised to do everything that’ll make it possible to transit from a creative industry to a creative economy. To this end, we are already in talks with the state governments and investors to build us studio facilities that equal those in Mexico, India and the U.S, to make filmmaking easier and increase the quality of our films.”

    AFRIFF is a week-long programme that runs from November 13 to 19, showcasing about 155 world-standard features, short and documentary films. Its schedule also encompasses talent development classes, industry workshops and creative discussions.

     

  • At AFRIFF, Minister reiterates govt support for film industry

    At AFRIFF, Minister reiterates govt support for film industry

    There was so much to look forward to, as the much publicised Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, opened in Lagos, Sunday night, making debut with Nate Parker’s Oscar hopeful, The Birth of a Nation, a film produced by American studio, 20th Century Fox.

    Based on a true life story, The Birth of a Nation, follows Nat Turner, played by Nate Parker, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. But as he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself, his wife and fellow slaves – Nat orchestrated an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.

    The film opened the floodgate to about 150 other flicks that are currently screening at the festival which would end with ’76, an Izu Ojukwu’s film on the Nigeria’s first military coup, and a Globe Award at the weekend.

    The opening of AFRIFF at the newly commissioned Filmhouse-IMAX theatres, Lekki, was a milestone, going by the IMAX experience, a larger than life screen format that is first in Africa.

    Filmmakers, actors, movie buffs, the media and dignitaries from all walks of life turned out for the event, which started with a red carpet session at 5pm. AFRIFF ambassador, Rita Dominic, her colleagues; Kate Henshaw, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Kunle Afolayan, OC Ukeje, Hilda Dokubo and Mary Remy Njoku were some of the stars spotted in their glam.

    The film show began with a welcome message from AFRIFF’s patron, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, MD/CEO of Access Bank, who was represented by the bank’s Executive Director, Titi Osuntoki. Wigwe pledged continuous support for the film industry through the bank’s intervention schemes for the creative sector. He emphasised the need to preserve Africa’s legacies through film and urged everyone to get involved in their own different ways.

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in his message to the filmmakers at the ceremony, reiterated government’s interest and support for Nollywood. The Minister noted that as the nation weans itself off its dependence on oil, it has to look inwards for industries that have the potential of giving Nigeria an alternative source of income generation.

    “I congratulate the organisers of AFRIFF for what promises to be another successful event. I want everyone to help me celebrate their commitment to the industry and their laudable investment in Nigeria, year after year. This is the sixth one and I’m here to assure us, the practitioners in the industry and the ever-growing customer base of this industry that the best days are here. Before now, maybe the Nigerian government did not really need the film industry and so threw crumbs at it, in terms of infrastructure and human capital investment. However, with failed oil prices, and a steady growth in the population, we have no choice than to turn to the creative industry. This current government is putting diversification for economy on the front burner and we make sure we don’t ever depend only on Hollywood movies again as a nation going forward.”

    The Minister noted that the film industry has proven itself to be not just a good employer of labour, especially for young people, but also a potentially high foreign exchange earner because of its international appeal and demand. “As the ministry charged with film industry and its sister ones like television, culture, advertising and tourism, we are taking the bull by the horn. When we trusted the almighty oil, we built refineries, pipelines, petrol marketing companies, petrol stations etc. Since we’re now rightly shifting our focus to this sector, we must now take necessary investments in the infrastructure that will grow the film industry,’ he said.

    He caught the emotions of filmmakers when he said, “You have all done a fantastic job without pre-requisite government support and partnership; you should have benefited of the largesse of the oil sector. We need professional studio facilities in every state of the federation; you should also have power to avoid travelling abroad for post-production.”

    He however assured that “Mr. President has shown his weight in the creative industry and has promised to do everything that’ll make it possible to transit from a creative industry to a creative economy. To this end, we are already in talks with the state governments and investors to build us studio facilities that equal those in Mexico, India and the U.S, to make filmmaking easier and increase the quality of our films.”

    AFRIFF is a week-long programme that runs from November 13 to 19, showcasing about 155 world-standard features, short and documentary films. Its schedule also encompasses talent development classes, industry workshops and creative discussions.

  • AFRIFF TRAINING GETS A BOOST WITH CANON …as festival begins this weekend

    SUPPORTING Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF)’s developmental initiative for young African filmmakers, Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) is partnering the former for this year’s edition of the festival which begins tomorrow.

    As part of the week-long event whose activities are spread across the Filmhouse-IMAX, Genesis Cinema and Silverbird Cinema, Victoria Island and AfriNolly Space, Oregun, Lagos, CCNA is offering further support skills and capacity development among creative and talented youth and professionals in Nigeria on film and photography.

    “We aim to familiarise Nigerian filmmakers and photographers, and the attendees to the festival with cutting-edge professional technology that is used internationally,” said Katie Simmonds, Canon’s Strategic Operations Professional – Emerging Markets Africa/Sustainability Projects.

    She said Canon is always committed to launching new innovative programmes that help provide the knowledge and skills needed to promote creative talent and drive the growth of a vibrant local industry.

    “Our partnership with AFRIFF, Nigeria, underlines our focus on supporting the nation in building the next generation of talent who will drive the growth of the country’s television, film and photography sectors. It will empower youth, build their skills, and help facilitate rewarding careers in the industry.”

    So far, about 50 would-be trainees, made up of film students, practitioners and the media have registered for the cinematography class.

    Simmonds said the Canon sessions will provide the perfect opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to benefit from short courses and seminars in videography and filmmaking.

    The collaboration marks an extension of Canon’s sustainability for its Miraisha programme.

    Simmonds explains that, “Miraisha is a combination of the Japanese word ‘Mirai’, which means Future and the Swahili word ‘Maisha’, which means Livelihood. The programme’s goal is to provide people with the skills to develop livelihoods in professional photography and filmmaking, or print by utilising Canon’s core expertise in imaging and its network of professionals.”

    The initiatives range from fashion and street photography classes to filmmaking workshops and print training for SMEs.

    During this collaboration, Canon will be conducting a filmmaking workshop and a filmmaking seminar led by an expert in the field and look forward to rolling out more activities in near future.

    Simmonds disclosed that the association has been inspired by ‘Kyosei’, Canon’s corporate philosophy which embodies the ideal of living and working together for the common good.

    She said: “AFRIFF is a noted film festival that presents a complete immersion into the world of film making with participation from local and international industry bodies, which over the years has fostered film and television education. Canon is proud to partner with such an organisation and would like to thank the management for their continued support as we move forward, we will continue to build on the positive relationships that we share and take it to the next level through our new solutions.”

    CCNA is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA within CME in 2015 is a strategic step that aims to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region – by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operate closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market. Canon has been represented in the Africa continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region.

  • AFRIFF announces festival programmes

    AFRIFF announces festival programmes

    •Canon, Diageo, join sponsorship list

    This season, the annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) returns for its sixth year of cinematic celebration with an impressive line-up of movie premieres, film screenings, industry sessions, master classes and other festival programmes holding in Lagos, Nigeria, from November 13 to 20, 2016.

    Announcing the festival programmes at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, AFRIFF Founder/Executive Director Ms. Chioma Ude said Lagos will, once again, wear the tourism ambiance, playing host to filmmakers and actors from around the world, with over 100 films showing at the newly opened Filmhouse-IMAX and Genesis Cinema, both in Lekki, Lagos.

    Ude appeared to have struck the right cord when she announced Nate Parker’s Oscar hopeful, The Birth of a Nation and Izu Ojukwu’s celebrated film on the first Nigerian military coup, ’76 as the opening and closing films respectively, a disclosure which was received with loud ovation.

    Canon Europe Ltd, leading provider of digital cameras, and Diageo Nigeria, world’s premium beverage company join the list of resourceful partners and developmental agencies like Ford Foundation, British Institute, Lagos State, Africa Magic, MultiChoice Nigeria, Access Bank, Bank of Industry, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), Afrinolly, African Film Consortium (AFC), Filmhouse-IMAX, Genesis Cinemas and Silverbird Group, at the press parley and cocktail launch.

    According to the AFRIFF boss, festival guests are up for the best of times during the festival, as all the films in official line-up are products of the new narratives for African cinema and Black films world over.

    The selection includes, 93 Days (Nigeria) by Steve Gukas, The CEO (Nigeria) by Kunle Afolayan, Vaya (South Africa) by Akin Omotoso, The Cursed Ones (U.K) by Nana Obiri, The Wedding Ring ( Niger) by Rahmatou Keita, Kati Kati (Kenya) by Mbithi Masya, If Tomorrow Never Comes (Ghana) by Pascal Amanfo, Remember Me (Nigeria) by Izu Ojukwu, Breathe (South Africa) by Mark Dornford-May, The Missing God (Nigeria) by Ubaka Joseph, Unspoken (Nigeria) by Remi Vaughan-Richards, Green White Green (Nigeria) by Abba Makama, The Unseen (Namibia) by Perivi Natjavivi, N.G.O (Uganda) by Arnold Aganze, Gidi Blues (Nigeria) by Femi Odugbemi, Daggers of Life (Ghana) by Paapa Otoo, Shadow of the Passion (Burkina Faso) by Ado Bambara, Ojukokoro (Nigeria) by Dare Olaitan, Bala Bala Sese (Uganda) by Lukyamuzi Bashir and The Arbitration (Nigeria) by Niyi Akinmolayan.

    In addition to the wide range of films, the festival, according to Ude, will also offer industry platforms for skill acquisition, financing, pitching, symposia on alternative revenue streams and piracy.

    Ude noted that one of the core objectives of the festival is talent development where AFRIFF has been engaging with its partners in creating opportunities for young people to explore  filmmaking. “Amongst our Shorts programme are films made by young people, selected from last year’s training and talent development programmes,” she said.

    Speaking on Canon’s partnership with AFRIFF, Managing Director of CCNA, Roman Troedthandl, said: “It is incredible to see how far AFRIFF has come in the past 6 years in terms of receiving acknowledgement within the international film industry. The festival has grown from strength to strength in these years. CCNA is proud to partner with AFRIFF and contribute to this success.  We are looking forward to this year’s festival and the world class cinema that will be screened.”

    Executive Producer of ‘76, Prince Tonye Princewill who responded from London where the film is being screened at the London International Film Festival said “the honour of our film being chosen to close the Africa International Film Festival cannot be described with words. The film has been honoured around the world, but recognition at home means everything to us. The field for Nigerian films is very strong this year, so it is especially rewarding for ‘76 to receive this nod. We are proud of the AFRIFF organizers and hope we can do them justice.”

    Kene Mkparu who spoke on behalf of Filmone-IMAX, FilmOne Distribution and The Birth of a Nation, noted that “FilmOne Distribution & Filmhouse Cinemas are truly honoured to be a part of bringing this amazing re-telling of a remarkable piece of African history to the continent of Africa. And like Nate Parker (writer, director, producer and star of the movie) himself said, what better platform to present The Birth Of A Nation to the continent than the biggest African film festival, AFRIFF, here in Lagos Nigeria. We are also delighted that this movie is so important to our partners 20th Century Fox that senior executives of Fox (including Paul Higginson, Executive Vice President, EMEA) as well as stars of the movie will be here, live, in Lagos to launch the Birth of A Nation. This is a movie all Africans must get to the cinema to see. It is our story we never knew, action packed, resilient spirit of man, godliness, hard-hitting, tear-jerking, emotional, thought-provoking and very, very well made.

     

  • AFRIFF boss meets visiting chairman of Institut Choiseul

    Founder/CEO of Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Ms. Chioma Ude, last week joined African leaders listed as economic influencers at an interactive session with chairman of Institut Choiseul, Dr. Pascal Lorot, who was on a three-day visit to Lagos.

    The visit was timely as AFRIFF, the biggest convergence of African filmmakers in Nigeria, prepares for its 6th edition, from November 13-20.

    Lorot said his visit was a prelude to the unveiling of 100 African CEOs on November 19 at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

    He harped on the enormous business acumen that exists among Nigerians outside of governments’ support.

    The 100 Africans were selected and ranked by Institut Choiseul as playing major roles in the Africa’s economic development in the near future.

    The unveiling ceremony will be wrapped into one of the industry sessions of AFRIFF 2016, where filmmakers will have first-hand opportunity of networking and pitching their projects.

    Apart from meeting with the AFRIFF team last Thursday, other high profile individuals who have been interacting with Dr. Lorot include Mr. Ken Etete of Century Group; French Consul General; Franco-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce; Tony Elumelu and Aliko Dangote.

    Institut Choiseul is a France-based influential independent think tank, chaired by Dr. Lorot, a founding President of the Institut.

     

  • AFRIFF scholars set to tell African stories

    AFRIFF scholars set to tell African stories

    film and television is my first love, entertainment is my life,” said Damian Ashinjo, a Benue State University medical student and up and coming actor who is currently taking a course of documentary at the Montana State University, Bozeman via Facebook. He was among 15 Africans – 13 Nigerians, one Ghanaian and one Rwandan – who benefitted from the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) and Ford Foundation scholarship to study documentary filmmaking in the United States.

    “Personally I’m a medical student. I know nothing about camera angles or the etiquette of crew setting, I just knew my love for media and television. I came in as an actor and that was my love but going to America we were made to learn everything, from camera to sound, to lighting, casting and other aspects of film making”

    Ashinjo says he’ll continue his medical studies, but at pre-medical sciences at Coleman college health sciences Texas, even as he admits that filmmaking is where his heart is. And the experience, he revealed, broadened his horizon on filmmaking and how important every aspect of filmmaking is.

    “Aside being an actor it gave me the idea of becoming a director,” he said of the training.

    “We were engaged with task to shoot, edit, add sound, light and conduct interviews.”

    The beneficiaries who attended AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops sponsored by Access Bank and Africa Magic in 2015 in Lagos are Morakinyo Fapohunda, Leke Oyeyinka, Kalu Nnamdi Anaga, Damian Ashinjo, Richard Odilu, Tunray Femi, Kelechi Nduka, and Dan Ikpoyi.

    Others are Osei Owusu Banahene, Adebusola Adeboyejo, Kenechukwu Nwatu, Alero Okorodus, Joy Igbe, Susan Akalazu, and Vanessa Uwase. Once through, the students will pitch ideas on social justice issues like corruption, child labour and water access to Ford Foundation for funding.

    The course focused on documentary making and it was geared towards addressing social justice, of which ideas were pitched. For the trainees who visited sights such as Yellowstone National Park, Butte, Museum of Mining and the Hot Springs, they are set to follow their dreams and tell African stories.

    “As an actor the knowledge acquired will set me above other actors thereby giving me more jobs (I hope ),” wrote Ashinjo. “Meanwhile we are ready to showcase ourselves in the best possible way. We just need the platform, the funding and we are there. The future is bright ( I know)”

    An earlier report has written about three docudramas shot and edited by the group.

    After the screening of one, about a homeless man and his dog before finding help  from the Human Resource Development Council in Bozeman, Instructor Tom Nicholson, a filmmaker and associate professor at Ithaca College had remarked; “This is social justice filmmaking.”

    And Nancy Cornwell, an MSU professor and American Council on Education Fellow, said:  ”It’s very purposeful and powerful, leveraging the strengths of the university and sending them home with a very clear mission.”

    The young Africans know how much the rest of the world needs them to tell their stories.

    And in her pitch, Susan Akalazu showed how epileptic power supply, a common index in many African countries, is bringing about a dysfunctional society. In her documentary, a pregnant woman involved in a car crash dies because she is unable to pay a deposit while her baby survives but later dies because power to the hospital is cut.

    No doubt, the course has infused confidence in the participants, and just like Ashinjo, Ghanaian Osei Owusu Banahene, said: “I’m confident I can tell the stories and make sure I can represent Africa.”

    The filmmakers know that telling stories about social justice in Africa will be challenging. But the young filmmakers are ready.

    “If everyone is afraid, if nobody does anything, nothing will change,” Alero Okorodus said. “It’s worth risking your life for.”

  • AFRIFF, Ford Foundation sponsor 15 students to US film school

    AFRIFF, Ford Foundation sponsor 15 students to US film school

    In the second edition of its scholarship scheme, the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), in collaboration with Ford Foundation,  is providing capacity development for another season 15 film students to the popular Montana State University, United States, for a summer course.

    The beneficiaries who travelled to the US on Sunday were selected from the AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops sponsored by Access Bank and Africa Magic at the 2015 edition of the festival which held in Lagos. The initiative provides beginners and intermediate courses for young people in their choice areas of filmmaking.

    The scholarship scheme which is meant  to advance the aspirations of these burgeoning talents,  is an intensive hands-on training camp on various aspects of filmmaking with emphasis on documentary filmmaking.

    Although 20 students qualified for the scholarship, 15 have been granted visas by the American embassy so far. They include 13 Nigerians, one Ghanaian and one Rwandan.

    They are: Morakinyo Fapohunda (Lagos), Leke  Oyeyinka (Ogun), Kalu Nnamdi Anaga (Enugu), Damian Ashinjo (Benue), Richard Odilu (Delta), Tunray Femi (Delta), Kelechi  Nduka (Anambra), Dan Ikpoyi (Delta), Adebusola Adeboyejo (Ondo), Kenechukwu  Nwatu from   Enugu; Alero Okorodus (Lagos), Joy  Igbe (Benue), Susan Akalazu (Imo), Osei Owusu Banahene (Ghana) and Vanessa Uwase (Rwanda).

    Also in the partnership is Arik Air, Montana State University and Africa Magic.

    Last year, the scheme had a total of 35 participants; 15 young film students, selected by AFRIFF for the Ford Foundation scholarship, and 20 upcoming filmmakers, who attended first-hand training at Relativity School, Los Angeles.

    Mr.  Paul Nwulu, Programmes Officer for Ford Foundation, said they already had proposals for 10 of the 15 guys who made the training last year. According to Nwulu, the choice of Montana State University was strategy owing to the quality of training they offer.

    For Founder/CEO of AFRIFF, Ms Chioma Ude, the scholarship is one in a series of other talent development initiatives of the six-year-old festival. According to her, the skill acquisition and youth development initiative was designed to use filmmaking as an authentic vehicle for youth empowerment.

    AFRIFF’s vision, according to Ude, is to raise awareness about African cinema, its vast potential and the tremendous socio-economic impact of creative professionals in Africa. She noted that the first four years of the festival were strategically intended to build the AFRIFF brand and gain the brand notoriety that will allow partnership of global brands like Ford Foundation and Relativity Media.

    AFRIFF has since its first edition in 2010, provided free training and talent development opportunities for young people and aspiring filmmakers. The festival has provided cutting edge education in Sound for Film, Cinematography and Screen Writing for over 500 students, in partnership with Sound & Motion Technical College and City Varsity, Cape Town, South Africa. AFRIFF has also worked directly with students of the National Film Institute, Jos; PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos; the Creative Arts Department at The University of Port-Harcourt; Department of Media & Theatre Arts at The University of Calabar and The Theatre Arts Department of The University of Uyo. The Desicon Group was the 2014 sponsor of the AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops.

     

  • AFRIFF, Ford Foundation sponsor 15 students to US film school

    AFRIFF, Ford Foundation sponsor 15 students to US film school

    In the second edition of its scholarship scheme, the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), in collaboration with Ford Foundation,  is providing capacity development for another season 15 film students to the popular Montana State University, United States, for a summer course.

    The beneficiaries who travelled to the US yesterday were selected from the AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops sponsored by Access Bank and Africa Magic at the 2015 edition of the festival which held in Lagos. The initiative provides beginners and intermediate courses for young people in their choice areas of filmmaking.

    The scholarship scheme which is meant  to advance the aspirations of these burgeoning talents,  is an intensive hands-on training camp on various aspects of filmmaking with emphasis on documentary filmmaking.

    Although 20 students qualified for the scholarship, 15 have been granted visas by the American embassy so far. They include 13 Nigerians, one Ghanaian and one Rwandan.

    They are: Morakinyo Fapohunda (Lagos), Leke  Oyeyinka (Ogun), Kalu Nnamdi Anaga (Enugu), Damian Ashinjo (Benue), Richard Odilu (Delta), Tunray Femi (Delta), Kelechi  Nduka (Anambra), Dan Ikpoyi (Delta), Adebusola Adeboyejo (Ondo), Kenechukwu  Nwatu from   Enugu; Alero Okorodus (Lagos), Joy  Igbe (Benue), Susan Akalazu (Imo), Osei Owusu Banahene (Ghana) and Vanessa Uwase (Rwanda).

    Also in the partnership is Arik Air, Montana State University and Africa Magic.

    Last year, the scheme had a total of 35 participants; 15 young film students, selected by AFRIFF for the Ford Foundation scholarship, and 20 upcoming filmmakers, who attended first-hand training at Relativity School, Los Angeles.

    Mr.  Paul Nwulu, Programmes Officer for Ford Foundation, said they already had proposals for 10 of the 15 guys who made the training last year. According to Nwulu, the choice of Montana State University was strategy owing to the quality of training they offer.

    For Founder/CEO of AFRIFF, Ms Chioma Ude, the scholarship is one in a series of other talent development initiatives of the six-year-old festival. According to her, the skill acquisition and youth development initiative was designed to use filmmaking as an authentic vehicle for youth empowerment.

    AFRIFF’s vision, according to Ude, is to raise awareness about African cinema, its vast potential and the tremendous socio-economic impact of creative professionals in Africa. She noted that the first four years of the festival were strategically intended to build the AFRIFF brand and gain the brand notoriety that will allow partnership of global brands like Ford Foundation and Relativity Media.

    AFRIFF has since its first edition in 2010, provided free training and talent development opportunities for young people and aspiring filmmakers. The festival has provided cutting edge education in Sound for Film, Cinematography and Screen Writing for over 500 students, in partnership with Sound & Motion Technical College and City Varsity, Cape Town, South Africa. AFRIFF has also worked directly with students of the National Film Institute, Jos; PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos; the Creative Arts Department at The University of Port-Harcourt; Department of Media & Theatre Arts at The University of Calabar and The Theatre Arts Department of The University of Uyo. The Desicon Group was the 2014 sponsor of the AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops.