CoolFM and CoolTV in collaboration with Heritage Bank have concluded plans to sponsor students to the 8th edition of the Notre Dame University International Student Film Festival, holding at Notre Dame University, in Lebanon from November 15-22, 2015.
At a press conference to unveil the lucky winners, the Group Managing Director of AIM Group, Amin Mousali, said the sponsorship is one among the company’s corporate social responsibility platform to expose students to innovations in filmmaking worldwide.
Waxing philosophical, he said a country cannot advance unless it develops its human resources, hence the company’s commitment towards grooming new talents in the film industry for the next generation.
Mousali who recalled that the company began sponsoring students to the film festival since 2012, said the lucky winners to this year’s event have the opportunity of visiting historical sites, like Canaanland in Lebanon, where Jesus Christ preached the gospel.
Besides, he said the participants stand a chance to learn about the culture and mores of the host country amongst others.
On the set criteria for selection of winners, Mousali said the competition is open to every student across all disciplines as long as they can write scripts.
The competition, he said, is a talent hunt of some sorts aimed at tasking the creative ingenuity of the students.
While justifying the sponsorship of the programme by Heritage Bank, Tobe Nnadozie, Divisional Head, Innovation and Products, said the company has a strong affinity with the arts, hence it is always willing to support activities around the sector.
“Heritage Bank is a story itself which we’re writing. It’s a very fantastic story,” he began.
Expatiating, Nnadozie said:”Our lead-in as a bank is about helping people to create, to preserve and to transfer wealth across generations. And one thing that has transcended across various generations is art. Most other things time out or burn out. But art has remained there and when I talk about art, it’s the whole embodiment of arts such as culture, language, songs, drama and many other things.”
Speaking earlier, past winners, including Damilola Kolajolu, Seun Adebanjo and Nneka Chile recalled with nostalgia their experiences at the previous editions of the festival, which they described as a life transforming experience and one they would hold dear for life.
This year’s winners who were selected out of over 600 entries, namely Chima Martins Agara of Imo State University, Senator Ewah George of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Ayodeji Donaldlove Ogunleye of National Films Institute, Jos, were upbeat about their trip to Lebanon.
Agara’s entry titled: ‘Honey Money Pot’ ‘Dead Alive’ by Ogunleye and ‘My name is Amina’ by George have been produced into a film by Emem Isong and Aim Groups’ Production Company, World Entertainment Television Limited (WETV).
Speaking separately, Ogunleye and Agara expressed thanks to the CoolFM management as well as the Heritage Bank for giving them the opportunity to explore the world of filmmaking, stressing that they would make both companies and the nation proud.
