The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Filmmakers

  • 93 Days: Filmmakers narrate complexity of Ebola in new movie

    93 Days: Filmmakers narrate complexity of Ebola in new movie

    As many seem to be oblivious of how destructive Ebola disease could have been on affected communities,  93 Days, a new film by Bolanle Austen-Peters, Dotun Olakunri, Steve Gukas and Pemon Rami captures the sacrifice made by a few for the continued existence of many.

    The filmmakers’ attempt to jolt the imagination of the viewers is very apt. They ask; “What happens when the most lethal and contagious disease known to man arrives in a megacity of over 20 million people?”the answer is provided in 93 Days, through the true-life story of men and women who risked their lives and made sacrifices to save others from the consequences of the outbreak of the highly dreaded Ebola Virus Disease.

    Directed by Steve Gukas, and produced  by Bolanle Austen-Peters, Dotun Olakunri,  Steve Gukas and Pemon Rami, the story demonstrates the bravery of the late Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh and her colleagues from their encounter with the late American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer who was the index case of the Ebola Virus Disease.

    The compelling human story of dedication, sacrifice, resilience and survival relays how the deceased ensured that the right medical procedures were in place to stop the spread of the disease in the country. During the period, they not only prevented a national catastrophe and international contagion, but also left a permanent mark on the society and solidified their legacy as courageous Nigerians amid continuous support from the Lagos State Government, Federal Government, World Health Organisation (WHO), MSF and other organisations.

    “We recognise that we have to tell our own stories… Also recognise that hardly ever are all the stars aligned to allow Nigeria and Nigerians shine on the international scene.Our role is to celebrate our heroes and Nigeria on the global scene,” said Bolanle Austen-Peters.

    The filmmakers say they cast local and international cast to ensure excellent quality and international exposure.

    “Our aim is to create a feature film that will resonate with many people across the world, particularly in Nigeria and its sub-region. At its core, 93 Days is a tale of common humanity and just how much we can achieve when we stand united,” they stated.

    The project is a co-production between Michel Angelo Production, Bolanle Austen-Peters Production (BAP) and Native FilmWorks.

  • Again, AFRIFF sends 20 filmmakers to U.S. on relativity scholarship

    Again, AFRIFF sends 20 filmmakers to U.S. on relativity scholarship

    When Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) returns with its 5th edition in November, there will be an unusual harvest of highly skilled professionals, as a total of 35 participants from last year’s edition are currently receiving training at two different film schools in the United States, under AFRIFF’s special scholarship arrangements.

    Penultimate Saturday, 15 young film students, selected by AFRIFF for a Ford Foundation scholarship travelled to the Montana State University in the United States of America, where their one-month training, especially on documentary filmmaking has since begun.

    Another set of film enthusiasts, this time, 20 professionals, are also attending first-hand training at Relativity School, Los Angeles.

    The training is the outcome of Relativity Education’s engagement with AFRIFF to boost capacity for creative professionals in Africa.

    It will be recalled that Relativity Media, the third largest mini-major film studio in the world, participated actively at AFRIFF 2014, further to which a formal partnership was sealed during a visit by AFRIFF boss, Ms Chioma Ude, to Los Angeles last January.

    Its subsidiary, Relativity School, is the first and only school of its kind created with a major Hollywood studio, and the relationship with AFRIFF, their first in Africa, represents an important element of the institution’s global education efforts in film media and performing arts.

    The summer session for the 20 beneficiaries will provide Executive training programs in Hollywood and Professional Development Certifications to the inaugural cohorts of African creative professionals, and this will serve as Relativity School’s premier alumni class on the continent.

    “We’re thrilled to bring best-in-class filmmaking education to Africa through AFRIFF and welcome our inaugural class and scholarship recipients. Hollywood carries the proud tradition of producing the highest quality products in the world and Relativity Education offers programs that teach the fundamental best practices behind sustained success in creating the highest quality films. We want Africa’s films to gain international appeal and global recognition. The rich culture of the African continent and the stories therein are ripe for the telling,” says Glenn Kalison, President, Relativity School.

    “We want Africa’s films to gain international appeal and global recognition. The rich culture of the African continent and the stories therein are ripe for the telling.”

    Stephen Ozoigbo, Relativity’s International Advisor, who was impressed by the turnout of media professionals at Relativity Education’s industry seminar at AFRIFF 2014, also expressed firm commitment to maintaining the current momentum and support the aspirations of local industries in Africa to attain global standards.

    He said: “A strategic approach to capacity building by Relativity Education highlights Hollywood’s attraction to the African ecosystem and offers a unique opportunity for the stakeholders on the continent to internationalize their craft.”

    Now in its fifth year of operations, 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 on the African continent.

    Ude said: “From inception, we have maintained a strong commitment to establishing bridges for partnership with international counterparts to raise standards of quality, expertise and compliance to globally attainable levels.”

    According to her, “The first four years were strategically intended to build the AFRIFF brand and gain the brand notoriety that will allow global brands like Relativity to partner with us and create sustainable pathways for exponential growth and development across Africa’s creative economies.”

    The beneficiaries include Chioma Onyenwe, Tokunbo Sangodoyin, Banjo Onyeka Ayodele, Andrea Chika Chukwu, Tony Mba, Ejiro Onabrakpor, Uti Nwachukwu, Linda Ejiofor, Lillian Esoro, Ufuoma Mcdermott, Kemi Akindoju, Jude Idada, Uru Eke, Adesua Etomi, Folu Ogunkeye, Cynthia Kamalu, Delmwa Deshi  Kura, Chijioke Uwaegbute, Seun Ajayi, Baba Agba and Gideon Okeke.

  • Pirates dare filmmakers again, flood streets with fake October 1 movie

    Pirates dare filmmakers again, flood streets with fake October 1 movie

    •Group challenges next govt to action

    Few days after film distributor Gabriel Okoye lambasted traders in a section of Alaba International Market, Lagos, for being largely responsible for piracy in Nigeria, the pirates carried out their recent threat by releasing fake copies of Kunle Afolayan’s award-winning flick, October 1.

    October 1Okoye, popularly called Gabosky, is the distributor of top films such as Phone Swap, Onye Ozi and Tango with Me, with October 1, being the next in his repertoire.

    Following reports that the film has been pirated and set for release, Gabosky, at a media conference last Thursday decried the impunity of the ‘Alaba boys’, urging government to step in, by strengthening the existing laws on piracy.

    He expressed regrets that the perpetrators of this criminal act do so with so much liberty, and have often confronted law enforcement agents with all forms of dangerous weapons, each time attempts are made to raid the market.

    A devastated Afolayan, on Monday, alerted his fans on the fake copies of his film in circulation. He begged them to show pity on his investment by refusing to buy from the pirates. “Pirated copies of October 1 film is now released by the pirates and it is everywhere on the street. We have been announcing and alerting the people and government for years. Is this how we will fold our hands and look? It is my turn today, it may be yours tomorrow. I am devastated. It’s a hostile country. PLEASE DO NOT BUY,” he said.

    The news of this fake October 1 movie soon occupied discourse on the social media. A group of entertainers and their friends on naijahottestgist.com, decried the situation, saying it is a crime they all need to fight, irrespective of ethnic differences or political affiliations.

    “It’s so pathetic on my way to Surulere last week I saw boys hawking October 1 and I told one of them that the movie he’s holding is yet to be released,” said Adebiyi. “His response was “oga why you no face where you dey go, this is a lawless country joor.” I was dumbfounded and wondered when government will wake up to save the movie industry and other industries. In Ibadan where I live, people sell pirated books and movies with impunity. I just hope the incoming administration will do everything possible to protect intellectual property so that creative people can be protected. God bless Nigeria.”

    Many are of the opinion that, with the promise of zero-tolerance for corruption by the incoming General Muhammadu Buhari-led government, intellectual property theft should be another major area of focus.

    The same measure, they agreed, is expected of their colleague, Desmond Elliot, who has just been elected into the Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as the Governor-elect, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Perhaps more important, is public sensitisation on how equally wrong it is to patronise unlawful products.

    “It is very sad that someone will sweat and fund his movie for the purpose of making his life better and some hard-hearted people will now pirate the movie. It is wickedness of the highest order. Many people on the streets buying these movies don’t see anything wrong because that is what they can afford. It is now left for we that know what is right to begin the education,” said a contributor, Tayo Fadaka, who added that existing laws in this regard should be enforced appropriately. “It’s no longer a confrontational thing because if you say you want to be confrontational, you will kill someone. Our problem in this country is that laws are not really enforced. We have a new administration. Thank God some of you in the entertainment industry have been elected into the polity of this country. Raise bills that will serve as deep punitive measures not only to the pirates but to those that patronise them. There should be zero-tolerance for piracy in this new dispensation. Our security operatives should be tasked. The public also should be tasked to bring these people to book. There should be automatic imprisonment meted to offenders. Piracy is stealing and should be treated as such and with no option of fine. Anyone found selling them on the streets should be arrested. It starts with you and I; If we task ourselves to be both the police and the judge in our various enclaves and not close our eyes to what we see on our streets, we will all be better off for it. Legal actions seem better but I feel it should be the last resort.”

    While this view is considered worthy, others blame increase of the crime on absence of proper distribution framework. “I agree that the laws need to be reviewed but I think the most important thing is the lack of a proper distribution process for movies. Practitioners need to come to the table about this and then get the laws to back up processes. There are no systems in the industry at the moment, in my opinion,” said Niran Adedokun.

    For notable socialite, Kingsley James, filmmakers would be seen to take their business more seriously if they visit the National Assembly with bills, rather than their usual romance with the presidency.

    “Sad that Kunle’s movie is already pirated,” said James. “Piracy is everywhere in the world. The difference is the angle of impunity it takes in Nigeria. What are the solutions? It depends on which school of thought you are from. Nu Metro and its likes die in their quest to kill the hydra-headed monster. The fact is, our distribution is a mess. 70% of the pirates are also distributors! Secondly, the creative art need to invest in the business of distribution. They must do that as a matter of urgency. Lastly, the associations should pay more visits to the National Assembly than to Aso Rock. You know what I mean.”

  • Irep to field foreign filmmakers

    Irep to field foreign filmmakers

    This year’s edition of the annual iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival begins on Thursday, March 19 and will run through Sunday March 22 at the Freedom Park, the old Broad Street Prison on Lagos Island. The Festival is organised by the iRepresent Documentary Film Forum, an affiliate of the West African Documentary Film Forum (WDFF), and the Documentary Network Africa (DNA).

    No fewer than 12 international guests from countries such as Germany, United States, United Kingdom, France, Cameroon, Gabon, South Africa, Kenya are expected at the festival, which will screen about 50 films in the course of its four-day duration. The festival also offers training sessions, workshops, seminars as well as Master Classes for young, aspiring and already practising filmmakers, which usually throng its programme in every edition since 2010 when it was birthed.

    This year marks the 5th anniversary of the festival, which in its short lifespan has attracted the attention of world documentary film circuits including the People2People Festival in South Africa, the Munich-Germany based Dokfest; South Africa-based Discop; and Cameroon-based Ecrans Noirs.

    The 2015 edition will explore the theme:Reinventing documentary filmmaking in a digital space.Though conceived on the traditional iREP thematic framework of Africa in Self-conversation, the theme is premised on the reality that Digital media technology is expanding narrative possibilities and shaping audiences’ experiences of how realities are articulated.

    Festival Executive Director, Femi Odugbemi said: “Documentary filmmaking is coming to terms with these new realities and continuously finding hybrid strategies to navigate the blurred lines crisscrossing verite and satisfying the ever changing temperament of the digital world that is hip, fun-seeking, chaotic, multi-tasking, and attention sapping.

    “For documentary filmmaking, digital technology presents a challenge and an opportunity that would either remarkably transform and redefine what passes as a documentary film or bury the art in its past. More than ever before, there is a need to reinvent the art of documentary filmmaking within the space of the new elements that are dictating the trend of media consumption and experience globally. We are also conscious of the inevitable movement of Television broadcasting and services into full digital era as envisaged by the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission and that that quite a lot of African nations have set same 2015 as deadline for their full embrace of digital broadcasting on the continent”.

    The festival will feature screening of a carefully selected films representing the best of recordings of African experiences, conference, seminar and workshops on the journeys, challenges and prospects of digital broadcasting, training Programme for young African filmmakers on the technicalities of digital broadcasting, iREP Producers’ roundtable, and exhibition of Digital Broadcast equipment. Others are live conversation with the public on the prospects of digital broadcasting, iREP Distinguished award for excellence in Filmmaking, support for industry, unveiling of iREP Tv

    There will also be Festival cocktails & reception; a ceremonial event that will bear the festive nature of the edition. It will feature a Red Carpet reception with a jazz band performing; a brief keynote on the journey of iREP Film festival so far by Prof. Niyi Coker of University of Missouri, St. Louis, USA.

  • Unilever trains filmmakers

    Unilever trains filmmakers

    After three days of intensive workshop on filmmaking, Group Three led five other groups comprising  budding filmmakers to emerge win the Unilever and MOFILM organised clinic. Leader of the group, Mr.Samson Oklobia described the clinic as a rare privilege to showcase his talent and skill in film production. He said Unilever through the platform exposed him and other participants to a lot of training during which they met vibrant and intelligent young Nigerians. “I really achieve a lot and my advice for young and upcoming artists is to be focus and hardworking,” he added. Oklobia spoke on behalf of selected filmmakers at the close of the workshop held at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja Lagos.

    Vice President (Marketing) Unilever Nigeria Plc, Mr.  Robert De Vreede said the first edition of the workshop was organized to catch them young. “This is the first edition and what are trying to do is to catch young African talent and improve their skill to standard. This initiative is an opportunity for young Nigerians to work in the industry up to higher level and also preparing them for future in case if anyone has the opportunity to work with Nollywood stars.  It is open to everybody and we don’t charge any amount of money for participant to take part in the event,” he said.

    He noted that at the Unilever, the better they can develop the film industry, the better they can create environment for the brands.  “Hope you will improve your skill and move forward,” he told the participants who were presented with certificates of participation.

    One of the judges, Mr. Femi Odugbemi identified the followings as criteria for selecting the winners; presentation and interpretation of the brief, target audience, theme/message of the story-line, genre, story and structure and director’s treatment.

    In September, UNILEVER Nigeria launched the “Academy for African Filmmakers’ a new initiative which seeks to empower, equip and celebrate African Filmmakers. The academy will develop filmmaking expertise and give students the opportunity to work on live Unilever briefs as well as potential further funding for their work and the opportunity of seeing their finished film broadcast. Unilever is running the academy in partnership with MOFILM. Through this partnership with MOFILM Unilever will enable, develop and promote African filmmaking talent.

    Unilever Nigeria Plc was established in1923 and is presently a leading player manufacturing and marketing of fast moving consumer Goods in Nigeria. The company is a socially responsible and responsive organisation as evidenced in its strategic commitments to consumer and customer satisfaction, human capacity development and various social responsibility interventions in the areas of nutrition/oral care, child welfare/education, water /Hygiene and health/HIV.

  • Filmmakers set to gather for one-day int’l forum on copyright

    Filmmakers set to gather for one-day int’l forum on copyright

    A one-day international forum on copyright will be organised by the Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP), Nigeria and the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), France.

    The event comes up on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at the Protea Hotel, 44, Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, by 9am prompt. Mr. Bertrand Moullier will lead a high-powered delegation of FIAPF to the forum. Major players in the Nigerian audio-visual sector and government will also participate in this highly informative and educative forum. The forum is part of the advocacy functions of ANCOP and FIAPF.

    While the morning session of the forum will focus on the Nigerian film sector and its related-copyright challenges, the afternoon session will beam its searchlight on the international dimension of copyright including the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Papers presented by invited guest speakers including that of Mr. Moullier of FIAPF will lay the foundation for discussions by a carefully selected 10-man panel and subsequent interactive session by other participants.

    Some of the Guest Speakers and panelists include Chief Tony Okoroji, Mr. Tunde Kelani, Mrs. Amaka Igwe, Barr. Efere Ozako, Barr. Mayo Ayilaran, Barr. (Sir) Cosmas Emenike Ndulue, Zik Zulu Okafor, Mr. Zeb Ejiro, OON, Chief Eddie Ugbomah, OON, among others. Director of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), his counterpart in the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the Managing Director of Nigerian Film Corporation will also participate in the forum.