PLANS for the maiden Africa Cinematography Festival (ACF), happening in November, have been stepped up with the unveiling of festival’s brand ambassadors and resource persons.
Actor Ramsey Nouah, British-Ghanaian actress, Ama Konadu Abebrese, Sandra Seghers Mushid from the DRC, Cameroon’s Lizzette Benz and Ayuk Thambi Atem-Ebaiwere all unveiled recently as brand ambassadors at Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Others were Benin Republic’s actor, singer and model, Serge Patrick Laleye; Guinean model; Bintu Sylla; Liberian actor, Major Owusu Danshaw; Nollywood actress, Oghenekaro Itene; Vanessa Swert, from South Africa and Rycardo Agbor
The resource persons include Dr Iyabo Ajibola; theatre director, Makinde Adeniran; Akin Lewis; Kingsley Nwosu; Professor Hyginus Ekwuazi; of the University of Ibadan, Professor Chukwuma Okoye also of the university, Dr Tunde Bakare; Alex Gansallo, Yinka Smart Babalola, Prince Kojo Hilton; Dr. Alphonsus Orisayemi; Michael Mulutombo; Frank Adekunle Macaulay, and Nwendamutswu Maanda
Speaking at the unveiling, the founding matron of the festival, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, described the ACF as “a roadmap into the future of the film industry cum economy of Nigeria and the Africa.”
She noted that the ACF shared a “common optimism which speaks to our collective desire for a better future guaranteed under a system run by a new generation of stakeholders whose distinctive qualities are not primarily tied to age but rather border on their commitment to professionalism, promotion of industry’s growth over self-gratification and in their ability to harness potentials to drive the economic growth of country and continent.”
Africa’s richest woman also revealed that the ACF would feature training in areas likesound production, light design and lighting, script writing, production design, make-up artistry, costume design, directing, motion and still camera, lens handling, editing and film-making among others.
Speaking, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), one of the ACF’s partners, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, assured of the commitment of his agency to providing the enabling environment that will enhance the development of the industry.
“The NFC has and shall continue to initiate, provide and champion the required policy environment that will support the accelerated growth of the industry. The increased film production activities within the industry across the country, its acceptance by the citizens of Nigeria, and lately, its contribution to the growth of the nation’s economy are indication that there are opportunities that are yet untapped,” he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the National Films and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Adedayo Thomas, reiterated his commitment to getting rid of piracy and other rights infringements that hindered adequate returns on investment for stakeholders.
He said that the board was not only committed to providing an enabling environment which will facilitate content production but also ensure that film and video investment was guaranteed through structured distribution and right protection.
“This is why we took the fight against unlicensed distribution, distribution of unclassified films and video works, the unapproved release of film and video works and illegal export and import of film and video works to Alaba in August and we were able to rid the market of films and video works worth over 100 Million Naira,” he said.
The ACF would happen from November 5 to 11 in six venues in Lagos.
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