NIGERIA and Morocco have opened discussions on how to promote the creative economies of both countries.
The areas of focus, according to a statement from the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) whose head, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, led Nigeria’s delegation to Morocco, include motion picture co-production treaty, cross country collaborations, joint film production, capacity building, festival development, content sales and access to project finding.
Others on the trip with Maduekwe were the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde; Head of Production and Industry Support Services, NFC, Edmund Peters; Halima Oyelade, Head Abuja NFC Zonal Office and Mohammed Gamul, a filmmaker from Kano State.
The delegation held discussions with officials of the Institut Superieur Des Matiers De L’audiovisual Et Du Cinema (ISMAC), Centre Cinematographique Morocain (CCM) and organizers of the Marrakech Film Festival Foundation, 2M Maroc, Quarzazate Film Commission and the Faculte Polydisciplinaire de Quarzazate, Universite Ibn Zohr.
At the end of the meeting, a number of outcomes intended to fast track filmmaking and allied activities in Nigeria, were reached. They included access to the online library of ISMAC by the National Film Institute (NFI)s, student/lecturer exchange programme, as well as scholarship for students of the NFI to study in Morocco.
Others are for CCM to provide NFC with assistance for the digitisation of archival materials of the National Film Video and Sound Archive, training and capacity building for Nigerian Television/film professionals and broadcast stations at the 2M Maroc, participation and the mounting of Moroccan Day at ZUMA Film Festival, Abuja in December.
The Quazazate Film Commission will equally train Nigerian motion picture professionals,students of NFI, as well as those from other Nigerian tertiary institutions annually in Morocco, while Nigerian motion picture producers will enjoy a 20 per cent tax rebate incentive for all movies shot within Quarzazate.
The Moroccan government officials that engaged the Nigerian delegation included Mr. Nour-Eddine Sail of Khourigba Film Festival, Director of ISMAC Fouad Souiba, Mrs Khadiza Alami of the Quazazate Film Commission, and the Mayor of Quarzazate Moulay Abderahmane.
A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed as soon as the draft agreements are endorsed by both countries.
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