Stakeholders in the film industry have called on the government to give total support to the creative industry as a way of selling Nigeria’s culture to the outside world.
Ace actor, Francis Duru, and frontline film producer, Fidelis Duker stated this while speaking with Tribune Online at the ongoing Inside Nollywood International Film Festival Awards (INIFFAA) to honour veterans as well as film producers who have made their marks in the make-believe Industry.
They submitted that while film festivals have become a major integral part of culture and tourism ecosystem, such festivals, they added, can be tailored alongside Canes and Berlin Film Festivals in France and Germany respectively but with the support of the government which has shown intent through the establishment of the Ministry of Creative Industry by the government of the day. They added that the economic importance of film festivals cannot be overemphasised as they contribute between 3.2% and 3.5% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
“It is important at this time to emphasise that film festivals are majorly integral part of culture and tourism ecosystem. You cannot have a film festival without also engaging cultural arrangements the tourism aspect of film. Everybody feels film is just basically for film. I keep telling people that I compare film festivals to the recently concluded AFCON in Ivory Coast where we saw 24 countries in Abidjan for three weeks and a winner emerge. That is similar to what we have in film festivals. Film festival is a convergence of different films from around the world.
“The government talks about Renewed Hope. I keep telling them that the film industry is a powerful tool that can also enhance and build the confidence of Nigerians. We have seen a big festival like the one in Canes in France which is the biggest where you see more than one million people trooping into Canes. Imagine having one million people coming to Abuja for film festival. For me, festivals are very key and important part to development of culture.
“When the Federal Ministry of Finance came out with that figure that wee contribute about 3.2% or 3.5% to our GDP, the film festival is a major one. I have given examples like Ouagadougou and the one in Cairo. The government there are fully involved. This is what we tend to gain if we give our all as a country to this festival. The government has a lot to benefit,” Duker, Founder of Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) told Tribune Online.
For Duru, Nollywood would continue to evolve to be at par with what obtains globally through what it pushes out in terms of content and quality. He said for Nigeria, Abuja has contributed in no small measure to Nollywood in terms of location, environment, and the basics needed for filmmaking.
“The truth about everything is that the world is changing everyday and whether we like it or not, Abuja has changed. Abuja has become the most favourable bride in terms of location, environment, and the basics you need for filmmaking. Some great movies have come out of Abuja. I always tell people whenever we have a film festival, it is another new brand for intervention, interaction, education, and enlightenment. It’s more or less a professional intercourse for an industry that is ever-evolving and if we must evolve we must take into consideration what is new, what is recent, what is trending.
“So, Inside Abuja Film Festival is another feather and we have a new administration with a good perspective for the creative industry. For the first time, we have a minister in charge of Creative Industry. This is to tell you that we are the socket, plug in and play and I’m so happy too that we have the Minister of the FCT that I knew when he was a governor in Rivers State, what he did to culture, tourism, the creative industry and I believe within a short time too, we would see his Midas touch and his magic wand in the creative industry.
“Whether we like it or not, Abuja is a conference centre, a conference city. The world comes to Abuja and the world should be able to embrace not just our films, our theatre, our cuisine but also the culture of the inhabitants of people, the Gbagyis.
“We have seen different interventions right from the days of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan we had Project Nollywood and till today, we still see so much growing. While there are some that are a little bit nebulous and some that are still underneath that we don’t readily see but there things that this government has been able to do. For the first time we are seeing the industry take charge of some parastatals in the creative industry. I think there is so much going underground. It is left for the government to play well and for practitioners to play well. It is a symbiotic relationship,” Duru stated.
Alex Eyengho and Dr Eileen Okenwa, the vice president, International Federation of Film Producers Association (FIAPF) and president African Youth Diaspora Organisation (AYDO) respectively said it is time for Africa to tell their own story and not from outside.
INIFFAA, themed “Celebration of Original Expression”, is dedicated to celebrating the achievements of African creative minds in the creative and entertainment industry, aims at fostering collaboration, celebrating of cultural diversity, and also to promote advancement of African cinema on the global stage.
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