KILAF’s second edition sets new record in Kannywood

The Kannywood movie industry has recorded yet another milestone in its over two decades history as the second Kano Indigenous Languages Films Market and Festival (KILAF) was rounded off. The festival, founded by the Managing Director of Moving Image Limited Kano, Alhaji Abdul-Kareem Mohammed in 2018 has been rated high by many independent monitoring agencies […]

The Kannywood movie industry has recorded yet another milestone in its over two decades history as the second Kano Indigenous Languages Films Market and Festival (KILAF) was rounded off.

The festival, founded by the Managing Director of Moving Image Limited Kano, Alhaji Abdul-Kareem Mohammed in 2018 has been rated high by many independent monitoring agencies across the globe. However, in 2019 the festival was also organised and hosted by the founder, and this year’s festival has projected a lot of innovation that will develop and improve the Hausa movie industry.

This year’s festival with the theme ‘Improving Content to Create Global Market’ has been described as unique based on how it was organised, which entailed the creation of an appropriate and conducive atmosphere for showcasing African languages.

According to the chairman of the jury, Dr. Nura Ibrahim, the panel received 56 films for screening, adding that the jury had spent five days rigorously screening the films for the festival award based on the criteria clearly spelt out by the jurist.

“Before scoring a story, we critically looked at its originality, the way in which it is put together, how the sequence moves with the story, and the theme. Each attracts marks. We also considered cinematic elements, production design, directing, and acting among other things,’ he said.

This year’s festival was kickstarted with a workshop, cultural art exhibition, a masterclass where youths received film making training, nominees’ dinner, and the award night which was held at Bristol Palace Hotel in Kano.

During the award night, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of KILAF, Alhaji Abdul-Kareem Mohammed stated that the idea of organising the festival was the realization that the worst things that can happen to an individual is to have a culture and lose it without any justification. According to him, while on a study tour to the United States of America, he had come to appreciate the dilemma African Americans face as regards the gap that exists between who they are and who they were.

Mohammed said: “I came to realize that we need a platform we can use to foster and nurture our own languages and films, and also to do an effective campaign in telling our own stories in our own way because it is only by being original that we can ride on the platform of globalization and be recognised for who we are and not for what we are.

“Since we have Kannywood for the Hausa language, we decided to form a platform where Africa can have its own identity. Also, to encourage those who speak other languages from across the continent to be able to showcase their films in Kano. This will lead to exploring business opportunities and open a marketing platform where people can exhibit their films and their industry, hence the emergence of KILAF. I am glad, we were able to do it the first time and now we have successfully held the second edition.”

The award was conducted based on the eight categories entered by the contestants. These are, best actor, best actress, best screen play, best cinematography, best production design, best director, best film and best short film or student film.

Similarly, veteran Kannywood actor, Alhaji Ibrahim Mandawari won the best actor award with the role he played in the film ‘Khul’i while actress Rahma Hassan floored Hadiza Gabon and late Hauwa Maina to win the best actress award with her role in the film ‘Sandar Kiwo’.

However, Ahmed’s ‘Alkanawy’ emerged the best screen play with the film ‘Khul’i’, while Nelcon Nel won the best cinematography award with the movie ‘Hauwa Kulu’.

Other winners during the KILAF festival were Yasin Auwal who won the best director award with the film ‘Khul’i, the film ‘Kumbar Susa’ won the best production design award, and ‘Khul’i’ won the best film award.

Similarly, during the event notable personalities and establishments were honoured with certificates for their contribution towards the successful conduct of this year’s festival, including Sani Muhammed Maikatanga and Ibrahim Musa Giginyu, both of Media Trust.