Over 200 entries received for Africa International Film Festival

“Right now there are so many countries coming in to participate. We have 200 movies that we have received and we are screening them,” founder of AFRIFF, Chioma Ude, disclosed in a chat with Sunday Trust in Lagos. She said the awards would be in four categories; script writing, animation, feature films and documentary. But […]

“Right now there are so many countries coming in to participate. We have 200 movies that we have received and we are screening them,” founder of AFRIFF, Chioma Ude, disclosed in a chat with Sunday Trust in Lagos.
She said the awards would be in four categories; script writing, animation, feature films and documentary. But the festival, with the theme ‘Africa Unites’ which would run from 1st to 5th December, wouldn’t just be awards. It would also feature a four day workshop on discovering young, raw talents, she explained.
The festival which would be held annually in Port Harcourt will play hosts to local and international film makers, celebrities, actors, producers, distributors, visual artists, film students, amateurs and the press.
During the workshop, AFRIFF would also be organising a screen writing lab to build local capacity. The National Film School’s Head of Academic Planning, Mr. Edward Ossai says it is part of its core developmental activities that will have a tangible impact on young Nigerian talent in the film-making industry. The lab will focus on developing great story ideas From Script to Screen.  
AFRIFF will then select 10 to 20 Short scripts to put through an advisory board for detailed analysis and feedback sessions, enabling writers to gain intensive support in the techniques of developing a visual story.  Ultimately, instructors will select 3 to 5 projects to be awarded with a monetary prize towards the production and realization of the film.  The aim is to develop story ideas that can be realized into world standard productions he explained.
Communications Consultant for AFRIFF, Celine Loader, said, “The heartbeat of youth culture is in Arts & Entertainment, with the film-making industry as its driver. We have the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs in the industry if only we can close the huge skills gap that exist and build technical capacity, particularly among students and young graduates.”
Loader further disclosed that AFRIFF is gaining international awareness, including an advertorial in the influential Hollywood Reporter at the recently concluded Toronto Film Festival.