Why our festival is worldwide – Kris Mokwunye

Kris Mokwunye is the founder of Motion Pictures International Film Festival (MOPIFF) which holds in different parts of the world annually. An award-winning filmmaker, he has had his works screened in several festivals around the world. Here, he talks about why MOTIFF takes place in different countries annually, the opportunities it provides and more. Excerpts: […]

Kris Mokwunye is the founder of Motion Pictures International Film Festival (MOPIFF) which holds in different parts of the world annually. An award-winning filmmaker, he has had his works screened in several festivals around the world. Here, he talks about why MOTIFF takes place in different countries annually, the opportunities it provides and more. Excerpts:

 

MOPIFF is set to hold this year’s festival from August 23 to 26 in Utah, the United States of America. What is it going to be like?

We are in partnership with Creative Guild Studios, a US based hub for film screening and appreciation. By all indications it is a fresh step for the filmmakers on our platform. We have film submissions from more than 24 countries already and we are hoping this outing will not only be a memorable one, but a way paver for the creative filmmakers on our platform.

 

The festival is designed to be held in different countries around the world each year. That’s very ambitious. What do you hope to achieve?

We are very ambitious, but our drive and objectives are commensurate to the work we put into actualizing our goal. We are interested in the sharing and exchange of the cultural experiences of our filmmakers and strive to learn and impact the world, one film at a time. Our aim is to create a level playing ground for the filmmakers on our platform, foster collaborations between different film markets and possible partnership between these filmmakers. This of course we know will generate revenue for participants.

How challenging was last year’s event being that it was MOPIFF’s first outing and what films were featured?

It was a hard nut to crack. You know how it is starting something, especially in this part of the world. We had to go the extra mile. Yes, a lot of people were sceptical about it but God took control. We had the support of Industry players and actors like John Njamah, Director of ‘Flatmates’, Belinda Effah who was a judge, and Asurf Oluseyi, Director of ‘Hakunde’. We got responses from Ruth Kadiri, Ijeoma Grace Agu, Lilian Esoro, Phresh Media, KMC, CAAFA and a host of others. Some of the films featured include ‘Kasala’ by Ema Edosio, ‘Last Days’ by Moses Olufemi, ‘Pot of Gold’ by Priyanka Tanwar, ‘Bikini Blue’ by Jarek Marszewski, and ‘Blue Skies on Mars’ by Brian Lutes.

 

What is it like trying to get funding for this year’s festival?

Raising funds for this year’s event means collaborating with investors from different parts of the world who understand and share our vision and core values. This means a lot for MOPIFF, seeing that it’s a moving film festival with the intent to globalize film appreciation, distribution and foster collaboration. Our partners in Utah, United States of America, Creative Guild Studios, are hosting this year’s edition. We are currently talking with partners in South Africa for the export and distribution of creative content on our platform. There are also biddings from film studios in India and Canada for the hosting of the 2020 edition of Festival. Although preparation for the successful hosting of the annual cocktail and award night is in top gear, we are open to additional collaborations from potential investors.

 

Why did you decide to start a film festival?

As a young filmmaker whose works have toured different film festivals and won awards, I have come to the realization that building a firm career in filmmaking comprises of different elements useful for the development of these content creators. The vision is to set young filmmakers up for success not just through film appreciation but through collaboration, distribution and training.

 

What particular type of films are you looking out for and why?

We do not limit the kind of works we receive. We accept documentaries, movies, experimental films, musical videos, poetry videos and so on. Just be creative and signup in any of the categories listed on our page and leave the rest to our international judges to sort out. We have had film submissions with a million-dollar budget and some submissions made without a dime. Creativity is creativity, and how you choose to express yourself is what matters. We also encourage young and worthy filmmakers to put in their films, because it is an avenue for others to learn and grow their skills.

 

What does it take for a filmmaker to partake in the festival?

It is very simple. What is most important to us is the filmmaker’s level of creativity and expression, create a FilmFreeway account if you do not have one, head on to our website and click on the submission button. It will redirect you to FilmFreeway, and make your submission.