3rd Abuja International Film Festival wrapped
The third Abuja International Film and Video Festival was held at the prestigious SHEHU MUSA YARDUA CENTER Abuja and three other screening centres around the Abuja metropolis (SEROB HOTEL, CRYSTAL PALACE HOTEL and SHARON ULTIMATE) with over 3000 visitors attending the 4 days event that stated on Monday 25th of Thursday 28th of September 2006.
The international film festival and market was declared open by the honourable minister of information and national orientation, MR. Frank Nweke Jr with the Bayelsa State Governor Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as the GUEST SPEAKER at the opening ceremony with the topic – THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NIGERIAN FILM INDUSTRY.
The opening ceremony also witnessed the launch of the VIDEO KIOSK a Don Pedro Media Distribution initiative.
The Festival attracted one hundred and eighty eight (188) film entries from over forty two (42) countries in the different genres – feature, short, documentary, experimental, animation. Films were screened at all the above mentioned centres with the award ceremony which took place on the grand finale. Films that excelled based on the result of the international jury( Prof Denise Ward Brown – USA, Namure Edoimoya – AIT Nig, Jab Adu – Nig, Gene Hackman – Ghana, Obafemi Lasode – Nigeria, Timothy Eubulus – USA, Marc Neiketer – France, Uzo Amadi – Minaj Nig, Alh. Kalifa Baba Ahmed – Nig).
The film festival had a competitive category and a non competitive category where films in the competitive category were awarded prizes and plaques as follows –
Best Foreign Feature – WARRIORS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH – China
Best Nigerian Feature – IWALEWA – Tunde Olaogun - Nig
Best Feature (Africa) – GRAINS OF HONESTY – Cameroon
Best Nigerian Short Film – GOD DAUGHTER – Evelyn Ikunobe Otaigbe
Best Short Film (Africa) – BRIDGING THE GAP – South Africa
Best Foreign Short Film – TAHARA – Egypt/USA
Best Nigerian Documentary – POWER PLAY – David Uro
Best Audience Rating – PASSIONATE APPEAL – Andy Amenechi
Best Experimental Film – DILEMA – Nigeria – Ikechukwu Omenaih
Best Foreign Documentary – THE NIGERIAN FILM – Holland
DISTINGUISHED MERIT AWARD – Dr. GOODLUCK JONATHAN – Executive Governor of BAYELSA state for his contribution and Support for the development of the NIGERIAN MOVIE INDUSTRY.
The festival attracted over 45 exhibitors from within Nigeria and outside the continent of Africa. Some of the exhibitors were SONY Singapore, JVC USA, Sachler Germany, Nassima and Sharp Japan, AFRIMUS Ghana, British Council, Embassy of Ghana, China, Kenyan Film Commission, BBC, China Radio and from Nigeria, Mount Zion, AIT, Nig Film Corporation, Video Kiosk, Nigerian Copyright Commission, National Film and Video Censors Board, NBC, NTA, Next Movie Star, Transerve, South Africa Tourism, Channel O, Alpha Magnetic, Big Screen, AMAA, FIDELITY BANK, Coppers lodge, Lagos International Film Festival, Motorola, Bayelsa State Government, Federal Min of Information (HEART OF AFRICA), National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), Standard Life Insurance, REMDEL amongst others.
Foreign filmmakers came from Egypt, Kenya, USA, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, China, Benin, UK, Singapore, South Africa, Japan and Liberia. The International Media was also well represented with correspondents from BBC, Channel O, Passion TV UK, SABC, China radio. Some of the international filmmakers were Lindokhule Myandu (South Africa), Sarah Rashad USA), Stephen Afusu (Togo), Denise Ward Brown (USA), Alex Vandemiere (Holland), Ben Zulu (Zimbabwe), Kayode Iposu, Kwame Boaedi, Michael Gyan (Ghana), Waa Musi Nkeng (Cameroon), Zing Ghang (China), David Skippers (UK).
The Nigerian media was fully involved in the festival from broadcast came AIT,NTA,GALAXY,MINAJ,CHANNELS,LTV,HOT FM,COOL FM,RAYPOWER,VON,NAN,RADIO NIGERIA and print had Vanguard,National Mirror, Punch, Big Screen, Abuja Daily, Triumph, Trust, The Sun, Thisday, The Nation, Movie Link, Movie Africa, Box Office Africa, Nollywood TV, Sound City, CRBC, Rainbow TV Warri, Daly Independent, Fame, Tell, New Age among many others.
Also, the film festival had an a large attendance of industry practitioners and stakeholders – Madu Chikwendu (AMP President), Ejike Asiegbu (AGN President), Jaiye Ojo (ITPAN President), Amaka Igwe, Charles Novia, Peace Fiberesima, Mike and Gloria Bamiloye(Mount Zion), Jimi Johnson, Efere Ozako, Paul Obazele, Don Pedro Obaseki, Eddie Ugbomah, Mahmood Ali Balogun, Zik Zulu Okafor, Tajudeen Adepetu, Sola Fajobi(Next Movie Star), Sam and Chizoba Boye, Lancelott Imasuen, Ogie Ogedengbe (Ex DBN TV GM), Henry Legema, Kabirat Kafidipe, Hilda Dokubo, Justus Esiri, Victor Decker, Andy Amenechi, Ronnie Dikko and from government Emeka Mba(DG NFVCB), Afolabi Adesanya (MD/CEO NFC), Adebambo Adewopo (DG NCC), Modupe Adelaja (DG SMEDAN), Joe Itah (NEPC), Ladan Saliu (NBC), Femi Okusi (CBAAC).
The Festival also had seminars, panel discussions and workshops where international and local filmmakers engaged in discussions that bothered on film industry globally. Some of topics include the following – ‘the role of nollywood in development of tourism in Nigeria’ had discussants from the film and tourism industry, ‘motion picture as a tool for disseminating HIV/AIDS information’ also had filmmakers, NGO’s and people living with HIV/AIDS discussing the topic, creating proper marketing and distribution mechanisms for Africa films had Nigerian and their colleagues from other African countries discussing the issues. There was an Abuja talent campus initiative, where young filmmakers were taken through the rudiments of filmmaking by experienced filmmakers.
The Festival ended with the Award Ceremony that was broadcast live on African Independent Television with the premiere of ADORA, a Nigeria/South Africa Feature film production sponsored by South Africa Tourism Corp, Sa Consulting, AFDA and Channel O.
