Organisers of the Africa Cinematography Festival (ACF) has presented to the public the brand ambassadors and resource persons for the Festival in a well-attended Unveiling event held in Lagos on Monday. The 6 days event is schedule to hold between November 5 and 11 this year across six venues in Lagos, the nation’s entertainment capital.
Among those unveiled are Nigerian actor, Ramsey Nouah, British-Ghanaian multi-talented actress, Ama Konadu Abebrese, Actress Sandra Seghers Mushid from the DRC, the Cameroonian duo of Lizzette Benz and Ayuk Thambi Atem-Ebai and Beninoir actor, singer and model, Serge Parick Laleye and Guinean Model, Bintu Sylla. Others are Liberian actor, Major Owusu Danshaw, Nollywood actress, Oghenekaro Itene, Vanessa Swert from South Africa and Nollywood actor and Rycardo Agbor
The resource persons include Dr. Iyabo Ajibola, Adeniran Makinde, Akin Lewis, Kingsley Nwosu, Prof. Hygeniu Ekwuazi, Prof. Chukwuma Okoye, Dr. Tunde Bakare, Alex Gansallo, Yinka Smart Babalola, Prince Kojo Hilton, Dr. Alphonsus Orisayemi, Michael Mulutombo, Frank Adekunle Macaulay and Nwendamutswu Maanda
Speaking at the unveiling, the founding matron, Africa Cinematography Festival (ACF), Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija described the ACF as “a roadmap into the future of the film industry cum economy” of both Nigeria and the African continent”.
Mrs. Alakija noted that the ACF shares a “common optimism which speaks to our collective desire for a better future guaranteed under a system run by a new generation of stakeholders whose distinctive qualities are not primarily tied to age but rather bother on their commitment to professionalism, promotion of industry growth over self-gratification and in their ability to harness potentials to drive the economic growth of country and continent. “
Mrs. Alakija also revealed that the ACF will feature training in such areas as sound production, light design and lighting, script writing, production design, make-up artistry, costume design, directing, motion and still camera, lens handling, editing and film-making among others.
Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Films Corporation, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe while lauding the initiative assured on the commitment of his agency to providing the enabling environment that will enhance the development of the industry.
“The NFC has and shall continue to initiate, provide and champion the required policy environment that will support the accelerated growth of the industry. The increased film production activities within the industry across the country, its acceptance by the citizens of Nigeria, and lately, its contribution to the growth of the nation’s economy are indication that there are opportunities that are yet untapped,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Films and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has pledged to rid the industry of piracy and all other forms of rights infringements that hinder adequate returns on investment for stakeholders.
The Executive Director of the NFVCB, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, who stated this at the Unveiling said that the board was not only committed to providing an enabling environment which will facilitate global film content production but also ensure that film and video investment is guaranteed through structured distribution and right protection.
His words, “This is why we took the fight against unlicensed distribution, distribution of unclassified films and video works, the unapproved release of film and video works and illegal export and import of film and video works to Alaba in August and we were able to rid the market of films and video works worth over 100 Million Naira.”
