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Ten New Documentary Films To Headline IREP Film Festival 2024
IN the run- up to the 2024 edition of the yearly IREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival which holds March 21st – 24th on- site in Lagos, and virtually, the Programme Directorate chaired by former Editor of the Guardian on Sunday Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo has released a list of films that would headline the Festival. The Directorate listed about 10 new, and relatively new films that would be headlining the festival, mostly drawn from Nigeria and, other African countries contributing to the festival. Most of the films have been produced between 2023 and 2024. They include Matthew Ogens and Joel Benson’s MADU, recently signed on by Disney; Gbemi Shasore’s LOOT and the Lost Kingdoms; Saheed Aderinto’s The Fuji Documentary; Nze Ed Keazor’s KI’MON: The Eastern Nigeria Afro- funk Revolution 19701980, among others. The released programme schedule is, however, for the main section of the festival. The Directorate has promised to release adjunct schedules for the satellite venues around four major suburbs of Lagos. The satellite screening centres fall under the purview of the Inner City Screening project, a community extension service which the IREP Secretariat launched at the 2023 edition. The aim is to “spread the influence of Documentary films to the Underserved communities.” In 2023, the pilot scheme screened films and held conversations at partner centres in Ikorodu, Bariga, Ajegunle and Ejigbo. The other headlining films include Adeolu Shogbola’s Soot City; Yoel Meranda’s Exretapolitics; Nika Saravanja’s Jump Out; and Adeola Abiodun Osunkojo’s Ibrahim Attahiru: A Soldiers Soldier. In all, over 45 films are expected to be
screened at the two venues hosting the festival this year vis: Freedom Park, 1 Hospital Road, Lagos Island, and Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi. The films – short are long features — have been drawn from largely Nigerian filmmakers and their counterparts from 25 countries in four continents, who submitted their entries via Filmfreeway. However, there are also some specially curated films selected for the festival, some of which have made the round of international festival circuits and have won awards around the world. The 2024 edition’s theme, Righting The Future, is deliberately chosen to instigate conversation between the present and the future of the continent, as well as encourage deeper dialogue between the young people and their elders. The provocative theme is set in the context of happenings in this season of political anomalies and leadership failures in many countries of the continent. Also, IREP 2024 is designated as “The Soyinka edition” to commemorate the 90th birthday anniversary of the distinguished global cultural icon, poet, playwright, essayist, polemicist and Africa’s first Nobel laureate for literature, Professor Oluwole Akinwande Soyinka. The Soyinka section will cover two days of the festival and will be staged at the Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre. There will be two keynote speech and each keynote will be followed by a panel discussion and screenings of films related to Soyinka’s career. The overarching objective of the IREP aims to raise awareness about the documentary format’s potential to deepen and share social and cultural education, while also fostering participatory democracy in our societies. Africa Film Academy Calls For Entries For 20th edition Of AMAA
THE Africa Film Academy ( AFA), organiser of the yearly Africa Movie Academy Awards ( AMAA), has announced call for entries for the 20th edition of the award scheme that was founded by the late Peace Anyiam- Osigwe. The organiser also unveiled plans and activities for the 2024 edition. Raymond Anyiam- Osigwe, the designated CEO of the AFA board, said the decision to unveil the activities ahead of AMAA 2024 was a deliberate move to involve every film practitioner in Africa and the diaspora. Anyiam- Osigwe said entries in all award categories would end in April. He said the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu, would host the 20th edition of the AMAAS. “We officially begin the journey to AMAA 2024. This 20th edition of the AMAA will serve as a testimony to African creativity as we celebrate and toast not just the Founder Peace Anyiam- Osigwe and her contribution in placing African film and film makers on the global stage. But also
20 years of AMAA which showcases the finest in African film and cinematography and has brought the World to appreciate African film and filmmakers. AMAA is currently calling for entries in all categories, and this will last till April 2024,” he said. Anyiam Osigwe also hinted that Executive Director of National Films and Video Censors Board ( NFVCB), Dr. Shaibu Husseni, will return as the head of AMAA’S college of screeners for the 20th edition.
Entries Still Open For African Indigenous Language Film Festival
ENTRIES are still open for the second diet of the African Indigenous Language Film Festival ( AILFF). Organisers say call for entries will close on May 15, 2024 while the festival will hold in Lagos from June 3 to 6. According to the founder and CEO of the Festival Osezua Stephen- Imobhio, the 2024 edition will highlight Africa’s cultural richness and tourism potentials. The festival accepts only films in Africa indigenous languages and all entries must be subtitled.