By Joshua Olomu
Stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry have called on the Federal Government and the FCT administration to support the Abuja International Film Festival (AIIF) after 21-years of running as a foremost film fiesta in Nigeria.
They made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the red carpet of the opening ceremony of the 21st edition of AIFF holding at the Silverbird Galleria in Abuja.
This year’s AIFF with the theme “Beyond Borders: Bridging Cultures Through Cinemas”, is holding from Oct. 28 to Nov.1, bringing together actors, filmmakers, regulators and other cinematic stakeholders from around the world.
According to the stakeholders, film festivals play pivotal role in the growth of any culture and creative industries as they serve as platforms to showcase opportunities and attract investors.
They said the AIFF, a private initiative, has successfully made the FCT a tourism attraction, bringing together filmmakers, actors and investors from across the world in the past two decades.
They said the Federal Government and the FCT leadership should identify with the AIFF in order to make tourism, culture and creative sectors major drivers of economy,
Emmanuel Eyaba, filmmaker and former Chairman of the FCT chapter of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) said the AIFF has made Abuja a filmmaking hub and therefore should be supported.
“As a matter of fact, Abuja is the next hub for filmmaking and if we must take it to another level government need to pay more attention to this film festival.
“AIFF is one of the most significant film festivals in Africa, and I mean the festival that has been able to sustain itself for 21 years.
“I think it is very important that we should sustain a festival like this to grow our film industry,” he said.
Also, Legendary actor Zack Orji, said the AIFF has evolved to become a connecting point between Nollywood and other industries across the globe and therefore should be treated as a national asset.
“This festival is where Nigerian filmmakers connect with filmmakers from other parts of the world for international film production and other things they want to achieve in the industry internationally.
“Filmmakers from all these different countries are coming to Nigeria to show their works, to get the opportunity to meet their colleagues, get different film production arrangements and sell their works.
“I must commend the founder Mr Fidelis Duker for sustaining it for 21 years, when you do not get grants and funding,” he said.
The Festival Director, Temitope Duker, said the annual film fiesta has become a choice tourist destination for Nigeria, especially the FCT, adding that funding was however a major challenge.
“Government need to understand the fthey have to be fully involved in this film festival to reap its benefits for the country.
“Look at the ripple effects when foreigners come here; for instance, if you do that, we are sure that as of today, all the taxi drivers will be in business.
“The food vendors in Abuja will be in business and even the hotels will be fully booked.
“So, if government taps into this just a little bit, and makes it a very conducive environment for people to come, you can just imagine what Abuja will make within the next four days.
“It is therefore important for government to understand that this festival does not belong to individuals, it belongs to the industry, it belongs to the city of Abuja, she said.
Duker said a total of 1,254 film submissions were received f from 67 countries across the globe, and 82 of the total film submission got selected, while 53 of them were nominated for awards.
According to her, the festival would feature screenings, workshop campus, panel discussion, exclusive producers’ master class, exhibition fashion show and party award, among other highlights.
Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/CEO, National Film and Video Census Board(NFVBC) lauded the founder of the AIFF for staying steadfast to its vision in the past 21 years.
Husseini, who earlier gave a keynote address at the opening event, said NFVCB was committed to supporting initiatives that contribute to the growth of the nation’s film industry.
“I normally would describe it as one of the longest-running independently organised film festivals in West Africa, and I dare say even in Africa.
“I want to commend them for consistency because some people would have said, oh, this is not bringing money to our table and will leave it.
“I look forward to actually having this festival being adopted even by the city of Abuja, by the government, adopted as a festival because beyond showing films, it is a tourism event.
“You can imagine people travelling from different areas to come to the festival, to come and see films, to come and connect, to come and exhibit their ware,” he said.
The NFVCB helmsman, the board was working closely with key stakeholders in driving innovative reforms for the nation’s film industry in line with the President Tinubu’s poise to repositioning the culture and creative sectors, (NAN)
