The Africa International Film Festival: Day 1 – 4

Bond Emeruwa, Lydia Forson, and Fidelis Duker

The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) kicked off last Sunday (November 10). A large contingent of delegates for the festival, departed Lagos for Calabar on Sunday afternoon, aboard an Arik Boeing 737. The contingent included notable Nollywood personalities such as Rita Dominic, Uche Jombo, Charles Novia, Bond Emeruwa, Desmond Elliot, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, and Fidelis Duker.

Rita Dominic and Gbenga Akinnagbe

The delegation arrived at Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, shortly after 4pm. The delegation was warmly received by members of the AFRIFF team at the airport, from where they were conveyed to the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel in a convoy of buses. Those who were visiting Calabar for the first time were struck by it’s cleanliness, beauty, and serenity. The city had been noticeably branded by AFRIFF, and it was almost impossible to miss the fact that the film festival was taking place, by virtue of banners and billboards, which were ubiquitous across the city.

Kunle Afolayan and Chioma Akpotha

The registration process for delegates at the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel was professionally and efficiently handled. The members of the AFRIFF team assured delegates that checking in at the hotel would be effectively handled, and so it turned out to be. Working steadily and courteously, the AFRIFF team and hotel staff succeeded in allocating rooms to large number of delegates with the minimum of fuss.
After delegates had finished dinner, activities moved to Filmhouse Cinemas, for the welcome party, as well as the screening of the opening movie of the festival, which was Jahmil Qubeka’s Of Good Report. The film provoked a lot of interesting debate and discussion. There was lively discussion about various aspects of the movie, including the structure of the movie, subject matter, and intent of the filmmaker.

Chioma Ude (Founder of AFRIFF) and Vanessa Williams

Activities continued on Monday, beginning with a press conference, which was addressed by a several delegates, including Rita Dominic, Uche Jombo, Desmond Elliot, Chioma Akpotha, Ngo Okafor, Lynn Whitfield, Omotola Akinnagbe, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Kunle Afolayan. Screenings and technical workshops at the festival also commenced on Monday. All screenings were held at the Filmhouse Cinemas, Marina Resort, Calabar.

Desmond Elliot, Rita Dominic, and Lynn Whitfield

Monday ended with a spectacular party at the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel, which afforded the delegates the opportunity to unwind. The party, which went on until the early hours of Tuesday morning was an opportunity for many of the delegates to bond and network.

Delegates unwind after a long day at the Africa International Film Festival

Day 3 of the festival saw more movie screenings and technical workshops. A panel discussion titled ‘Going International’ also took place at Filmhouse Cinemas, Marina Resort. The discussion was moderated by Kene Mkparu (MD/CEO of Filmhouse Limited). On the panel were Richard Aseme (Director Theatrical Sales EMEA, Paramount Films),  Ayo Sewanu (GM, Silverbird Cinemas), Moses Babatope (Operations Officer, Filmhouse Cinemas), and Dapo Oshiyemi (Talking Drum Entertainment).
The panel discussion was highly informative and lively. Ayo Sewanu of Silverbird Cinemas emphasized the need for filmmakers need to discuss marketing strategy with knowledgeable distributors even before embarking on shooting a film. Mention was also made by various people about the importance of taking films to other African countries.  Day 3 of the festival also saw a highly successful screening of Kenneth Gyang’s award-winning movie, Confusion Na Wa.
Day 4 of the festival saw the screening of more movies at Filmhouse Cinemas, including Andrew Worsdale’s Durban Poison, Licinio Azevedo’s Virgin Margarida, and Michael Adeyemi’s Sodiq. Participants at the acting workshop also presented for short performances. After the presentation of performances at the acting workshop, participants were addressed by several established actors and filmmakers, including Charles Novia, Uche Jombo, Rita Dominic, Chioma Akpotha, and

So far, the atmosphere at the film festival has been quite good – convivial, comfortable, and rewarding. The organizers have succeeded in exceeding the previous edition of the festival, despite the larger scale and logistics involved.