Film  

RMD to host TAFF 2017 in Dallas 

By Daniel Anazia

06 May 2017   |   4:15 am

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Organisers of the African Film Festival (TAFF), which second edition is billed to kick off on Saturday, June 24, in Dallas, the United States have named actor and two-time Commissioner of Information and Culture, Delta State, Richard Mofe Damijo....

Richard Mofe Damijo

Organisers of the African Film Festival (TAFF), which second edition is billed to kick off on Saturday, June 24, in Dallas, the United States have named actor and two-time Commissioner of Information and Culture, Delta State, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), as the host of this year’s edition.

According to the festival director and founder of TAFF, Kelechi Eke, said the choice of RMD is based on his wealth of experience, which he will bring to bear in ensuring that the festival records a huge success.

He added that apart from RMD, other top Nollywood and African film makers and stars expected to attend the festival include, Lancelot Imasuen; Uche Jombo, who hosted the maiden edition of the festival.

Others are Ike Nnaebue, Joseph Benjamin, Adeyemi Okanlawon. Ambassador Mykel Parish Ajaere, Judith Audu, Emeka Obiakonwa, Atlanta-based director cum cinematographer, Robert Peters, and Neville Navada.

Also, attending the festival are Kenyan actress/producer/humanitarian, Ruth Ndulu Maingi, Kenyan-Hollywood actor and 2016 co-host, Sir Benjamin Onyango; Gambian producer, Alhagie Manka; Ghanaian producers, Arthur Mensa, Billy Kwasi Richardson.

Congolese producer/actress, Soleil Diva; Sierra Leone’s actor, Mohamed Bah; Liberia’s producer, Dr. Clarice Kulah; Tanzanian producer, Honeymoon Mohammed; Ethiopian actress/aqctivist, Yeharewerk Gashaw, and Malawian actress, Agnes Nkhata among others stars from 26 different countries, whose films were selected to this year’s festival will be in attendance.

Schedule to hold at the Dallas City Performance Hall, the festival will be opened to the general public from Friday, June 30. It will climax on July 3, with the awards night.

The three-day event, according to Eke, will showcase films made by Africans, as well as a few made by non-Africans about issues important to different regions of the continent.

Last year, actress, Patience Ozokwor (Mama G), was one of Nollywood’s stars honoured with the African Film Legend Award at the festival. Eke explain the idea behind the festival is to encourage African film makers and present a true picture of Africa and Africans to counter the distorted image often created in mainstream commercial films.

“We wanted to incorporate our culture and our films and share it with the rest of the world. This festival is centered on Africa, with films that tell deeply rooted cultural stories, as well as spotlighting problems facing many parts of the continent. Other Africa film festivals in the United States either showcase Hollywood films about Africa or films made by African Americans,” he said.