AFRIFF 2015: Organisers Unveil Festival Programme

THE organisers of the yearly Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) have unveiled an impressive line-up of festival programme, which holds in Lagos, Nigeria, from November 8 to 15, 2015.

The programme, as announced by the festival’s Artistic Director, Keith Shiri, reveals a series of industry sessions, master classes and movie screenings.
During the weeklong event, Lagos Island will be illuminated by the wonder and diversity of global cinema, with screenings at the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Genesis Duluxe Cinema, Lekki, and City Mall Cinema, Onikan.

Shiri, who spoke to journalists from London, said AFRIFF 2015 would once again celebrate the best of African and Diaspora films the festival is known for.

According to Shiri, “the selection in this edition is not only celebrating African cinema but demonstrates once more that the cinematic storytelling industry in Africa has become more compelling and visible.”

He said the official competition for Best Film, which recognises, distinctive and inspiring filmmaking will feature a diverse range of films, among them, Red Leaves, a riveting feature debut by Israel-based Ethiopian filmmaker, Bazzi Gete.

The feature film line-up also includes, Akin Omotoso’s Tell Me Something Sweet, Genevieve Nnaji’s Road To Yesterday, Yared Zeleke’s Lamb, as well as Desmond Elliot’s Reflections. The incisive Sembene, by Samba Gadjigo, is a film about the late Ousmane Sembene, a pioneer and colossus figure of African cinema that features in the documentary competition together with Ireti Bakare’s Buhari and the Burden of Expectations and Toni Ayamode’s Unbroken. While Mpumelelo Mcata offers his first experimental in Black President, an engaging conversation between the debutant director and his friend the artist, about the impact on the young creatives working in today’s African metropolis.

We are hoping for a busy and exciting time of doing business, networking and celebration of Africa’s new aesthetic experience, a cinema that is in synch with the realities of today. It is always a daunting task to go through all the submitted titles to fit in a programme that runs for a week but I would like to congratulate and thank all the filmmakers for sharing their work with us,” said Shiri.

Part of AFRIFF’s focus this year, is to screen films whose content are topical, and meant to engage audiences and provoke debates. One of such is Thomas Sankara, a Christophe Cupelin’s beautifully rounded documentary on the late former President of Burkina Faso Thomas Sankara. There is also extensive cinematic accomplishments and much to discover amongst the rich and diverse selection of Short and Animation films.

Meanwhile, the jurors, who will be overseeing about 139 films in the AFRIFF competitive segment include, Pedro Pimenta, the new festival director of Durban International Film Festival (DIFF); Serge-Armand Kouami Noukoue, co-founder and Executive Director of NollywoodWeek Paris; Soheir Abdel Kader, director of the Cairo International Film Festival; Hyginus Ekwuazi, a Professor of Broadcasting & Film, Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan; Asha Lovelace, one of the Caribbean’s most significant voices in the development of film production and lecturer of Film Production and Film Studies at the University of the West Indies; Teddy Mattera, a Film and Television Producer in South Africa, CEO of Dungamanzi Films and Carnegie Fellow at Wits University; Dr Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika; an Associate Professor and currently heads the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Founder and CEO of AFRIFF, Ms. Chioma Ude is optimistic that the 5th AFRIFF will aid the much anticipated change in the narratives of the African cinema.
She said, “at AFRIFF, we do not compromise quality. The jury members are some of the best hands that have come out of Africa. Their pedigree is unequal, but most importantly is their passion and dedication to the advancement of the art and business of filmmaking in Africa.”

According to her, at the core of the festival’s objectives is the talent development where AFRIFF has been engaging with its partners in creating opportunities for young people to explore filmmaking.

Amongst our Shorts programme are films made by young people, selected from last year’s training and talent development programme. Also included in the programme, is an interesting line-up of international panorama with films from China, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Australia, India and as well as Iran,” she said.

In addition to the wide range of films, the festival also offers industry platforms for skill acquisition, financing, pitching, symposia on digital distribution and piracy.