‘ZUMA 2020 has opened new vista for Nigerian film industry’

Dr. Chidia Maduekwe is the Managing Director of Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC). In this interview with Shaibu Husseini, he spoke on the 11th Zuma International Film Festival, which held in Abuja recently.

What are the gains of Zuma Film Festival?
The gains are in the platforms and opportunities the festival provided for engagements of film and creative stakeholders towards improving our domestic film production while aiming at more effective global competitiveness. You will recall that the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), in its determination to use the film festival platform to sustain the narratives for the development of this sector in 2017, decided that ZUMA Film Festival should be held yearly as against the biennial status before I resumed office as managing director. Since then, as part of the rebranding, we have succeeded and used each edition, that is the 2018, 2019, as well as 2020, to propel the development of a new national film policy. All we have done at ZUMA 2020 is about improving the output of our film production. Through the various roundtable discussions, presentations, master classes and seminars, as well as the NFC yearly film lecture, we have been able to provide workable and achievable templates that when implemented, will contribute immensely to the development of the Nigerian film industry.

Would you say the festival has achieved its objectives?
Yes. When we relaunched ZUMA Film Festival in 2017, the year of my assumption office as the chief executive, the focus was to re-ignite and galvanise our collective interest in the potentiality of film as a national asset. Consequently, we have effectively utilised the film festival platform to generate new policy documents for the Nigerian motion picture industry during the last four editions. For instance, in 2018, the outcome of the film festival was the development of the National Film Archival Policy to address the threats and loss of critical national heritages. The Draft Policy Document has been produced and it is awaiting consideration by the National Council on Information. The compulsory repository of all audio-visual materials at the National Film and Video Archives (NFVSA), Jos, has been approved by the Federal Government through the directive of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. I am happy to state that the NFC under my watch has activated this directive for compliance. Also, in 2019, the outcome of the film festival was the commencement of the processes leading to a National Data Tariff Policy for Content Distribution. Focus of the policy, when approved by government is expected to address data tariff fees, access and benefits for content distributors and online viewing audiences. As for the ZUMA Film Festival 2020, more impetus and tractions in the proposed National Data Tarrif Policy, from the perspective of online film content acquisition, has been generated for inclusion into an emerging digital economy such as ours. So, I must say that we have successfully achieved our noble objectives, with the outcome of each edition of the film festival. We are optimistic therefore that as we move forward, each edition will definitely provide the enabling environment to address critical film production issues or challenges.

This is the first time there was a virtual and physical edition of the festival as a result of COVID-19 pandemic How were you able to manage that?
Well, the challenges posed by COVID-19 were part of the top critical considerations in hosting the 2020 edition. This, and other issues, equally, was the stimulating impetus that led to our choice of virtual participation, in line with COVID-19 safety protocols. It is commendable that our regular and new attendees, our partner’s and sponsors embraced this hybrid film festival format as part of our COVID-19 response. As our physical guest as well as those watching and participating virtually through our Youtube, facebook and other social media platforms can attest, I think we are on track and have delivered on the key objectives as well as the focus of ZUFF 2020 which was CONTENT CONNECTIVITY – 2, Everyview; Everywhere..!!!

Any plan to host the festival outside of Abuja?
No. We are going to keep Zuma in Abuja and have started working towards a collaboration that will make Abuja, and indeed, the Federal Capital Territory, the host city for ZUMA going forwards. But I think our nation deserves much more film festivals across the six geo-economic zones, especially as governments has commendably invested so much in physical infrastructural development like the Ikoyi Bridge in Lagos, the City Gate in Abuja, and several other iconic locations across the country, which serve our film directors. Government, through the NFC, will continue to support regional and states film festivals, nationwide, with its attendant socio-economic impact. Like I said, plans with the Federal Capital Territory administration are underway that from 2021, hopefully, the FCT, Abuja will officially be designated the official host city and major partner for ZUMA Film Festival.

What should we look forward to next year?
Well, there are so many take-away. But the take away from the master class by Mr. Philip Gilpin of Catalyst USA – on Episodic Story Telling, is the immediate consummation of a long term relationship between the United State Embassy, Abuja, the State Department in Washington DC and the National Film Institute, Jos, on training and capacity building. Also, we are happy that from France, Mr. Alain Modot of ABC Pavillion Afrique’s Online Film School on Marketing and Distribution thrilled our physical participants. Our relationship and partnership with German partners: Arsenal Institute for Film & Video Arts Film in Berlin, Goethe University Frankfurt and the Lagos Film Society was again demonstrated at ZUFF 2020, through DECASIA. Another take away for me is the effort we make, year in, year out, to honour and appreciate those who have contributed in no small measure to the development of Nigeria’s film industry and the world motion picture industry. The nation’s film industry is a global icon and pride for all of us, as well as other film enthusiasts from across the globe. This year, we honoured great icons such as, Prince Jide Kosoko and Segun Arinze. I salute all those we honoured for their sacrifices, and contributions.

I also salute the jury for doing a wonderful work of having to go through 3068 film entries, from 120 countries for ZUMA film Festival 2020, and selecting those worthy for the film festival awards. My deep appreciation to the government for empowering the NFC to deliver on its mandate. We are determined to continue to successfully engage in film production activities that are in line with current governments policy thrust and vision under the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP).