LAFAAAC, Wazobia plan training programme for screenwriters

As part of efforts to further enhance the skills of Nigerian storytellers, L’Académie Franco-Anglophone des Arts Audiovisuels et du Cinéma (LAFAAAC), a French cinema academy, in partnership with Wazobia FM/TV, has announced plans to launch a training programme for screenwriters in Nollywood, the country’s film industry.

The programme, which is set to commence in the spring of 2021 and supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria, offers innovative training courses combining online and classroom activities, enhanced by partnerships in France and Africa for a comprehensive offer adapted to local needs.

The training programme is a component of the Solidarity Fund of innovative projects by the French Embassy called Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI), which aims to promote French training contents adapted to the needs of Nigerian audiovisual professionals and preserve as well as enhance the cultural heritage.

The training will combine different complementary educational methods, such as mobile learning, masterclass, animated tutorials, virtual classes and workshops, all developed with well-known experts to make available a complete training course on the fundamentals of television screenwriting.

LAFAAAC is partnering with Wazobia, a leading media platform with interest in radio and television, to help adapt the offer to the specific needs of Nigeria through its recent Filmlab Nigeria initiative. It is also partnering with La Fémis, the French cinema school, through its TV Series department, to contribute to its overall educational engineering.

Speaking on the development, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of LAFAAAC, Olivier Pascal said: “The strength of our project is to combine the best of French educational training and the practices of Nigerian professionals, all accelerated by the power of digital.

“LAFAAAC is proud to strengthen its partnership with Wazobia through this initiative of the French Embassy, for the benefit of young Nigerian creative,” he added.

Corroborating the LAFAAAC chief, the Advisor for Cooperation and Cultural Action at the French Embassy in Nigeria, Rafaël Pont said: “Our support for LAFAAAC is part of the implementation of the Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects dedicated to the development of Cultural and Creative Industries in Nigeria.

“It has been entrusted to us for a period of two years (2020-21) and responds to a priority of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. Its objective is to stimulate cultural entrepreneurship in Nigeria, capacity building and governance policies in the audiovisual, interactive media and cultural heritage sectors.”

Also commenting on the development, Co-Founder and CEO of Wazobia, Tatiana Moussalli Nouri said: “Nigeria is loaded with fantastic talents and this collaboration will contribute further in the capacity building and continuous learning that Wazobia has been championing through our knowhow and pioneer position in the industry.

“We are confident that our collaboration with LAFAAAC, a successful startup, and the French Embassy in Nigeria, we will successfully deliver value to the creative industry in Nigeria.”