Zuma Film Festival to kick off December 1, NFC promises

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has assured that preparations have reached advanced stages for a successful ZUMA film festival, 2018. The theme of the festival is “Archiving For Creativity”. Speaking to film stakeholders in Lagos last week, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, NFC’s Managing Director and Chairman, ZUMA Film Festival Organising Committee, said that the nation is set to witness another film fiesta that is intended to up the ante of film production activities.

Domestic and foreign participation for ZUFF 2018, has improved as against last year especially in collaborations and partnerships. He announced that over 3,700 films have been received from filmmakers for both the competitive and non-competitive categories of ZUFF entries. He also disclosed that delegates to the film festival, scheduled for December 1-7, in Abuja, stood at over 1300. He cited as impressive the collaboration and partnership for ZUFF 2018, including participation of the embassies of Spain, Germany, France and the United States of America, Arsenal Film Institute, Goethe University of Frankfurt as well as, the NTA, NBC, NFVCB, NTDC, NAN, FRCN, KAPITAL-FM, PRTVC -Jos, Google, Homevida, DSTv-Africa Magic, and various Nigerian universities.

ZUMA film festival 2018, in terms of content and scope, he further said, aside the recognition and reward excellence includes the emplacement of some form of intellectual windows, Master Classes, Seminars, Roundtable discussions, Business meetings, and Emerging Talent Workshops, to be undertaken by experts to address critical aspects of film production in Nigeria.

Key features of the seven-day film fiesta include the free 12 hour (10.00am -10.00pm) daily film screenings at Genesis Cinema, Ceddi Plaza, Abuja; international workshops on Archiving; Women in Film Forum, with Her Excellency, Ms Maria Theresa Fernandez, former Vice President of Spain and currently Chairperson, Advisory Council to the Spanish Government as the special guest; NFC Annual Film Lecture to be delivered by erudite scholar and Diplomat par excellence, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, on the topic: FILM ARCHIVING AS A TOOL FOR DIPLOMACY.

Speaking further, Dr. Maduekwe said that the festival theme “Archiving for Creativity” shall reignite the consciousness in film makers and other stakeholders on the important role of film – audio visual archiving of creative works and its posterity values.  “It is a paradigm shift to protect and preserve several thousands of films that have been produced in Nigeria, the past decades”. Several pieces collections of audio-visual and film materials are being lost due to non preservation.  In some ways, he averred, ZUFF 2018 sets to redefine the need and potentials of audio visual archiving in Nigeria. NFC through ZUFF 2018 seeks to bring to the front burner the need to preserve Nigeria’s memory for future generations of Nigerians, with no end point. Our goal is to have these images, and the sounds associated with the images, available for present and future generations. As the world is being driven by digital technologies, filmmaking in Nigeria and indeed around the world equally should move with these inventions and innovations.

Highlights of the 2018 and the 9th edition of ZUMA film festival also include the recognition of Nigerian filmmakers, (including living and post humous legends) whose resilience, have characterized the growth of the Nigerian film industry. Aside the competitive and non competitive categories of recognitions, the legends will be recognized through the Nigerian Film Society Rock of Fame Award. ZUMA 2018 Award categories are Best Cinematography, Best Script, Best Short Film, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Documentary, Best Foreign Film, Best Student Film, Best Picture, and Best Indigenous Film.

Meanwhile the stakeholder’s interaction took place at the newly constructed state of the art NFC Cineplex, Lagos, which was unveiled to the public. Speaking, the Chairman of NFC Board, Alhaji Abubakar Gambo, said that construction of the Cineplex by the Corporation was a result and determination of the NFC Board and Management to help address the dearth of cinema viewing centers in the country. He assured that, the Board will continue to sustain its weight through the provision of policy advice to the NFC to enable it deliver on its mandate. The new NFC Cineplex has a 150 seat capacity