Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Ms Chioma Ude, has said that the festival plans to change the economic horizon of the African film industry.
Chioma Ude
She told newsmen, in her Victoria Island, Lagos office, that AFRIFF is planning to take 10 students to the United States of America for practical training in various aspects of filmmaking.
This, she explained, is part of the festival’s developmental agenda for the film sector. The scholarship, a collaborative effort with a key AFRIFF partner, will be for a short film course at a prestigious American university.
AFRIFF, she recalled, has, since its first edition in 2010, provided free training and talent development opportunities for young people and aspiring filmmakers.
Such training includes ground-breaking education in Sound for Film, Cinematography and Screen Writing for over 500 students, in partnership with Sound and Motion Technical College and City Varsity, Cape Town, South Africa.
AFRIFF has also worked directly with students of the National Film Institute (NFI), Jos; the Creative Arts Department of University of Port Harcourt; PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos, as well as other aspiring young filmmakers.
“We believe we can use this model for a social revolution that will change the economic horizon of the African film industry, by providing technical knowledge and skill sets to the abundant talents in our film community,” Ude said.
She explained that the AFRIFF 2014 team is currently re-sourcing for this year’s talent development training workshops in association with top industry partners who will also be announced later.
The beneficiaries will be expected to shoot a short film after their course abroad, in fulfilment of their training billed to be entered into the festival’s students’ short category for the subsequent AFRIFF in 2015.
Top 10 students, who show the most aptitude during the AFRIFF-organised training workshops, which will hold during this year’s festival, will be eligible for the sponsorship.
The aspects of filmmaking to be taught at the workshops this year will be acting, scriptwriting, directing and cinematography.
This year’s edition of the festival will hold from November 9 to 16 at the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, Calabar, Cross River State.
Organisers have said that interested candidates for this year’s workshops should register at the new AFRIFF website, www.afriff.com, as only registered candidates will be eligible for the workshops. Registration for participation in all aspects at the festival begins from Monday, September 15.
The skill acquisition and youth development initiative was conceived using filmmaking as a veritable vehicle for youth empowerment.
Tagged AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops, the initiative provides beginners and intermediate courses for young people.
AFRIFF also organises master classes for more established filmmakers and professionals in the industry.
Ude said the planned U.S. training is in line with the vision of providing growth opportunities for graduates of the festival’s training programme.