MOVIERUN By Shaibu Husseini

Nigeria's Fidelis Duker, Tony Anih and Emeka Ossai at DISCOP Nairobi 2010

Time to head to Jo’bourg for 7^TH DISCOP AFRICA

Basic Lead, the Los Angeles-based organizers of the annual DISCOP AFRICA television content market and coproduction forum, announced during the week that over 1000 non-exhibiting and exhibiting delegates representing 700 companies from 85 countries are expected to take part in Africa's biggest industry gathering dedicated to the production, programming and distribution of multiplatform, television content. In its seventh edition, DISCOP AFRICA will take place from 31 October to 2 November at the prestigious Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg and will feature an exhibition showcasing African and major international suppliers of popular and high-quality film, series, animation, comedy shows, formats, sports content, documentaries, educational programming and thematic channels, as well as distributors of international digital broadcasting and content management solutions providers. The 3-day market will welcome content acquisitions and programming executives representing African broadcasters, Pay-TV platforms, mobile networks, broadband-based TV services, airlines and closed-circuit networks. Over 1000 participants across the continent and the world including over 200 content providers and programmers from Nigeria amongst them the actor Emeka Ossai of Golden Pyramids Proudctions, Amaka Igwe of Amaka Igwe Studios, Chief Steve Ojo of Galaxy Television, Chief Wale Adenuga of WAPTV and Greg Odutayo of Royal Roots Productions and over 100 South African Companies including SABC, ETV, TOP TV, M-NET, MULTICHOICE AFRICA, NFVF, and OCTAGON are expected to attend the content fair. This edition of DISCOP in South Africa will also reinforce DISCOP AFRICA's relevance as a marketplace for independent television content producers operating in Africa. A coproduction forum and an eclectic conference program dedicated to regional and international partnerships will provide them with true and efficient opportunities to sell content, initiate partnerships, access valuable information, connect with key players and learn from experts. "In the not so distant future, one of the main drivers of content business in Africa will be local programming. Inevitably, there will be a shift to regional coproduction and distribution models as non-African content will play a lesser role," says Patrick JUCAUD-ZUCHOWICKI, General Manager of Basic Lead. He added "Independent television content production is already undergoing a huge renaissance as Africa is transitioning from massive importer of content to producer of content that is far more locally relevant, outpacing in the process the traditional production formulas that the rest of the world falls back on so much".  A new pitching competition, FORMATS FROM AFRICA, will also be launched during DISCOP AFRICA 2012, to promote original TV formats created in Africa, which can begin as local successes and end up as international hits. Independent TV Formats producers taking part in DISCOP AFRICA 2012 will be offered the possibility to forward original submissions that have local, regional and international appeal. Ten shortlisted candidates will be invited to pitch their formats live in front of a judging panel of international programming executives and format commissioners. Three winners will be offered funds and expert guidance to develop a pilot. In partnership with Gauteng Conventions and Events Bureau, special efforts will also be deployed to attract South, North American and European television content acquisitions executives interested in the increasing range of good quality content and formats created in Africa. This initiative is driven by recent TV consumption trends, which indicate that a growing number of television operators around the world are acquiring programming "Made in Africa". Nonnie KUBEKA, Marketing Manager at Gauteng Conventions and Events Bureau added, "We are very pleased to support DISCOP AFRICA in encouraging international TV content buyers to seek out African programming for their own networks.  Our mission is to cultivate and facilitate an environment that allows Africa's film and television industries to play a meaningful role in the socio-economic development of the Gauteng region". Global companies expected to exhibit at the 3-day event include BBC Worldwide, CCTV, Caracol, Canal+ Overseas, Cote Ouest, Zee TV, Fox International Channels, Sony Pictures Television, NBC Universal, France 24, Globo TV, IMC, IMG, MGM Networks, Mondo TV, Nollywood Worldwide Entertainment, Optima Sports, Telemundo, Televisa, Thema, Trend TV, Fox Studios, Sky News, TV Azteca, TV5 Monde, UFA TV, Venevision, Endemol South-Africa and many others. Info on DISCOP Africa can be sourced at www.discopafrica.com

MOVIERUN By Shaibu Husseini

Nollywood in focus at Abuja Filmfest

Founder and Festival Director of the annual Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) Fidelis Duker has announced the festival’s secretariat preparedness to host the 9^th edition of the festival scheduled for the Silverbird Galleria in Abuja as from September 25 to 28. Duker, one time President of the Director’s Guild of Nigeria (DGN) and Chief Executive Officer of FAD productions who has single-handedly staged what is easily the premiere independently run film festival in Nigeria, from inception ‘without any institutional support either from government or the private sector’ disclosed that the team at AIFF is prepared to host the world for three days in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. He Spoke to Shaibu Husseini

We are good to go

We are very much ready for the 9th edition of the festival. Its instructive to mention that our preparedness is very simplistic as we don't bite more than we can chew. This has been the focal point of our preparation. So in short I can confirm we are prepared to host the world even with our challenge. It must be said that every year of AIFF comes with a new flavour. This year we are celebrating. Nollywood at 20 and the phenomenon which has received knocks, and condemnation from different quarters needs to be celebrated and part of the plan is a Retrospective Segment where films like Living in Bondage, Ti Oluwa Nile, Unforgiven Sin, Rattle Snake, Silent Night, Circle of Doom will be screened. Also we have introduced an industry focus segment and this year KANNYWOOD, producers of Hausa films are our focus during the festival. These are a few of the new elements to expect this year.

We shall also ‘talk’ Nollywood

Another introduction at the festival this year is a mini Nollywood summit, which we intend to institute as a biennial event to address issues in the motion picture industry in Nigeria. I think we need to keep talking about how to get things working here and as we do so we need to celebrate this global phenomenon which I call the new wave of Nigerian cinema and which interestingly has grown beyond the initiators. It is important we keep history for the children of this generation and generations yet unborn. A child born in 1992 may have not seen Living in Bondage, so there is need to flashback and holistically look at the present and future. The essence is to remember all those who have contributed to this exportable brand.

AIFF has not received a dime from FCT administration

As a film festival we have never had institutional support but we are optimistic that the promise made last year by the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide will be fulfilled. The Minister was special guest at our festival last year and she promised that the FCT administration was going to partner us in ensuring that it becomes a major film and tourism event. At the moment we have not received a dime but we are confident some form of support will be extended. I must say that we have funded the film festival in 8 years from personal funds and we seem used to it but it is not the best. As we approach our 10th edition next year we are hoping that apart from government, corporate Nigeria must also support the festival as its done in other climes so the festival can grow as big as the Cannes, Sundance, Vernice amongst others. So in summary I will give d FCT a benefit of doubt because I know that Oloye Akinjide is passionate about film and the film festival.

Don’t be deceived by the names of supporters on our event brochure

 I repeat with emphasis that there is no form of institutional support from any government agencies. What we have done for Abuja in 9 years, I don't think any public relations company has done. We have placed the FCT and Nigeria on the global landscape of film. As I speak to you AIFF remains one of the most prestigious festival from Nigeria and Anglophone West Africa and interestingly the longest running and most consistent. The minister who I repeat has the interest of the film festival at heart had promised last year that the AIFF will be one of the projects of d FCT ministry and it will be given all forms of support but sadly two weeks to the event we haven't seen any but we are still optimistic. Festivals elsewhere succeed because of institutional funding but sadly we do not have such till now. What we would have expected is to have us in the FCT budget because if properly supported Abuja film festival becomes a cultural export and you can imagine how much revenue that can accrue to the FCT. Apart from the FCT, what about government agencies in the ministry of information, the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) , the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and others. Apart from the censors board and NBC who have tried to lend one form of support or the other annually to us none of these other agencies have supported us, even the NFC. The NFC as constituted to say the least is bent on destroying the motion picture industry and I make bold to say it. I even have a feeling because of the Zuma film festival which they organize and which I do not even see as a competitor, the NFC are out to kill all other film festivals as its only a few film festivals like AIFF still surviving and it is rather unfortunate. The present management whose function is developmental has unfortunately not been performing their statutory function, which is sad. Nollywood today is at its lowest ebb, so can't NFC commission some low budget high quality films to revamp the sector rather than waste millions of tax payers money in attending film festivals abroad with empty stand, no films to show, not even in the market or short film corner. I don't want to deviate but if I am the head of the NFC, I will change the landscape of film in Nigeria.

Nollywood came as a result of the success of Living in Bondage

I have heard the argument of Nollywood being more than 20 years but I make bold to say that the phenomenon we all call Nollywood was at the instance of Living in Bondage (LIB). I know that there were films that were made before LIB but it was LIB that brought global attention to Nigeria. It was LIB that brought out the creative and enterpreneural spirit of several young men and women who all contributed in creating what is now called an industry. It was after LIB that some of the professionals realized that it was possible to make films on lesser formats and so they joined in. So LIB was the deciding moment for Nollywood. But we must commend the Yoruba film practitioners for sustaining and keeping the industry till the coming of LIB’.

I am in all this to contribute my quota

I don’t make money from organizing AIFF and I have never made money. I am in it because of my determination to contribute my own little quota to the development of an industry that made me and had provided the platform for me to be where I am today. I must say we had a 10year road map at the inception of the festival in 2003. The idea was to start small and grow the festival to an international brand, which is our focus and we are not yet there but like they say a journey of a thousand mile starts with one step and we are still moving with a determined focus to succeed. We are encouraged by the support we have received so far from the media, practitioners and festival enthusiast to keep keeping on even though we would not forget that we run a television and movie production business. We have been on TV consistently for 10 years in over 17 terrestrial and TV stations producing programmes like Eldorado and Girls Next Door.  Next year will make it 20years since I made my first film Ese Atijo so it has gotten to a point in my career where I must start encouraging and building a new set of filmmakers But that is not say I won't go behind the camera again because my last film was Senseless which I directed 5 years ago but I have funded 3 other films since then. 

MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

From audio-visual professionals, more attention for archiving and preservation

Calls for more attention by government of all levels for audiovisual archiving and preservation, including adequate funding, has been canvassed by audiovisual professionals in Nigeria. Rising from a one-day National Conference on Audiovisual Archiving in Nigeria, held recently at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja, participants discussed extensively issues militating against the establishment, funding and promotion of Audiovisual Archiving in Nigeria and resolved that, indeed all hands should be on deck, along with appropriate legislations and funding, for the operations of Audiovisual Archiving in Nigeria to thrive, in line with global practices. The Conference, organized by the National Film Video and Sound Archive, (NFVSA), established by the Nigerian Film Corporation, was intended to among others, create awareness on the need to preserve Nigeria’s audiovisual heritage, build the capacity of audiovisual archivists, conservationists and curators. Formation of Professional Associations for Archiving and Preservation formed part of the objectives of the one-day conference with the theme: ‘’ Audiovisual Archiving in Nigeria – the Challenges and Prospects’’. A Communiqué capturing the issues germane to Audiovisual Archiving and Preservation was issued at the end of the Conference. The professionals resolved among other resolutions that: government should as a matter of urgency give speedy approval to the National Policy on Preservation and Conservation; that government should make the National Film Video and Sound Archive a legal depository for all audio-visual materials produced in Nigeria, about Nigeria and on Nigeria; that the National Film Video and Sound Archive should be a National Center for the preservation of all audio-visual materials in Nigeria; that Audio Visual Archives and Libraries in Nigeria should have written Operational manual (Policy) to guide its programmes and activities and that all establishments that employ Audio-Visual Archivists in Nigeria should as a matter of urgency ensure that the archivists receive specialized training both within and outside Nigeria to equip them with the required knowledge and skills in film preservation, restoration, documentation and use. Also the professionals urged government to improve funding of Audio Visual Archiving in Nigeria and that Government and the private sector should invest in audio-visual infrastructure in Nigeria. Similarly they called on government at all levels to establish Audio Visual Archives to ensure effective national coverage. The Audio Visual professionals canvassed the need for audio visual Archivists in Nigeria to form a National Network of Audio-Visual Archivists to enhance interrelationships and resource sharing. They also stressed the need for a national Survey of Audio Visual holdings to be carried out by the Audio Visual Archivists to establish the materials available nationwide and their state.  The survey they say, should cover not only public film archives but also privately owned film archives. Similarly they urged Audio Visual Archivists to at regular intervals organize enlightenment and advocacy programmes aimed at sensitizing policy makers and the general public on the importance of Audio-Visual Archiving. The communiqué, according to the Head, National Film Video and Sound Archive (NFVSA) Mrs. Chinwe Oliwe, sums up the renewed commitment of audiovisual professionals in Nigeria to address all issues inhibiting the effective policy takeoff of audiovisual archiving, assuring that Nigeria’s audiovisual heritage  (music, film, etc) will not be lost.

MOVIETAINMENT magazine set to stage Achievement award

As part of its objectives of adding value to the industry, the publishers of Movietainment are set to stage the maiden edition of the Movietainment Achievement & Corporate Awards dubbed MACA 2012. MACA will hold on Saturday August 11, 2012 at the Lagos Airport Hotels, Ikeja. The award according to the organisers will cover three major areas--the corporate industry that has added one or two values to the growth of the industry,, individuals as well as the industry gurus. MACA according to the organizers is not just about presentation of awards, but an avenue to interact, and network. And in the light of the interactive session of the award, two key personalities Senator Olorunninmbe Mamora and Barrister Tunji Bamisigbin to do justice to some topics which deal with the challenges facing the industry. Both Mamora and Bamishigbin will examine “The Role of Entertainment in Political Development of Nigeria” and “Piracy and the Film Industry; The Way Forward.” The Movietainment Magazine Ventures (tmm) was registered on 15th December 2005. The first edition was launched 1st July 2006, and it started full operations in March 2007 and since then, it has become an established brand amongst other specialized magazine. The Magazine has also established itself as a brand and has carved a niche for itself in the Nigerian has Entertainment Industry with its 60% focus on the movie sector. 
The magazine has established a strong bond and relationship with some Governmental Agencies both in the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Ministry of Information and Communication. Such agencies includes Centre for Blacks & African Arts & Civilization (CBAAC), Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), National Theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria (NT/NTN) and the guilds and associations in the entertainment sector which includes Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), and

Winners for Durban Film Festival announced

The 33rd edition of the Durban International Film Festival, with principal funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, has announced its award-winners, for the 33^rd edition, which closed on Saturday July 28 in Durban, South Africa. Winner of the Best Feature Film award, Love (Amour) was applauded by the International Jury as “unmissable”, and the film’s director Michael Haneke, as a “contemporary master with an astute understanding of his cinematic world”. The Best Feature Film award carries a cash prize of R50 000.The international Jury which comprised Zimbabwean filmmaker and novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga, hot South African director Oliver Hermanus, producer and television presenter Kgomotso Matsunyane, and Canadian producer, director Peter Wintonick also awarded the Best First Feature Film prize ( R20 000) to Australian Julia Leigh for Sleeping Beauty (Australia). Receiving a cash prize of R30 000, the Best South African Feature Film was awarded to Adventures in Zambezia (South Africa), directed by Wayne Thornley. Of the large number of South African films screened this year, the jury’s unanimous voice lauded this film as one with “strong writing and direction, and beautiful animation infused with the spirit of the continent…” and one that “tells an African story from an African perspective while having clear global appeal”. The Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award, with a prize of € 2,500, went to Malika Zouhali-Worral and Katherine Fairfax Wright’s film Call Me Kuchu which focuses on attacks on gay people in Uganda. The other awards include

Best Director: Benh Zeitlin for Beasts Of The Southern Wild (USA); Best Actress: Deanie Ip in A Simple Life (Tao Jie) (Hong Kong SAR China)

Best Actor: Joseph Wairimu in Nairobi Half Life (Kenya, Germany); Best Cinematography: Gökhan Tiryaki for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia (Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da) (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey); Best Screenplay: Ercan Kesal, Ercan Ceylan and Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia (Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da) (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey); Special Jury Mention Feature Film: Goodbye (Be Omid E Didar) (Iran), directed by Mohammad Rasoulof; Best Documentary: 5 Broken Cameras (Palestinian Territories, France, Israel, The Netherlands), directed by Guy Davidi; Best South African Documentary: The African Cypher (South Africa), directed by Bryan Little; Documentary Special Jury Mention: Calvet (Costa Rica, France, Nicaragua, United Kingdom, United States), directed by Dominic Allan and Best Short Film: The Bird Spider (La Migala) (Spain), directed by Jaime Dezcallar The 33rd Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre For Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) with support by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (principal funder), National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, HIVOS, City of Durban, German Embassy in South Africa, Goethe Institut of South Africa, French Season in South Africa, and a range of other valued partners. 

Fintel Brings Famous Celebrity Salon To Nigeria

Fintel Universal Services Limited of Nigeria in partnership with (JK-INC, Ireland) having secured the Franchise of the famous Celebrity reality TV show titled, Celebrity Salon from Straywave is bringing the show to Nigeria and the whole of Africa in 2012. The Celebrity Salon is a 12 part reality TV series that will challenge 6-8 top Nigerian celebrities cut across various industries (Nollywood, music, comedy, fashion and modeling, sports and broadcasting) to enter a "beauty boot camp" to learn many of the skills needed to become a top beauty therapist. The show will see celebrities on the road touring the best salons across the country where they will be mentored and trained in a new skill in every episode as they compete to impress their mentor and beauty guru and a series of expert judges.  Skills varying from facial treatment, nail and hair treatment, skin, massage techniques and photo shoot will be the main focus. The show comes with a top foreign celebrity presenter, foreign and local directors, producers and crew to support the Nigerian cast and crew to produce a world class Celebrity Salon Nigeria. The Celebrity Salon Nigeria will be aired in major TV stations across the country, cable TV channels and previewed in the foreign media for the global audience. The celebrities would be paid appearance fees aside from prizes to be won based on their performances in various tasks given by the brands that would be represented. The celebrities will travel, live and learn together over an intensive 2-4 week period. The Celebrity Salon Nigeria for this first season would be pre recorded and not a live show and it is billed to be aired between the third and last quarter of 2012. The choice of celebrities will be based on the strength of the fan base of the celebrities in comparison to their contemporaries, the type of corporate brand they are able to attract and secure for the show, their availability for the total duration of the production among other requirements. It is expected that at the end of the show, the celebrities would have acquired unique beauty skills, increased their fan base, go away with a lot of gifts and remuneration, command global respect and recognition, secured brand deals with major multinationals, etc. FUSL is a company duly incorporated in Nigeria and carries on business as movie producers, distributors and marketers of home video and movies and also helps independent producers secure distribution rights across Africa

It’s ‘Invitation to Thunder’ for Superstory’s series

Ace Nigerian production house, Wale Adenuga Productions presents a Superstory classic titled: Invitation To Thunder. ‘Invitation to thunder’ is the popular Superstory title that portrayed the life of a wealthy businesswoman Susan, whose spirit was crushed when she suspected that her younger lover Henry was having an affair with one of the top attendants in her supermarket. She devised a plan to get rid of Sonia but something went horribly wrong. Written by Lamson Yesuf, Invitation to thunder reflects the extremities of jealousy, envy and vengeance. According to Wale Adenuga Jnr, “Invitation to thunder is being transmitted due to popular demand by fans. Superstory remains a mirror to reflect and correct the ills of the society” Invitation to Thunder, features stars such as Chinyere Winifred, Jibola Oredola, Perez Egbi and others. Wale Adenuga Productions Ltd has several award-wining programmes including Papa Ajasco and Company,  Thislife and Nnena & Friends.

Premiered: Last Flight to Abuja

All roads led to Genesis deluxe Cinema at the Palms in Lekki on Friday for the all glam premiere of Obi Emelonye’s latest feature Last Flight to Abuja. The movie got many people talking, tweeting and texting prior to this premiere that attracted a large crowd of mostly top industry players and captains of industry.  Based on what the promoters said was a true life story, the richly cast movie features Amnesty International Ambassador, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Jim Iyke, Hakeem Kae Kazeem, Jide Kosoko, Celine Loader, Uru Eke, Anthony Monjaro, Uche Odoputa, Charles Granville, Franca Brown and others. The project is majorly sponsored by one of the nation’s leading banks, Diamond Bank. Known for supporting business owners, industrialists, SMEs, the bank took the notch higher by throwing its weight behind highly acclaimed movie, Last Flight to Abuja. The bank has over the years established credibility as one bank which delights in making dreamer’s dream come true and lovers of art. One of the stars of the movie, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde spoke on the movie shortly after the premiere:  ‘’I think it’s a life changing movie, I tell the people around me that this movie is going to do nothing but encourage people to take risks, I think it was bold of the filmmaker but it’s also a very risky thing to do, I think we need to get to that point in Nollywood, where we leave our comfort zone and veer into the bigger things, bigger projects and talk about the things that affect our lives.  9/11 has had several movies done about the incident, we shouldn’t have taboo subjects, the more we can talk about these things in a respectable manner, the better for us, which is the only time we can move ahead and the jinx can be broken’’. When asked if the movie was her most challenging so far, the amiable actress opined ‘’ truthfully no, but it’s one of the most challenging movies, it was challenging because of the topic but I would put it on the same level with a movie called, The Prostitute because as at that time, the movie was like a taboo subject and the way it was being handled was very conscious, another movie of such underlining factor was Mortal Inheritance’’. The PR Agency handling the publicity, Bigsam Media said ‘’ those that have seen the movie have predicted that it would to sell more than Mirror Boy and we can say with all sense of modesty that it will double the box office figure. Obi did a good job! ’’. Other sponsors of the movie are; Afromedia, Zinox, TD technology distribution, Mact Securities, Soundcity, Nigezie, Ozone Cinemas, Silverbird Cinemas, Nigeria Info FM, Cool FM, Blue Pictures (distributor of the movie), Africa Magic, Wazobia FM and Bigsam Media.

Hitchcooks’s Vertigo is BFI’S greatest film of all times

MD of NFC Afolabi Adesanya and other filmmakers in Cannes, France

Omosexy star of Last Flight to Abuja 

The BFI’s Sight & Sound magazine today announced that the winner of its hugely anticipated and world-renowned Greatest Films of All Time poll is Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, ending the 50-year reign of Orson Welles’ mighty Citizen Kane, winner of the once-a-decade poll since 1962 and now in second place. 846 film experts participated in the poll, placing Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story 3^rd and Jean Renoir’s La Règle du jeu 4^th. Two new films to make the Top Ten are both silent – Dziga Vertov’s Man With a Movie Camera at no.8, the first documentary to make the Top Ten since 1952, and Carl Theodor Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc in 9^th place. The most recent film in the Top Ten is Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in 6^th place. The poll is Sight & Sound’s seventh and most ambitious to date; the full results are published in the September issue, on sale from August 4^th which also celebrates the magazine’s 80^th birthday and a new re-launch, with a new look and new digital edition and archive. Visit www.bfi.org.uk/sightsoundpoll2012 for the results in full.