Tag Archives: Michael Omonua

Nollywood talent rewarded at AFRIFF

The 10th Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) honoured Nigerian movie stars and creatives in categories including feature, documentary, shorts, animation, directing, acting and screenplay.

Ijeoma Grace Agu

Some of the AFRIFF award winners at the event, which took place from November 7 to 13 in Lagos, included veteran actor and producer Olu Jacobs, who received a Lifetime Achievement award.

Juju Stories, a three-part anthology feature film directed by CJ ‘Fiery’ Obasi, Abba T Makama and Michael Omonua, won the award for Best Director.

In the animation category, Lady Buckit & The Motley Mopsters, directed by Adebisi Adetayo, won Best Animation.

Nollywood actor Ijeoma Grace Agu picked up the Best Actress gong for the film 10 Songs of Charity, a Dutch-Belgian production, and took to Instagram to say it was “a win for the team.”

AFRIFF recognises outstanding performances by individuals and corporate bodies across the entertainment industry in Africa.

Obasi said of Juju Stories, from the Surreal16 Collective: “What a week it’s been! I would like to thank the features jury for the honour, the entire organising committee of AFRIFF, creative director Jenny Alonzo and the amazing Chioma Ude for being a relentless and consistent visionary.

“I want to also thank the cast and crew of Juju Stories for going on this journey with the Collective. Congratulations to the entire team for this well-deserved award. It’s only up from here,” he said on Instagram.

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AFRIFF to hold 10th anniversary in Lagos

The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), dedicated to African films and filmmakers, will take place in Lagos in November, marking the event’s 10th anniversary.

This year’s festival, themed Africans for Africa, will be held from November 7 to 13 at the Landmark Centre.

It will give expression to players in the African film sector, aiming to raise filmmaking standards by profiling keynote conversations on issues of strategic importance.

The sessions will connect expert speakers and facilitators from around the globe who will speak in keynote conversations, workshops and seminars, aimed at sharing knowledge, ideas and trends to empower film industry professionals.

Panel sessions have titles including Blockbuster Storytelling: Producing for the Big Screen, The Stakeholders: In Conversation with African Filmmakers, Film Industry Financing: Building Sustainable Structures, How to Build Global Bridges: Exploring the African Global Cinema and Accessing International Film Grants.

African feature films that have been selected include Oliver Black, directed by Tawfik Baba from Morocco; Binti, directed by Seko Shamte from Tanzania; Juju Stories, directed by CJ Obasi, Abba T Makama and Michael Omonua from Nigeria; and Mission to Rescue, directed by Gilbert Lukalia from Kenya.

Films in the documentary section include For the Love of Dance by Seun Adeleye, The Hero’s Walk by Tolulope Awobiyi and Road2blow by Deji Ayoola from Nigeria.

Films in the animation section include Kenda by Stephane Mendonça from Côte d’Ivoire, Lady Buckit & the Motley Mobsters by Adebisi Adetayo from Nigeria and Halima’s Vote by Mbuotidem Johnson from Nigeria.

There will also be student short-film competitions as well as masterclasses and, according to the organisers, the closing film will be Collision by Bolanle Austen-Peters from Nigeria.

The jury comprises award-winning Moroccan producer Khadija Alami; award-winning actor and filmmaker Femi Oyeniran; Jackie Motsepe, chair of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission in South Africa; Egyptian film curator Sheriff Awad; Rwandan filmmaker Eric Kabera; and Nigerian filmmakers Kenneth Gyang and CJ Obasi.

To register to attend AFRIFF click here.

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