CANON AND AMERICAN FILM SHOWCASE RETURN TO ABUJA FILM FESTIVAL 2017 AND OFFICIAL SELECTION AND NOMINATIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S EDITION

Abuja: 18th September, 2017 - The organizers of the 14th Abuja International Film Festival are pleased to announce a partnership that will see the festival train young Nigerians in the basics of Canon DSLR filmmaking techniques and Photography.

This is in conjunction with Canon Central and North Africa office. This training workshop scheduled for Abuja Nigeria will see 60 shortlisted Nigerians trained over 8 days in the fundamental rudiments of cinematography and Photography.

60 successful applicants will be selected from all the applications received by the organizers.  The training will start from the 5th to 10th of October in Abuja Nigeria.

According to Katie Simmonds the Strategic Operations Professional of Canon, the Initiative comes under Project Maraisha Initiative which is Canon’s expansion into the greater continent of Africa. Quoting her “we have established Project Miraisha, a sustainability initiative looking at providing education and training for young people in the areas of professional photography and filmmaking. The objective is to train groups of young Africans in the skills required for them to find sustainable employment or indeed to establish their own business.

The Unique feature of this year’s festival will be the Fashion Photography by the trainees from the Canon and Abuja Film Festival Training

According to Fidelis Duker, The Founder of the Abuja International Film Festival, he reiterated the vision of the Abuja International Film festival which is to build capacity within the creative sector and also act as a catalyst and platform for economic empowerment of those working in the creative sector. In his words  “there is no way majority of this applicants will ever remain the same after completing this training workshop as we are simply teaching them how to fish rather than giving them fish to eat. They will ultimately garner skills and also become self-sustaining creative entrepreneurs”

On completion of the Cinematography training, 5 short films will be made and screened during the festival while the photographs of those in the Photography class will be exhibited during the Festival.

Also returning for the second year running is the American Film Showcase which opens in Nigeria as part of the 14th Abuja International Film Festival from Oct 9-13, 2017 and is open to the public. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja will be partnering for the second year running with Abuja International Film Festival to showcase contemporary American documentaries, offering a view of American society and culture as seen by independent filmmakers.

The Ministers of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and his counterparts in the Federal Capital Territory and Water Resources Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello and Engr. Suleiman Adamu respectively will join U.S. Embassy Ambassador, Chairman NDDC Senator Victor Ndoma Egba and other

dignitaries will give remarks at the opening ceremony on Monday 9th, October, at Silverbird Cinemas in Abuja.

Five outstanding American documentary films will be screened.  The screenings will also feature a Masterclass with the American filmmakers.

The some of the films for the Abuja Film Festival 2017 is Code: The IF Project, The Listeners, Class Divide, Fastball, High School 911

According to Temitope Duker, The Executive Director Events of the 14th Abuja International Film Festival; this year’s edition scheduled for 9th to 13th of October, 2017 promises to be a bumper package as there are several masterclasses and workshops for the Industry stakeholders

Also returning for the second year running is the American Film Showcase which opens in Nigeria as part of the 14th Abuja International Film Festival from Oct 9-13, 2017 and is open to the public. The U.S. Embassy in Abuja will be partnering for the second year running with Abuja International Film Festival to showcase contemporary American documentaries, offering a view of American society and culture as seen by independent filmmakers.

The Ministers of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and his counterparts in the Fedral Capital Territory and Water Resources Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello and Engr. Suleiman Adamu respectively will join U.S. Embassy Ambassador, Chairman NDDC Senator Victor Ndoma Egba and other dignitaries will give remarks at the opening ceremony on Monday 9th, October, at Silverbird Cinemas in Abuja.

Five outstanding American documentary films will be screened.  The screenings will also feature a Masterclass with the American filmmakers.

The some of the films for the Abuja Film Festival 2017 is Code: The IF Project, The Listeners, Class Divide, Fastball, and High School 911.

OFFICIAL SELECTION 14^TH ABUJA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

BEST DOCUMENTARY

1.       DANCING MASK:THE ANA STORY - BRAZIL

2.       AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE -NIGERIA

3.       TALIBES SLAVE CHILDREN IN WEST AFRICA – SPAIN

4.       ZARATUSTRA STILL SPEAKS –BRAZIL

5.       THE PRIDE AND THE GLORY OF NIGERIA -NIGERIA

BEST ANIMATION

1.       WELCOME –RUSSIAN

2.       LOVE OUR PRIME – MEXICO

3.       PULL –NIGERIA

4.       ROSE HOUSE – CHINA

5.       TORTOISE AND HARE – TURKEY

BEST EXPERIMENTAL

1.       REMU – NIGERIA – PIXJAY IMAGES

2.       WOMAN – NIGERIA – KRIS MOK

3.       UNCOVERED – NIGERIA – EMMANUEL EYABA

4.       VOLUNTARY – FRANCE - GUILLAUME MARBECK

BEST FEATURE FILM:  FOREIGN

1.       SAVING DREAMS – CANADA

2.       WOLF TOTEM – CHINA

3.       GO AWAY MR TUMOR – CHINA

4.       SEQUENTIAL CYCLE - TURKEY

BEST FEATURE: INDIGENOUS

       1. PURPLE HEARTS – NIGERIA

       2 .HELLS FURY – NIGERIA

       3. HEART-NIGERIA

       4. FIRE AT THE ROOF – NIGERIA

       5. DRY STAKES – NIGERIA

       6. THE WOMEN –BLESSING EFFIONG EGBE

BEST SHORT FILM: NIGERIA

        1. BEHIND THE WHEELS – NIGERIA

        2. BURDEN OF VERDICT – NIGERIA

        3. BOUT – NIGERIA

         4. THE MECHANIC – NIGERIA

          5. THROUGH HER EYES - NIGERIA

BEST SHORT FILM:  FOREIGN

        1. DECISIONES – SPAIN – TANIA GALAN

        2. SCHOOL OF SHOCK – UNITED KINGDOM – STEVEN DORINGTON

        3. ENGULFED – GHANA – OWIREDU KISSI

        4. EL ABOGADO (THE LAWYER) – SPAIN – IGNACIO RODO

        5. GHETTO SITUATIONS – SOUTH AFRICA –

OUTSTANDING COMIC FILM

       1.  WISE MEN – NIGERIA

        2. EXCESS LUGGAGE – NIGERIA

        3. GHETTO SITUATIONS – SOUTH AFRICA

BEST STUDENT FILM

      1. KAR BHALAA (DO GOOD) – INDIA

      2. WELCOME BROTHER – US – CHRISTAIN CORNEJO

      3. BOARDING HOUSE – US – AMBER HARRIS

      4. CRUEL FORGIVENESS – US – FABIO COLONNA

      5. ABUJA TAXI – NIGERIA – KRIS MOK

      6. REMU – NIGERIA – PIXJAY IMAGES

BEST MALE ACTOR

      1. KUNLE REMI – PURPLE HEARTS

      2. KELECHI NDEGBE – BEHIND THE WHEELS

      3. JIDE ALLI –BOUT

      4. ANI IYOHO – BEHIND THE WHEELS

      5. BENJAMIN ADENIRAN – FIRE AT THE ROOT

BEST FEMALE ACTRESS

   1. TANA ADELANA – PURPLE HEARTS

   2. NANCY ISIME – BOUT

   3. QUEEN NWOKOYE – BEHIND THE WHEELS

   4. BANKE ADEWUSI –FIRE AT THE ROOT

   5. BANKE AMOLE-ADAMS – FIRE AT THE ROOT

OUTSTANDING IN FILM DIRECTING

   1. ANDY AMENECHI – PURPLE HEARTS – NIGERIA

   2. STANLEE OHIKHAUARE –BEHIND WHEELS – NIGERIA

   3. TANIA GLAN - DECISIONS

   4. XU HAOFENG – THE MASTER – CHINA

   5. ISIORO JABORO - SAVING DREAMS – CANADA

   6. AYOTUNDE YOLOYE – FIRE AT THE ROOT

OUTSTANDING MUSIC SCORE

1.            O TOWN – NIGERIA

2.            PURPLE HEARTS – NIGERIA

3.            HELLS FURY – NIGERIA

4.            WOLF TOTEM – CHINA

5.            BLACK BARBIE – CHINA

GOLDEN JURY FILM

   1. PURPLE HEARTS – NIGERIA

   2. BEHIND WHEELS – NIGERIA

   3. DECISIONS - SPAIN

   4. THE MASTER – CHINA

   5. SAVING DREAMS – CANADA

   6. FIRE AT THE ROOT – NIGERIA