Guardian

Seminar on copyright in audiovisual industry ends in Lagos

DURING the week, practitioners in the audiovisual industry met for three days at a seminar organised by the World Intellectual Property organisation (WIPO) in collaboration with the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to evaluate the state of Nigeria’s audio-visual industry. The seminar, which opened on Wednesday and ended on Friday, attracted speakers from home and abroad as well as representatives of key groups in the industry. Ms Donna Hill of the Creators and Performers division of WIPO talked extensively on the importance of copyright in the creative industry. Professor Bankole Shodipo also stressed the need while the visiting film scholar Rob Aft made a presentation on Nigeria and the worldwide film market. Other topics that were discussed at the seminar that attracted stakeholders like Jimi Odumosu, Igwe Gab Okoye, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Madu Chikwendu (who was a panelist), Patrick Doyle, Chief Tony Okoroji, Fidelis Duker, Andy Amenechi, Bond Emeruwa, Alex Enyegho and Francis Onwuchei include proper remuneration of creative artistes and the need for a reliable and functioning professional systems for financing and distribution. The seminar closed with a consultative forum with key stakeholder groups where issues that border on financing and distribution as well as a mechanism for dispute resolution were stressed.

Nigerian films headline New York African Film Festival

THREE films by Nigerian-born filmmakers, Andy Amadi Okoroafor’s Relentless, starring the soul singer, Nneka; Tunde Kelani’s Maami and Andrew Dosunmu’s Restless City are among the top Nigerian films in the spotlight at this year’s New York African Film Festival. The festival ends its returns to the Film Society of Lincoln Centre on April 17.  Those who missed Restless City at FESPACO in Ouagadougou in 2011 and Maami during its cinema run in Nigeria and during the just held Lagos Black Heritage Festival would have the opportunity of seeing the films, which have so far been well received.

Enters, Nollywood Movies award

AS part of its social responsibility initiative, Nollywood Movies, a 24-hour movie channel on the SKY Platform Channel 329, has announced that it will stage the inaugural Nollywood Movies Awards (NMA) that will be celebrating excellence, outstanding achievements and diversity in the industry in June 2012. The awards according to the organisers, will celebrate both English speaking and indigenous talents with a Nominees’ Party set to hold on Saturday May 5 at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria, while the main awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 2 at the Civic Centre, Lagos. Statement by the organisers informs that the primary aim of the NMA is to honour and recognise excellence in the Industry. The Awards will also focus on the highest achievements of films produced for the industry each year in order to motivate and encourage those who make them and inspire new entrants into the industry. Highlights of the event will be shown on SKY Channel 329 and other notable platforms. Based in the UK, the channel was launched in January 2008 and has also been involved in promoting Nigerian movies through premieres in the United Kingdom.

 True Citizen makes strong cinema debut

ELVIS Chuks’ new movie on living one’s dream within the confines of the law True Citizen made a strong cinema debut during the week, recording very promising sales. Produced by popular filmmaker and actor, the movie stars veteran actor and lecturer, Alex Usifo Omiagbo; winner of the BBA All Stars, Uti Nwachukwu; former Mr. Nigeria, Bryan Okwara; Mr. World’s runner up, Kenneth Okolie; Clara Onukogu and others. True Citizen centres on staying true to one’s beliefs and convictions, patriotism and being law abiding. It has very strong lessons for the youths who today meddle in all manner of vices. The movie currently runs in major cinemas across the country.

Lancelot’s Adesuwa in cinema from May 4

MULTIPLE award winning film, Adesuwa, will begin its cinema run from May 4. Produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker and Hawthorn Suites Ambassador, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, the movie after a successful premiere in Abuja and Lagos, will be available in all cinemas across the nation.  Adesuwa got 10 nominations in the oncoming African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), which holds on April 22 and had won several awards and endorsements from the Federal Inland Revenue and National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). The film director was quoted in an interview before the Abuja premiere as saying his whole life now revolves round Adesuwa. “Truth is, I am in love with Adesuwa. My wife has leased me to Adesuwa till after the cinema run in May. She has no choice,’ Oduwa said. Captivated by the pristine beauty and innocence of Adesuwa, Eze Obi Olisa vows to take her by any means necessary — even when he was warned that the lady was betrothed to a war lord, Oba Akengbuda. To lure her to his bed, Eze Obi Olisa employed trickery and uncommon diabolical means. But his game goes out of hand when he defies the Oba of Benin’s orders and murdered a Benin princess, thus provoking the wrath of the mystical and highly revered Oba and the entire Benin Kingdom. The movie features celebrated actors such as Olu Jacobs, Bob Manuel Udokwu, Ngozi Ezeonu and Iyobosa Olaiya who played Adesuwa.

TAVA 2012 secures media

partnership

THE Organising Committee and the Board of The African Audio Visual Awards (TAVA) have announced that Africa’s Premium Cable Network – Electronic Media Network Limited – owners of M-Net and Africa Magic Channels on DSTV — has thrown its weight behind the awards, which is in its fourth edition. The premium cable network will be teaming up with TAVA in 2012 as its sponsoring media partner and contributor.  In a statement signed by President of TAVA, Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, the organisers recall that in addition to the creativity and uniqueness of Nollywood, Africa Magic’s exposure of the content from Nollywood to the viewing world not only made it a global brand, but also earned it a place in history as the second highest film producing industry in the world behind Bollywood. “It is therefore not surprising to find such a global organisation at the forefront of showcasing African sounds and images to team up with TAVA to raise the bar for African content makers to attain perfect pictures and perfect sounds,” Ogunjiofor said. At the sponsorship signing ceremony held in Lagos last week, Ogunjiofor explained that TAVA is focused towards enhancing the quality of productions and the celebration of Africans at home and in the Diaspora behind the films. He described TAVA as the new frontier in production excellence.  The award is scheduled to hold at the Banquet Hall of The National Arts Theatre, Lagos, Nigeria on July 29.

A glorious end for Mr. & Mrs. in cinemas

AFTER months of screening in major cinemas across the country, Chinwe Egwuagwu romantic comedy Mr. & Mrs. closed at the weekend. There are indications that the movie may emerge the highest grossing Nigerian movie of the season if information that it grossed more than N7 million in the few weeks of showing is to be considered. One of the stars of the movie, Joseph Benjamin was at the popular Ozone Cinema to meet with the fans. The hall that was used for the movie was filled to capacity, selling out the 124 seats all through the Easter holidays.  It was a very welcome opportunity for the fans to meet with the fast rising actor, as he posed for exclusive pictures with audience. Recall that popular actress Nse Ikpe Etim, who is also one of the cast of the movie, few weeks earlier, met with fans at the same cinema and lots of branded gifts were given out. GSK (Glaxo Smith Kline) supported the movie and were solely responsible for the gift items distributed. Speaking on the cinema experience, the producer, Egwuagu, said, “the cinema experience was a good one, no particular regrets whatsoever, I would like to thank the cast and crew and the management of the cinemas for supporting the movie industry.’’

ZUMA 2012 expands honours list as NBC others makes list

AS part of Nigeria Film Corporation’s (NFC) recognition of excellence and industry support, selected institutional and individual supporters would on the platform of the 6th edition ZUMA Film Festival, which holds from May 6 to10 in Abuja, be honoured for their tremendous contributions and collaborative efforts towards the sustainable development of the Nigerian motion picture industry. The award is also in recognition of the growing profile of the Nigerian creative sector, through the activities of the recipients, in making the nation a veritable film destination point for Africa. A statement from organisers of the festival, listed the recipients to include the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria, for its support of the Nigerian motion picture industry, especially through the platform of ZUMA; Katsina State government, for the provision of training and capacity building through its ‘Film and Youth Empowerment Scheme’, with the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) as facilitators to the success of the empowerment programme; the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), for pioneering and sustaining Africast and unflinching support/partnership in industry intervention programmes like SHOOT! Training and Capacity Building Programme, and ZUMA Film Festival. Others, the statement added, are the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) for championing economic empowerment for filmmakers through the provision of entrepreneurial and business skills and access to funding; Nigerian Expert Import Bank (NEXIM) for her strategic role in the management of the N200b, and for co-sponsorship of other initiatives to promote and develop the Nigerian movie sector; and double honours for one of the nation’s consistent and resolute advocates for attitudinal change, Sandra Obiago/Communicating for Change, for their collaboration with NFC in the areas of institutional empowerment, and support programmes for the National Film Institute (NFI),  Jos. The awards will be presented during the closing ceremony/awards night of the festival on May 9, at the Silverbird Entertainment Centre, Abuja.