Ibadan International Film Festival: Venture Government, Private Sector Must Embrace’ –  Prof. Tunji Azeez

Glizt, Glamour as Ibadan International Film Festival Rekindles Ibadan as City of Art, Culture, and Entertainment
Globally, the impact of film making cannot be underrated. Apart from the fact that it can be used build positive societal values, its contribution to unite people in a common sense of humanity and shared responsibility gives it power to foster positive changes and developments in any given society, as it can reach a wide audience to inform and inspire change through engaging audiences and reflecting society.

Economically, film making industry in Nigeria has continued to break barriers, grossing millions in dollars as it is being watched globally.

According to PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook for 2020-2024, Nigeria’s media and entertainment industry is one of the fastest-growing creative industries in the world. It has the potential to become the country’s greatest export, with a projected annual growth rate of 8.6% and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.3% from 2018-2023.

The report further pointed that the Nigeria’s film industry in 2021 contributed 2.3% and about 239 billion naira ($660 million) to GDP and projects that the industry will increase its export revenue earnings to over $1 billion.
 

For much of these efforts to be appreciated and further inform the society on the contributions the industry is making to the Nigerian economic and national landscape, major Nollywood stakeholders gathered in Ibadan last week under the platform of Ibadan International Film Festival.

As it was set out, the international festival was a three-day event that gathered major film making players and stakeholders from different institutions to entertain and educate people about films.
The Festival Convener, Usman “Blackky” Ogunlade said that the festival was born out of the idea of putting Ibadan back to its old status of been the cradle of entertainment in Africa which was driven by WNBS/WNTV which later became Nigerian Television Authority.
 

Ogunlade said the birth of NTA have birth to the beginning of filmmaking Africa.

In his word, “We set out not for a local film festival but an international film festival because of the status of Ibadan in the World Map. We created an avenue where we can bring the World to Ibadan and also take Ibadan to the world using filmmaking/entertainment.”
 

The event which started on Thursday with workshops on film making was facilitated by Ehizojie Ojesebholo, popular filmmaker known as Jimi Bendel; Godwin Lawani, and Charles Oleghe.

The second day of the event featured workshops on Directing for Film/TV which was facilitated by Niji Akanni; Producing for Film/TV by James Omokwe and Jemila Akinwale and Sound Design for Film/TV was facilitated by Segun “Ebonie” Osisanya.

This day also screened selected films which were wrapped with an ‘Art Hang Out’ that was supported by the prominent art Curator/Collector – Prince Tunde Odunlade of Tunde Odunlade Arts and Culture.
The last day of the festival featured film screenings and seminar that had the top key players in the business of filmmaking in Nigeria, Biodun Stephen, Olaleken Wasiudeen of LibraTV, Femi Ogunsanwo and Adeleye Fabusoro of the popular family series – Awon Aladun.

In his keynote address, Lagos State University’s Professor of Theatre, Film and Cultural Studies, Professor Tunji Azeez identified the role corporate sponsorship play in event like Ibadan International Film, saying that any nation, such as Nigeria that refuses to consciously and intentionally invest in art, culture and filmmaking does so at its own peril.

The former Acting Head of Department of Theatre Arts and Music of the institution lamented that successive Nigerian governments have not woken up to this reality in over hundred years of the industry existence.

Professor Azzez emphasized that the birth of Ibadan International Film Festival should be seen as a venture that we all, particularly the government must embrace, pointing that government must put structures and policies in place to guarantee that it is a permanent festival.

“Now, let me add that beyond coming to deliver a keynote address at this maiden festival, I am a bonafide son of Oyo state with a passion for the state and the arts and culture sector generally. For this reason, I must emphasize that if we get this right, Ibadan and Oyo state will have cause to attract investors that will impact positively on our people and our culture.”, he said.

The festival received over 10000 entries from over 117 Countries across the world for different categories of awards which went through rigorous screening by the college of screeners and panel of jury which comprises renowned filmmakers and scholars within and outside Nigeria.

How to Tie a Tie won the Best Screenplay; Leiying Luan in Medea won the  Best Actor (Female); Badmus Ibironke in Sky Pie won the Best Supporting Actor (Female); Gerard Depardieu in Umami won the Best Actor (Male); Pierre Richard in Umami won the Best Supporting Actor (Male); Favour Eraikhuvwmem in Baba won the Best Child Actor, while Kiryane Ahmad won the Best Child Actor (Male) in “Merlich Merlich.

From Trash To Treasure won the Best Editing; Potato won the Best Short Film; Ami won the Best Nigerian Film; Impossible Love won the Best Cinematography; Mummy Is Not Fine won Best Sound Design; Merlich Merlich won the Best Student Film and Ami won the Best Animation

Other movies that had honourary mentions were Kiitan , Midnight Gift, Invisible Manners; Urgent News Bulletin and Archibald Syndrome.