Nigeria Content Online

The Rivers State government has signed an exclusive
partnership with organisers of the first African International Film
Festival (AFRIFF), holding in Port Harcourt from December 1 to 5. The
partnership will showcase the creativity and diversity of Africa
through the film medium, while highlighting the arts, culture and
tourism potentials of the state. The move is the latest in the state
governor, Chibuike Amaechi’s bid to make the state a place of reckoning
in the culture sector. The ION Film Festival held in Port Harcourt last
year; and the Garden City Literary Festival is now an annual event on
the state’s culture calendar.

Representing Mr Amaechi at the partnership signing
event, which took place in Port Harcourt on October 12, was the state
commissioner for culture and tourism, Marcus Nle Ejii. Mr Ejii shed
more light on the partnership, saying that the initiative forms part of
the state government’s vision to promote arts and culture as a key
component of an economic development agenda. He added that Rivers State
is the perfect venue for hosting the Africa International Film
Festival, which will also help towards achieving the state’s
developmental objectives for the youth.

Chioma Ude, founder and Chief Executive Officer of
AFRIFF, also expressed her delight at the partnership. “We’re thrilled
to have Rivers State as the host for this important festival because it
sends a clear message about their vision to be an African centre of
excellence for arts and culture,” she said.

Ude promised that the project will be leveraged to
positively impact young Nigerian talent in the film-making industry. As
part of activities leading up to the festival, AFRIFF has started
Screen Writing Labs in Universities across the country to support
aspiring screen writers in the techniques of developing visual stories
that can be made into world standard productions. The first
Screenwriting training held in Jos in September 2010.

The inaugural edition of AFRIFF will host local and international
film-makers, celebrities, actors, directors, film buyers, distributors,
visual artists, film students, amateurs and film lovers.