Hello my lovelies,
How una dey? Well Last week was the most talked about film festival in Africa "African international film festival" AFRIFF for short. I had looked forward to this event for almost a year (maybe that was the problem). Afriff has been going on for five years now, the first edition was held in Port harcourt Rivers state, the one after Lagos state and the last two Calabar, Cross River state, but this one was held here in Lagos State. People at the festival kept saying that the problem this year had was the fact that it was hosted in Lagos state but I beg to differ. Here are the facts of the 2015 afriff festival I think everyone should know:
1) THE FESTIVAL:
There is no other festival in Nigeria/ Africa that is bigger or better than Afriff.
2) WINNING:
Winning an afriff can be very beneficial. It is also directly related to how many people come for your film viewing (how famous are you?)
3)ALL ABOUT THE ACTORS:
Afriff is designed for actors not film makers: Let me expand. Afriff treat actors like legends (which some are not ) while treating film makers like they do not matter. Film makers are made so insignificant that you will actually think that actors write their own scripts,direct and produce themselves! No offence to the actors tho, I love you guys. Let me give an example hotel accomodation: most actors actually live in Lagos but afriff organisers gave almost all of them hotel rooms to stay for the period of the festival, while film makers that had films in the festival was given exactly one (1) room for their team to share ( How does that compute!)
4) NETWORKING;
Afriff is a very good place for networking for industry people. Only problem is you can never know who is who, you know why? The tags issued by afriff has "industry delegate" written on it, so you are not even sure who you are talking to. If they are sound engineers, editors, actors, producers, directors, or even people that just N20,000 to spent.
5) FEE:
Afriff cost N20,000 this year. In their defence most film festivals charge you for entries or even to attend. The are benefits to paying for film festival, you get perks that others are not entitled to. Like private parties, exclusive viewing, movies market place and many more. At afriff your N20,000 is totally useless! It did not matter, it only covered the soirees (as they called it ) in the evenings and the open and closing movies anyway, (BTW they only tell you this at the beginning of the festival week) even at that nobody ever checked to see if you had your tag or not. Oh by the way all the drinks and the food at the "soirees" kept running out within an hour or two into the parties.
6) OPENING MOVIE
Their choice of opening film was quite epic, kudos to the film maker but that movie was not an opening festival movie now! na wah o. I was just weak! who starts the festival will a very deep emotional movie that was quite slow to start? I did not understand that choice at all. Everyone is on a high the first day keep them on that high at least for a couple more days before you kill it.(just saying).
7)MILDRED OKWO:
Before this festival I always thought that Mildred Okwo (producer/director) had nothing much to offer me as a person, I WAS SOOOOO WRONG!!! I have never had to slap myself so badly before. She is well spoken and calm. She gave more information at this festival than any other person or group (sue me). I official will like to apologise to her for that (underestimating her). I dey hail oh.
8)MOVIES:
The movies that showed in this festival was from the good, to the bad and then the ugly. I think they did not have time to watch all the movies submitted to the festival properly, they where some really terrible movies in there.
9) MOVIES I LOVED:
For me there are some movies that made a difference to me, the showed that Africans are not playing with their craft. For the short film at least the ones I watched ( couldn't watch everything, I have a life): Encounter (really brilliantly done) only issue was that is was a little bit too long:
Henna (i loved it)
An Afrinolly short
Tell me sweet something (love it! love it!! love it!!)
10) THE GALA:
The Afriff gala was the driest event i have ever been to, what was with the dry hosts i do not understand. They couldn't find any one better? I was really unhappy I had to leave early. Reflections won best feature length?? God is watching you guys on 5D o!
All in all I did enjoy the festival but I was really disappointed that I could not network as much as I would have loved to.
PS: I did not watch all the movies oh!!! Only mentioned the ones I liked if i watched it and it no make sense I no mention. (LOL)
Remember this is just my opnion if you thought different let me know at the comment session below.
Thank you
african film international festival
ayanda
Desmond elliot
film festival
film makers
henna
hex
lagos
networking
nollywood
o town
oc ukeje
Reflections
short films
tell me sweet something
THE ROAD TO AFRIFF 2015 REVIEW
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