RELEASE: KADUNA FILM FESTIVAL 1ST PRESS BRIEFING

KADUNA FILM FESTIVAL IS ALMOST HERE WITH THE THEME; UNIFYING  NIGERIA THROUGH FILMS.

This will be the first film festival in the history of Kaduna state Nigeria we believe that most known people in the film industry today have there root in Kaduna both Nollywood and kannywood and we want to celebrate them. The program will start from the 11th - 15th September 2018. This event promises to be a yearly event. said ISRAEL KASHIM AUDU head of Kaduna Film Festival in a statement released today.

Kaduna Film Festival, the first in Kaduna, is set to be 5 days of film festive fun to showcase the talent of film professionals in the country and beyond. It will be a unique and memorable event for film lovers and film makers alike featuring; 3 Major film premiere, 5 Master classes, Film screenings, Red carpet, Party, Cocktail, Exhibition, Filmmakers panel, Celebrities meet and greet, Film industry round table, Media partnership, Tourism. The statement added.

The statement further reads in parts 'Kaduna Film Festival offers a contemporary and liberal platform for the filmmakers of the World to exhibit the excellence of the film art form. The contributions of Nigeria’s film industry, the second-largest in the world in terms of number of films produced, to the national economy have become all the clearer after the rebasing of the country’s GDP last year. A move to recalculate the net worth of Nigeria’s economy in 2014 saw the number of industries or activities used for assessment purposes rise from 33 to 46, with a noticeable shift in emphasis towards technology driven sectors'.

'Among the segments included for the first time were the film industry, the IT sector, the music industry, on-line sales and telecommunications. As a result of the rebasing exercise, Nigeria’s GDP in 2013 jumped from an initial estimate of $285.5bn to $510bn. The Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood, is a key contributor to the increase. Under the rebasing conducted by the state statistics agency, the film industry accounted for more than 1.4% of GDP – or $7.2bn of Nigeria’s economy. With an estimated 1m people directly or indirectly working in the industry, the making, distributing and screening of moving pictures has become the country’s second-biggest source of employment after agriculture'.

'The aim of the Kaduna film festival is mainly to contribute to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of Nigerian as a whole and other nations. We hope to present complex human situations of this rapidly changing world in the globalized era'.

'I want to also urge all film makers to give stories fighting corruption, peace and unity, and what will give morals and lessons to the society not just for movie making sake. The Kaduna film festival will see how it will bring unity to northern Nigeria through film take for example majority of Christians live in southern Kaduna while the Muslims in northern Kaduna, this is the case of Kaduna state. bringing together the Nollywood and kannywood together making them to understand the unity of life, to see how we can fight corruption through films'.

'I did not choose Kaduna for my selfish reasons but I know Kaduna is the heart of the north we just celebrated our centenary last year and most of the "stars" now in the industry have their root in Kaduna state and will now go to Lagos and invest so i want to see how the entertainment too can be brought to Kaduna if Lagos can make it we too can make it. During the festival days Kaduna should be expecting different celebrities flying in to Kaduna in numbers'.

'We have lot of talent in Kaduna state but lack the platform but this film festival will make them meet their favorite celebrity stars one on one interact with them through masterclass and other activities set aside for the festival also want to see unemployed youth use their talent to be self employed for those with talent of Acting, directing, makeup, dancing, Mc/comedy, presenting, cinematography. Film producers in Nigeria (NOLLYWOOD AND KANNYWOOD) and abroad are requested to send entries of their films videos shot in the last 24 months and stand a chance of being listed in the roll call of honours'.

2018 Edition

'Submissions should have the potentials of being nominated in any of the following categories: BEST ACTOR ENGLISH, BEST ACTOR HAUSA, BEST SCREEN PLAY, BEST ANIMATED FEATURED FILM, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST COSTUME DESIGN, OUTSTANDING FAST RISING ACTOR KANNYWOOD OUTSTANDING FAST RISING ACTOR NOLLYWOOD, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, KDFF18 ACHIEVERS AWARD NOLLYWOOD, KDFF18 ACHIEVERS AWARDS KANNYWOOD, OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTRY, BEST SHORT FILM, BEST FEATURED FILM, BEST STUDENT FILM'

'The Festival Committee reserves the right to exclude films which are not in conformity with aims of the Festival, or which could offend the national feelings and susceptibilities of any participating country, or are likely to promote racial discrimination. Films not presenting sufficient technical qualities for good public screening can also be refused. The deadline for entries is 14th June, 2018 as entries begins 24th March, and interesting persons must forward two (2) DVD copies of such submission to the festival director. 15 Simisola Street off Olufemi by Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, Lagos. Kadunafilmfestival@yahoo.com, +2340836860716'.

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