For the seventh year in a row, the U.S. The Mission in Nigeria is assisting the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in its efforts to strengthen collaboration between the Nigerian and American film industries.
This year, Disney and Amazon are leading the way in terms of American creative industry participation at the festival. For the opening night, the two organizations each premiered a film, with some of the cast taking part. On Sunday, November 6, Disney hosted the African premiere of Black Panther II, while Amazon screened The Nanny.
Building on the success of the previous year, AFRIFF, with the assistance of the U.S. Mission will award a $25,000 grant to five emerging animators who create works on climate change, elections and good governance, women’s empowerment, youth engagement, and disinformation.
Speaking at a reception for representatives from the Nigerian and American entertainment industries on Monday, U.S. The Consul General praised the growing cultural ties between the United States and Nigeria. He explained that AFRIFF is a fantastic platform for artists to explore new ideas, foster dialogue, and make valuable business connections.
Since 2015, the U.S. Mission has partnered with AFRIFF to bring together American and Nigerian screenwriters, directors, and film experts to share ideas, network, and collaborate. Our long-standing partnership with AFRIFF help to further strengthen the Nigerian creative industry as well as our strategic partnership. This year’s event highlights the Nigerian movie industry’s creativity and growing global reach, Stevens said.
Chioma Ude, the festival’s founder and executive director, stated that its 2022 theme “Indigenous for Global” aims to raise awareness about African cinema, its vast potential, and its tremendous socio-economic impact on African economies. “Our stories must remain authentic, and we must find ways to globalize them.” “By going global, we get the right value and pay,” Ude added.
AFRIFF, an annual showcase of the world of filmmaking, will be held from November 6 to 12, with participation from local and international actors, directors, film critics, buyers, distributors, visual artists, film students, and equipment manufacturers.
The participation of the US Mission in AFRIFF is part of the US government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the partnership between Nigerian and American filmmakers as well as the voices of the next generation of filmmakers.
