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Kano Indigenous Language Of Africa Film Market, Festival Ends Today

The 7th edition of the Kano Indigenous Languages of Africa Film Market and Festival, otherwise called KILAF, ends today in Kano with an award ceremony. The usually week-long festival opened on Monday, November 25 with a grand opening ceremony and welcome dinner hosted by the Kano state government.

Films from over 66 countries featured at the festival whose jury is chaired by Professor Emmanuel Emesealu. Founder and Chief Executive of KILAF, a yearly film event aimed at promoting indigenous language films from the African continent and encouraging their cross-border sales Abdulkareem Mohammed expressed satisfaction with the outcome of this edition of the festival, which held under the theme: “Forging Cultural Identity in a Multilingual Africa: The Role of Indigenous Language Films,” and in collaboration with the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University.

“We had an impressive attendance and we had over 500 films from 66 countries and some of the filmmakers from other parts of Africa were able to make it to the festival. So, we are encouraged to continue not even with the support of the Kano State government and the BUK solidly behind us,” he said.

This edition featured panels and master classes and a Women in Media Business Summit hosted by Culture and Creative Economy Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa. The master classes, titled, ‘Script To Screen’ was coordinated by the President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, Dr. Victor Okhai.

Resource persons for the master classes include Dr. Folakemi Ogungbe, who took the participants on creating compelling screenplays for African motifs, Abayomi Olugbodi, who took participants on production management and Dr. Charles Okwuowulo who took the participants on semiotics of film editing. Some of the films that were screened at the auditorium of the Department of Mass Communication include Kaka (Nigeria), Lella (Uganda), For Me (Morocco), Hawala (Bosnia) and Dawn After Darkness (Rwanda).

KILAF is supported this year by ECOWAS, bank of Industry, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), the National Gallery of Arts, which facilitated an exhibition of craft and paintings and the National Troupe of Nigeria. Details about the winning films can be sourced at www.kilaf.com

2025 Forum Expanded Marks 20th Anniversary

THE curatorial team, consisting of section head Ulrich Ziemons and co-curators Karina Griffith and Shai Heredia; are currently preparing the programme for the upcoming festival in 2025. Ala Younis, who has co-led Forum Expanded together with Ulrich Ziemons since 2021, has resigned from her position after many years of meaningful contributions to pursue other projects in art, curating, research and publishing.

She remains closely connected to Forum Expanded. “Being part of Forum Expanded has been a valuable experience for me. I am grateful to its team, filmmakers, artists and audience members whose dedication has fostered a space for creativity and growth. I wish Forum Expanded all the best and look forward to seeing its future development,” comments Ala Younis. Now entering its third decade, Forum Expanded continues to be an ever-changing and evolving space for the presentation and discussion of expanded, experimental and artists’ cinematic practice. Since its inception in 2006, the programme organised by Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art, has helped foster discourse around this practice as a vital field of engagement with the (geo-)political, social, and aesthetic developments that shape the world.

Last Chance To Apply For Hot Docs-Blue Ice Fund

The deadline to submit applications for the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund is Monday December 2. The Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund (HDBID) is a fund for filmmakers who live and work on the African continent. The Fund offers grants in Development and Production for feature or broadcast-length documentaries. The development grants of up to $10,000 CAD and production grants of up to $40,000 CAD to four to ten projects annually. Approximately 4 to 10 projects are awarded each year. All successful applications will also be considered for a year-long mentorship program. Applications are open with a deadline for December 2. For details check www.hotdocs.ca or [email protected]

Ayakoroma To Deliver African Indigenous Language Film Festival Keynote

Former Executive Secretary of the National Institute For Cultural Orientation and current Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Professor is to deliver the keynote speech at the 2024 edition of the African Indigenous Language Film Festival (Ailff’24), which holds from December 12 to 14 in Asaba, Delta State.

The festival was earlier scheduled to hold for three days from November 20. However, festival founder, Osezua Stephen Imobhio, disclosed that the Pan African Film Festival, which debuted in Lagos in 2023 had to be moved forward because of logistical issues.

Osezua disclosed that the issues have been addressed and that the coastal film city of Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria will play host to the festival as from December 12. According to Osezua, this year’s festival centres on the theme “Showcasing Africa’s Cultural and Tourism Riches Through Filmmaking’’ and according to him, Professor Ayakoroma will, through his keynote speech, shed light on the intersection of indigenous languages and film, a crucial topic as the global community seeks to preserve and promote African cultures.