Frontline female filmmaker Emem Isong-Misodi is poised to celebrate the African cultural heritage in films as the prolific filmmaker unveils the maiden edition of her African Cultural Film Festival, AFFRICUFF in the United States.
The film festival is scheduled to hold from the 26th of October through 29, in Houston, Texas and according to Emem Isong, the festival aims at encouraging a vibrant exchange of ideas and promotes a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity.
Emem, who is currently residing in the United States, with her family, said the passion she has for the promotion and preservation of the black cultures and traditions inspired her decision to host the festival.
According to her, “This year marks the 31st year that Nollywood came to be, as an industry and what better way to celebrate this feat than by hosting AFFRICUFF.” Speaking further, Emem said the four-day Afrocentric film festival focuses on celebrating African films, short films and documentaries in the bid to unveil the cultural and artistic richness of the black race to a global audience.
“AFFRICUFF also aims at honouring cultural richness and artistic expression. It highlights the dynamic and evolving landscape of Africa and films from other parts of the world that are rich in cultural content. We celebrate the power of storytelling, not just in African stories but also, in the beautiful cultures of the world. AFFRICUFF is widely considered to be Africa’s most important film event that focuses on and celebrates cultural richness and artistic expression,” Emem added.
The four-day festival has the likes of Dr Shaibu Hussain, Dr Cathy Archibong, Ijeoma Onah, Bode Ojo, Bola Aduwo, Teejay Hakeem Olaleye, Divine Ighovie among others as organizing committee members and advisors respectively. Apart from film screenings, the film festival will also feature panel discussions, workshops, networking and award ceremony.
Meanwhile, organizers are calling for entries that promote our cultural heritage from African countries and those of other cultures that are expressed through films.
