Time For African Indigenous Language Film Festival In Lagos
All is now set for the commencement of the maiden African Indigenous Language Film Festival (AILFF). The festival will open and hold at the Nigerian Film Corporation Lagos Office in Ikoyi, Lagos and at the Freedom Park, Lagos on July 4 to 7. The festival was earlier scheduled to hold in May 2023, but had to be extended because of the build-up to the February 2023 general election in Nigeria. Founder and Executive Director of AILFF, Osezua Stephen Imobhio, had explained that the uncertainty in the political atmosphere in Nigeria necessitated the shift in date first from March 2023 to May 2023 and then to July 2023. ‘’We didn’t anticipate that the governorship elections will be extended and with inauguration of the President-Elect in May 2023, we felt it was necessary to give a one-month breather and then converge in July for the festival. Election is over now. So, we are ready with the maiden edition of AILFF,” said Osezua, who disclosed that the theme is, African Indigenous Language Films: Prospects & Imperatives. screening of films submitted for the festival, there will be panel and round table discussions as well as industry sessions. There will also be an award ceremony on the last day of the festival, which is July 7 where we shall be recognising individuals and institutions as well as giving awards to deserving films entered for the festival and as decided by the jury, Osezua added. AILFF aims at promoting, projecting and preserving African Indigenous language films, arts, culture and tourism. The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Balarabe Ilelah, C.E.O of Storm 360 and Chairman of Audio-Visual Right Society of Nigeria (AVRS) have been confirmed as speakers at the main festival panel discussion on July 5.

No Nigerian Film As Competition Heats Up For Durban Film Festival
NO Nigerian film will feature in or out of competition at the 44th edition of the yearly Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), which holds from July 20 to 30. However, films produced by filmmakers from 15 countries will compete for awards at this year’s DIFF. Nine feature films will compete for awards in six categories of Best Feature Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor and Best Actress. The festival’s jury is drawn from eight countries and a total sum of 250 000 rands in awards is up for grabs across the various competition categories. The nine feature films in competition are Banel and Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy (France, Senegal, Mali), Joram by Devashish Makhija (India), Omen by Baloji (Belgium, Netherlands, The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, France, South Africa), Riceboy Sleeps by Anthony Shim (Canada), Runs In The Family by Ian Gabriel (South Africa) and Sira by Apolline Traoré (Burkina Faso). The other films are Slow by Marija Kavtaradze (Lithuania), The Burdened by Amr Gamal (Yemen) and Totem by Lila Avilés (Mexico). The winners for awards will be selected by an international jury comprising of Jean Marie Teno (Cameroun / France), Lisa Aziz (South Africa) and Lesedi Moche (South Africa). South African and African features that have been officially selected for this year’s programme will all be eligible for the Best South African Feature and Best African Feature awards categories. Award winners will be announced on Saturday, July 29, 2023. The full programme is available at ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za.

Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins To Premiere At TIFF
ORGANISERS of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) have announced that Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins, a soccer comedy directed and co-written by the New Zealand filmmaker, will make its World Premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (September 7 to 17). We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world, said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “Next Goal Wins is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fill until the 2026 World Cup arrives.” The TIFF Ebert Director Award recipient was last at the Festival in 2019 with the World Premiere of Jojo Rabbit. The film went on to win the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Next Goal Wins stars Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, with Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss. The heartfelt sports comedy is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name and follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around. Next Goal Wins is a Searchlight Pictures film. More Festival details can be sourced at tiff.net/join. Organisers announced that the full Festival schedule will be released in August.