Lagos Ready For Festival Of Lights, Camera

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

For three days starting from 30 September to 2 October, the serene Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria island, Lagos will play host to hundreds of creative minds across Africa participating in this year edition of the Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival.

The Film Festival, in those three days, will bring to audiences an offering of films under the banner ‘Music Makes the People…’.

A statement signed by festival director, Ugoma Adegoke, opened with glee: “We are proud to announce that the sixth edition of The Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival is days away…We’ve got an eclectic mix of features, shorts and documentaries, comedies animation and social commentary to share with you over three days of FREE screenings.”

Adegoke said this year’s festival will open with Abba Makama’s latest film Green White Green (2016) which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

She continued, “This year, we chose “Music Makes The People…” as an anchoring theme because we all have a song that makes us happy or sad, one that makes us want to jump on our feet or a tune that reminds us of a cherished person or moment.

“It will be a note, a beat, rhythm, harmony, a melody, a tune… MUSIC. It is a feast that is dedicated to screening the very best of emerging, fresh, independent African cinema and in particular celebrating the musical voice of film. How about we explore those feelings through film?

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe at 2015 edition

The festival will be premiering Ed Keazor’s Lagos: 1861-1960 The Growth of a City of Style which documents the changing sounds and faces of the megacity through time. In Intore (2014), director Eric Kabera examines the healing power of dance as Rwanda reeled from the genocide. American filmmaker Ron Wyman puts the spotlight on a contemporary musical genius Tunde Jegede in his hour-long film simply named TUNDE (2011).

Ghana’s rising acting star Maame Yaa Boafo of An African City fame shows her versatility in Alfonso Johnson’s Olive (2016) and The New York I Love (2016) directed by Nigerian-American filmmaker Iquo Essien.

“We’re excited to have Iquo back after bringing us Aissa’s Story (2013) all the way from her Brooklyn base two years ago,” Adegoke stated.

These and many more await participants at one of Nigeria’s leading festivals.

Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival will boast about 20 movies this year. And, true to its tradition, it will also hold free film interactions, host a colorful souk of African crafts and other ideal gifts items, live music, and a bevy of thrilling performances.

“We will be featuring the famous Festival Souk, inter-disciplinary showcases of literature, visual art and live music, the festival promises to be one of a lifetime. The festival is an unabashed display of works of film that speak to the power of music and indeed other art forms to create love, express sorrow, build bridges and end wars.,” the organisers assured.

In its sixth edition, the Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival, through its consistently bold representation of diverse African cinema shares theme that is perhaps the most appropriate motifs for its native city; Lagos.

Expected to play active roles during the 3-day festival are iconic filmmaker Tunde Kelani, foremost arts/culture critic Jahman Anikulapo, Pascal Ott, Ego Boyo, Kate Henshaw, Remi Vaughan-Richards, Kemi Lala Akindoju, O.C Ukeje, Debie Mangut and Shaibu Husseini.

The festival partners are Ford Foundation, Union Bank, Federal Palace Hotel, The Wheatbaker, Zircon Marine, Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institut, Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), British Council, Film House, VAN Lagos and The New Black Film Collective.