Lagos@50 Launches ‘Lagos Under The Lens’

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

Prof. Soyinka with some youths at Freedom Park

On Monday 5 December, the directorate of the Lagos@50 Creative Task Force will launch an initiative, Lagos Under the Lens, the film component of the on-going celebration of LAGOS AT 50 (May 2016-May 2017).

A statement by Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo, foremost arts journalist and curator, on behalf of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Co-Chair, Lagos@50 Committee, said the initiative is designed to provide opportunity for the motion picture industry to also celebrate Lagos State as hub and capital of the Nigerian film industry.

“The main focus of Lagos Under The Lens will be a weekly screening of films on or about Lagos. The films will be sourced from archives and a wide range of producers, organisations and private individuals,” said Anikulapo.

He noted that the project, curated by the ace filmmaker, Mr. Tunde Kelani with support services from office of the co-Chair of the Lagos@50 Committee, Professor Wole Soyinka,  is in partnership with the Film Club of the Freedom Park, the official home of the Lagos@50 celebration.

To kick off the project, Gidi Blues-A Lagos Love Story, produced and directed by Femi Odugbemi of CUT 24 Productions will hold on Monday 5 December at the Freedom Park.

Other films in the series’ line up include FAAJI AGBA, directed by Remi Vaughan Richards; MAAMI, directed/produced by Tunde Kelani; RELENTLESS, directed/produced Andy Okoroafor; LAGOS NOTES OF A CITY by Jens Wenkel; HEADGONE produced by Dare and Lekan Lasisi; MAROKO directed/produced by Femi Odugbemi and FIFTY produced by Mo Abudu among others.

Anikulapo added that essentially, the structure of the Lagos Under The Lens: 50 Films About Lagos, is “to partner with the Freedom Park Film Club to host a weekly screening of films with essentially Lagos-related themes; and use the Monday evening screening slot of the Freedom Park’s Film Club to screen the so-selected films.

He said the weekly screening will last till the last week of May 2017, when the Lagos@50 project is expected to wind up, adding that discussion with the respective filmmakers are ongoing, and the specific date of screening will be communicated as soon as the various negotiations have been concluded.

Each weekly screening will also be accompanied by the screening of a short feature or documentary to be provided by the Freedom Park Film Club.