Nigerian Filmmaker, Femi Odugbemi Joins Oscars Voting Academy

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE with Agency report

Nigerian renowned filmmaker, Femi Odugbemi, has been formally invited into the voting membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the United States of America.

The academy organises and decides the nominations for the universally-acclaimed Oscars Award for motion pictures.

It is a world recognised movie-related organisaion, comprising more than 8000 accomplished men and women working in cinema.

Academy membership is limited to film artists working in the production of theatrically-released motion pictures.

The academy has 17 branches ranging from actors, writers and two categories that involve members-at-large and associates to accommodate individuals who have no defined branches in motion picture.

Elated Odugbemi shared the news of his invitation to the Oscars on his Instagram page @femiodugbemi on Monday.

He wrote: “So today, I received a formal invitation to become a voting member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the United States. Honoured! #Oscars #Vote4bestfilm.”

Odugbemi, who studied Film and Television at The Montana State University, scripted, directed and produced numerous documentaries, short films and drama.

He produced Tinsel, a widely acclaimed soap opera that started airing in August 2008 and celebrated as successful drama on Nigerian television.

The producer’s filmmaking credits include ‘Gidi Blues’, ‘Battleground’, ‘Maroko’ and ‘Bariga Boy’.

Odugbemi was elected the President of the Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria in 2002, a tenure that ended in 2006.

In 2008, he produced ‘Abobaku’, a short film directed by Niji Akanni.

The film won the Most Outstanding Short Film at the Zuma Film Festival held in 2010.

It also won Best Costume at the 6th Africa Movie Academy Awards held on April 10, 2010 at the Gloryland Cultural Centre in Bayelsa.

In 2013, Odugbemi scripted, produced and directed a documentary titled, ‘Literature, Language and Literalism’ about the late Nigerian writer, Daniel Fagunwa, the author of ‘Ògbójú Ọdẹ nínú Igbó Irúnmalẹ̀’.