The Best International Film Festivals in Nigeria

Nigeria is famous for developing the phenomenal Nollywood, the largest film industry in Africa and producing more home videos than Hollywood and second only to Bollywood in the world. But there are currently only five credible international film festivals in Nigeria and none of them has a film market. They may not be in competition with Cairo, Durban and other notable international film festivals in Africa, but they are showing great prospects of becoming the best organized in the continent.

The first credible international film festival in Nigeria was the Lagos International Forum on Cinema, Motion Picture and Video in Africa organized by Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN) from 2001 to 2006. It attracted local and international filmmakers and supported by the Nigerian film Corporation and French Embassy. It started from when Chief Tunde Oloyede was President of ITPAN and continued successfully when Mr. Femi Odugbemi succeeded him as President of ITPAN. But the film festival has been abandoned since the last edition.

The selection of the following five international film festivals is based on professional competence, experience and expertise of the founders and organizers in the film industry. A credible film festival should have a credible management team and organizing committee. Any film festival without any organizing committee cannot be credible and will definitely be dysfunctional which is the glaring setback of the irregular annual Lagos International Film Festival and also the annual Eko International Film Festival I founded in August 2009 which has not been what a real film festival should be, because it is currently being mismanaged without a festival director, without a functional office and without any organizing committee. The company organizing the film festival has contravened the constitution and reduced it to an ordinary film show of movies without any programmer and without any selection committee. The following are the best and most credible international film festivals in Nigeria.


The Zuma Film Festival (ZIFF) was formerly known as the National Film Festival and renamed Zuma from the third edition held from March 11 -16, 2006 in Abuja. It is organized every two years by the Nigerian Film Corporation. Zuma is still a credible international film festival and one of the most accomplished Nigerian filmmakers, Newton Aduaka chaired the jury of the 2014 ZUMA International Film Festival.

The annual Abuja International Film Festival founded by Mr.. and Mrs. Fidelis Duker and their NAFIFO Ventures started in 2004 and has the most long standing organizing committee of accomplished Nigerian filmmakers and established stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry. It has been having well chaired competitions with prizes for local and international filmmakers and regular film workshops and seminars. It is the only international film festival in Abuja and an avenue to attract and boost film tourism. It is affiliated to Durban International Film Festival, Dahlegona International Film Festival, Georgia, Zimbabwe International Film Festival and Commonwealth International Film Festival. http://www.abujafilmfestng.org/

The annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) was founded in 2010 by Ms. Chioma Ude and the inaugural edition was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She started AFRIFF after being the local producer of the ION International Film Festival (IONIFF), a global touring festival originating from Hollywood. And I wrote on the closing ceremony of the 2011 edition held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos.. The report was published widely in Nigeria and also on Modern Ghana,http://www.modernghana.com/movie/16573/3/afriff-international-film-festival-brings-hollywoo.html AFRIFF has been attracting some of the best local and international filmmakers and movie buffs and Newton Aduaka’s “One Man's Show“ (Winner of the FIPRESCI International Critics Award at 2013 FESPACO ) screened at AFRIFF 2013.. http://afriff.com/about/afriff-history/


Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival of The Life House was created in 2011 by Mr. Dayo Adegoke and his wife Mrs.Ugoma Adegoke, Co-Founders of The Life House that organizes the annual international film festival. Mrs. Adegoke has been the Festival Director and the film festival is among the best organized international film festivals in Nigeria and has a partnership with African Film Festival Inc., New York, U.S.A. http://lightscameraafrica.com.


iREPRESENT (iREP) International Documentary Film Festival (Irep) is like Nigeria’s version of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) the foremost documentary film festival in Europe. iREPRESENT (iREP) was founded in 2010 by the troika of Femi Odugbemi, Jahman Anikulapo and Makin Soyinka. It is now one of the leading international documentary film festivals in Africa, co-host of Dok.Network Africa programme at the 30th Anniversary edition of the Dok.Fest Munich, Germany. Femi Odugbemi, Co-founder and Executive Director of iREP has taken the film festival to establish working partnerships with Ag-Dok, the highly influential German association of independent film producers and a founding signatory to the Documentary Network Africa, DNA, an influential documentary platform featuring filmmakers from over 45 countries in the continent. http://irepfilmfestival.com/


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, prize winning writer and Publisher/Editor of NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®, Nigerians Report Online and other publications and CEO of International Digital Post Network Limited and other companies.

You didn't mention EKO International Film Festival

Eko International Film Festival has an operational office.
We want to draw your attention to an article ‘The best film festivals in Nigeria’ where the Eko International Film Festival which was misrepresented as not having operational office and many other libelous and defamation comments against the platform.
PRESENT OPERATIONAL ADDRESS
Eko International Film Festival
Supple Communications Limited,
No.17 Modupe Johnson Crescent
Surulere Lagos, Nigeria.
And you can reach us with the following email addresses.
president@ekoiff.org
contact@ekoiff.org
submissions@ekoiff.org
press@ekoiff.org
marketing@ekoiff.org
Our telephone numbers are
+234 803 303 6171
+234 818 315 1753
Eko International Film Festival was registered under the Ministry of Trade and commerce of Nigeria and also registered under the copyright laws of Federal republic of Nigeria.
Eko International Film Festival currently on her 6th edition attracted 3.114 films from over 118 countries around the globe and the committee are working round the clock over these films and the festival date remain November 16-21,2015. The festival official selection will soon be announced.
In 2013 Lagos State Government endorsed the Eko International Film Festival.
The mission of Eko International Film Festival is to promote the appreciation of Arts and Culture through the motion picture arts and sciences and increase tourism in the global village.
Eko International Film Festival currently on her 6th edition have partnered with several multinational like Heineken International, Nexim bank of the federal republic of Nigeria, Multichoice the biggest tv cable network in Africa,African Magic Mnet Africa.
The festival have also partnered with some reputable media houses in Nigeria ie, Silverbird TV, Rhyme Fm stations, NTA which has the biggest reach in all the 36 states in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, Galaxy TV, Guardian newspaper, Sun newspaper, National Mirror, The Nich, Daily Independent, Vanguard Newspapers, This Day Newspaper, Tribune newspaper and many blogs, like Bellanaija.com, onobello.com.etc.
We are not competing with any film festival in Nigeria but open to collaboration with others for a better film industry in Nigeria.
The President/Founder of Eko International Film Festival Hope Obioma Opara has the following academic qualifications, National Dip, Higher National Dip (Finance & Banking) Post Graduate , MBA (Finance) and also Membership of the following Professional Bodies :
Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM)
Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (ARPA)
Independent Television Producers Associations of Nigeria (ITPAN)
He is also the Publisher of Supple Magazine an on line film festival and movie magazine. www.supplemagazine.org
He is the Managing Director/CEO of Supple Communications Limited & Flonnal limited.
Owner and Organizer of the annual Eko International Film Festival.www.ekoiff.org which her 6th edition is coming up November 16-21,2015. Venue prestigious Silverbird Galleria (Silverbird Cinemas) Victoria Island Lagos Nigeria.
The Film Festival president have earned press accreditation onwww.supplemagazine.org platform to Festival de 3 continent in France in 2008, Cannes Film Festival 3 times, Berlin Film Festival in Germany, Rotterdam Film Festival and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Oscars.org in 2014, he was also invited by University of Southern California as a panelist for their 9th annual cultural diplomacy country in Los Angeles United States. see link
http://www.ekoiff.org/2014/03/14/cpd-9th-annual-research-conference-on-cultural-diplomacy-university-of-south-california/
We encourage and appreciate any genuine organization to partner /collaborate with our annual Eko International Film Festival in Lagos Nigeria.
Looking forward having you during the 6th edition of our annual Eko International Film Festival.

Ekoiff Press Release: press@ekoiff.org

EKOIFF AWARD 2015

Feature Film Category Award
1. Best feature film : God forgive us by Michael Bachochin USA

2. Best Nigerian Film: Heavens Hell by Katung Direkta Aduwak

3. Best Actor Jeffery Kissoon Ham & The Piper Uk

4. Best Actress Bimbo Akintola from the film Heavens Hell Nigeria

5. Best Supporting Actor Chumadi Pan from the film Silverain Ghana

6. Best Supporting Actress Nse Ikpe Etim from the film Heavens Hell Nigeria


Documentary Award Category
Best Documentary Under the Palaver Tree Clair Savary France


Indigenous Film Award
1.Best Indigenous Film . Bogiri Olanu by Taiwo Samuel Nigeria

2.Best Actor Indigenous Tayo Afolayan from the film Alaaru Nigeria

3.Best Actress Indigenous Fatia Balogun from the film Bogiri Olanu Nigeria



Short Film Category Award
1. Best Short Film Awaiting Lazarus by Duke Orok UK/Nigeria

2. Best Nigeria Short Film Zyra by Douglas Enogieru Nigeria

3. Best Actor Short Film Michael Peters from the film Awaiting Lazarus UK/Nigeria

4. Best Actress Short Film Abigail Ocheiri from the short film Deranged

Student Animation Film Award
Best Student Film Animation : Tatiana by Sadiq Sadiq Nigeria

1. Outstanding Young Actor Award Somadina Adinma from the film
Miss Teacher Nigeria
2. Outstanding Young Actress Award Treasure Obasi from the film
Heavens Hell Nigeria