The organisers of the Abuja International Film Festival have announced the official selections for the 19th edition of the film festival scheduled for October 31 to November 3, 2022 at the prestigious Silverbird Cinemas Abuja and two other centres in the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory.
According to the Festival Communication Officer, Millicent Bassey, who announced the festival theme as THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION – HARNESSING THE POTENTIALS IN ONLINE STREAMING AND DOWNLOADS OF CONTENTS as being a apt theme that reveals the opportunities and challenges inherent in global digital film arena of which Nigeria is a major player.
The Abuja International Film Festival, which is the longest running film festival in anglophone West Africa, received a total of 1,771 films from 87 countries, while about 91 films and filmmakers respectively made the final selection for the 2022.
The festival director, Temitope Duker, who spoke on activities lined up for the festival, emphasized that the festival regulars like screenings, master classes, panel discussions, parties and the grand event of the closing night, where honors will go to deserving films and filmmakers will feature this year.
Also listed for this year’s event is a short film completion for young and aspiring filmmakers on hygiene and it is sponsored by HYPO bleach. Contestants are expected to submit their films on or before the 20th of October 2022 with duration of 5 minutes.
Interestingly, some of the films this year have thematic content on gender and social issues from various countries including Nepal, Poland, USA, South Africa, India, China, Jordan, Canada, Tanzania, Brazil, Egypt and Nigeria amongst several others.
Duker confirmed that unlike the 2021 edition that had only 1171 entries with 92 selected for screenings and 42 nominated for possible awards, the 2022 edition has more entries from more nations around the world with Nigeria accounting for 35% of the total entries.
Reiterating further, Bassey maintained that the he is excited that the festival is back in full force ahead of the 20th Edition of the festival next year.
“As the global filmmaking industry moves towards new digital revolution in online streaming and downloads of contents, it has become expedient to discuss the new story-telling traditions used by filmmakers in captivating the online viewers,” he said.
The activities for the 20th edition of the festival will be unveiled during this 19th edition with the launch of the Score Nollywood Hall of Fame and Museum in Abuja.
The Nominees for the 2022 Edition of the Festival are as follows:
19TH ABUJA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL NOMINEES
EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Adventures of Comic Con – USA
Flesh and Spirit – Nigeria
Kuto – Congo
Freedom to Flashbush – USA
Mother Tongue – Pakistan
SHORT FILM – NIGERIA
Convictus – Gbenga Salu
These Two – Amina Garba/Imoabasi Ime
May 27th – Smart Edikan
Dangerous Silence – Adeyinka Adetoyi
Dark Clouds – Kemi Adekomi
Almost – Jon Imo Bassey
Hostage – Matthew Oluwatobiloba
FEATURE FILM – NIGERIA
Enough of the Silence – Andrew Amenechi
Strain – Uduak Obong Patrick
Sin City – Muyiwa Ademola
What Happened in St James – Marc Adebesin
Obsession – Chidiebere Emmanuel
The Toubled One – Vigil Chime
Alaise – Edgar Leroy
SHORT FILM – FOREIGN
Fringe Magnet – Brazil
On/Off – South Africa
Dear Immigrant – Canada
Memories from Others – USA
That Day I was Twenty One – China
Nakato – Uganda
One God, One Love – Bahamas
OUTSTANDING ACTOR
Okey Uzoeshi – Strain – Nigeria
Edris Ludega – Bedroom Chains – Uganda
Muzaffar Khan – The Brittle Thread – India
Sambaza Nzeribe – Enough of Silence – Nigeria
Jai Raja – The Lifting – USA
Kenneth Okoli – The Touched One – Nigeria
Deyemi Okanlawon – What happened at St James – Nigeria
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS
Toyin Aimaku – Sin City – Nigeria
Foi Wambui – Enough of the Silence – Nigeria
Bahri Soula – Soula – Algeria
Shaffy Bello – Obsession – Nigeria
Meghar Matu – The Brittle Thread – India
Valerie Ayena – Love Trap – Cameroon
Tunu M. Yaya – Uncle – Uganda
BEST FEATURE (FOREIGN)
Brave – France
Bedroom Chain – Uganda
The Lifting – USA
Uncle – Tanzania
Love Trap – Cameroon
Master of Light – USA
Identical Justice – USA
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
Cosson Chinepoh – Love Trap – Cameroon
Andrew Amenechi – Enough of Silence – Nigeria
Tom Jones – Mateka(Captives) – Uganda
Chidiebere Nwosu – Obsession – Nigeria
Shanchar Levi – Shlosha Tapuzim – Isreal
Habibu Yusuph Madabu – Uncle – Tanzania
Muyiwa Ademola – Sin ity – Nigeria
OUTSTANDING MUSIC SCORE
Brave – France
Mateka – Uganda
Shlosa Tapuzim – Isreal
Sin City – Nigeria
Life After Death – Nigeria
Omowale – South Africa
The Alert – Nigeria
OUTSTANDING STUDENT FILM
Aminata – Spain
The Lesson Of Courage – China
Towards Utopia – UK
Zoe – Central Africa Republic
Once upon a Perfect Murder – Nigeria
The Doll – Iran
On Solid Ground – Serbia
OUTSTANDING ANIMATION FILM
Larvae Story – Korea
The Pyramid – Egypt
The Nomad Lebanon
Weight – USA
Shloha Tapuzim – Isreal
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY FILM
Palm To Crude – Nigeria
Everest Man – Nepal
Heart of Gold – Thailand
Journey of Igbo Civilization – Nigeria
The House Mulogiouli – Kenya
From Behind The Window – Iran
Cinema Beyond Boundaries – Australia