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
1. Adventures of Comic Con – USA
2. Flesh and Spirit - Nigeria
3. Kuto - Congo
4. Freedom to Flashbush - USA
5. Mother Tongue - Pakistan
SHORT FILM – NIGERIA
1. Convictus - Gbenga Salu
2. These Two - Amina Garba/Imoabasi Ime
3. May 27th - Smart Edikan
4. Dangerous Silence - Adeyinka Adetoyi
5. Dark Clouds - Kemi Adekomi
6. Almost - Jon Imo Bassey
7. Hostage - Matthew Oluwatobiloba
FEATURE FILM – NIGERIA
1. Enough of the Silence – Andrew Amenechi
2. Strain – Uduak Obong Patrick
3. Sin City – Muyiwa Ademola
4. What Happened in St James – Marc Adebesin
5. Obsession – Chidiebere Emmanuel
6. The Toubled One – Vigil Chime
7. Alaise – Edgar Leroy
SHORT FILM – FOREIGN
1. Fringe Magnet - Brazil
2. On/Off – South Africa
3. Dear Immigrant - Canada
4. Memories from Others - USA
5. That Day I was Twenty One - China
6. Nakato - Uganda
7. One God, One Love - Bahamas
OUTSTANDING ACTOR
1. Okey Uzoeshi – Strain - Nigeria
2. Edris Ludega - Bedroom Chains - Uganda
3. Muzaffar Khan - The Brittle Thread - India
4. Sambaza Nzeribe - Enough of Silence - Nigeria
5. Jai Raja - The Lifting - USA
6. Kenneth Okoli - The Touched One - Nigeria
7. Deyemi Okanlawon – What happened at St James – Nigeria
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS
1. Toyin Aimaku - Sin City - Nigeria
2. Foi Wambui - Enough of the Silence - Nigeria
3. Bahri Soula - Soula - Algeria
4. Shaffy Bello - Obsession - Nigeria
5. Meghar Matu - The Brittle Thread - India
6. Valerie Ayena - Love Trap - Cameroon
7. Tunu M. Yaya - Uncle - Uganda
BEST FEATURE (FOREIGN)
1. Brave - France
2. Bedroom Chain - Uganda
3. The Lifting - USA
4. Uncle - Tanzania
5. Love Trap - Cameroon
6. Master of Light - USA
7. Identical Justice - USA
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
1. Cosson Chinepoh - Love Trap - Cameroon
2. Andrew Amenechi - Enough of Silence - Nigeria
3. Tom Jones - Mateka(Captives) - Uganda
4. Chidiebere Nwosu - Obsession - Nigeria
5. Shanchar Levi - Shlosha Tapuzim - Isreal
6. Habibu Yusuph Madabu - Uncle - Tanzania
7. Muyiwa Ademola - Sin ity - Nigeria
OUTSTANDING MUSIC SCORE
1. Brave – France
2. Mateka – Uganda
3. Shlosa Tapuzim - Isreal
4. Sin City - Nigeria
5. Life After Death - Nigeria
6. Omowale - South Africa
7. The Alert - Nigeria
OUTSTANDING STUDENT FILM
1. Aminata – Spain
2. The Lesson Of Courage - China
3. Towards Utopia - UK
4. Zoe - Central Africa Republic
5. Once upon a Perfect Murder - Nigeria
6. The Doll - Iran
7. On Solid Ground - Serbia
OUTSTANDING ANIMATION FILM
1. Larvae Story - Korea
2. The Pyramid - Egypt
3. The Nomad -Lebanon
4. Weight - USA
5. Shloha Tapuzim - Isreal
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY FILM
1. Palm To Crude - Nigeria
2. Everest Man - Nepal
3. Heart of Gold - Thailand
4. Journey of Igbo Civilization - Nigeria
5. The House Mulogiouli - Kenya
6. From Behind The Window - Iran
7. Cinema Beyond Boundaries - Australia
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