From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Ahead of the Zuma Film Festival scheduled to hold between the 1st and 7th of May, co-organisers have stated that the outcome of the film event will make the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) an investment destination and also open up the key creative potentials of the industry to residents of Abuja.
The 2022 edition which is jointly sponsored by the Nigerian Film Corporation and the Federal Capital Territory Administration following a previous Memorandum of Understanding signed between both parties for which Abuja will be the host city for the film festival in Nigeria over the next 10 years.
According to the organisers, modalities have been put in place to ensure that the 2022 edition is bigger and better and further unlock the creative potential of the Nation’s capital.
These were stated at a pre-event briefing organised for the press in Abuja on Thursday ahead of the week-long event themed “show the money” scheduled to be held in May.
The Minister for State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, who was represented by Mr Samuel Atang. Director, Operations, Office of the Permanent Secretary. FCTA pointed out that Abuja having rapidly garnered a reputation as a pleasant tourist destination with its rich cultural mix, beautiful sights and bustling entertainment industry will sustain using the Zuma Film Festival as a springboard.
Tijani added that the collaboration between the FCTA and the NFC will not only ensure a bigger and better Zuma Film Festival but will also provide residents of Abuja with investment opportunities in the nation’s creative economy.
She said: “We intend to continue to leverage on windows of cooperation that exist within the creative and tourism sectors in the country and also harness the opportunities created by this festival to develop the abundant local talents in the FCT.
“I therefore thank Nigerian filmmakers for the rising profile of Abuja as a location of choice for our local films thus enabling us to benefit from the tremendous value chain that comes with this.
“We also commend their ingenuity in putting the Nigerian film industry on the global map with very limited resources, making it third only to Bollywood and Nollywood. We intend to use the collaboration between the FCTA and the Nigeria Film Corporation to further ensure sustainable development of our indigenous film industry with the ultimate aim of making Abuja, the film and creative hub for Africa using the Zuma Film Festival as a catalyst to attain these dreams.
She further appreciated the event partners and the Media for promoting the event in a positive light and enjoined the public to give the event the publicity it deserves.
On his part, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NFC, Dr Chidia Maduekwe, expressed that the collaborative partnership between the FCTA and the NFC is significant and iconic. Stressing that Abuja now being the host city is in line with global practices like- Cannes (France), Toronto (Canada) and several others.
Chidia revealed that the objective of the 2022 ZFF, the 12th edition is to herald a total transformation of the film, cinema and tourism activities of the country, especially within the FCT.
“Since its inception in 1999 and its rebranding in 2017 as Nigeria’s foremost and international film festival, no efforts have been spared to ensure that the objectives of the film festival are maximally achieved.
“Consequently, the collaborative partnership between the FCTA and the NFC in mounting subsequent editions of the film festival beginning from this 12th edition is very significant and iconic. Abuja has now been designated as the official host city for the Zuma film festival.
“At the NFC, we are resolved to deepen and develop the Nigerian film industry. Within the broad and specific mandate of developing the Nigerian film industry, NFC remains committed to engaging its key partners at all levels, Chida further disclosed.
He also thanked Alh. Lai Mohammed, Hon. Minister of Information & gratitude to the Honorable Minister, Mal. Muhammad Musa Bello and the Honorable Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Federal Capital Territory Administration, for facilitating the hosting of the event which he described as his historic first outing.
The film festival is scheduled to take place from 1st – 7th May 2022, at the respective venues: NICON LUXURY Abuja (1st – 4th) and International Conference Centre, Abuja (5th -7th). Time: 9:00 am Daily. Some of the major events of the Film Festival include, but not limited to the following: Opening Ceremony/Screening of Opening Films, Red Carpet scheduled for Sunday, May 1st, 2022 at 5:00 pm.
