The Africa Cinematography Festival (ACF) corporate brand unveiling took place on Monday 18^th September, 2017 at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

In his welcome address, Co-founder of ACF, Mr. Sunny Odafe explained that the festival is basically about training, production enhancement, networking and empowerment of the youth and industry practitioners in film, Television, radio and other aspects of the arts.

Grand Patron of the ACF, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija on her part, appreciated the stakeholders, sponsors, government regulatory agencies, resource persons andthe media, etc, for their confidence in the project. She noted that the ACF project is an empowerment platform that holds a lot of positives for the individuals, film industry and national economy. She therefore called on all participants who are willing to give value to their lives to register as the registration portal is open to all.

The event Co-ordinator of ACF, Mrs. Judith Ambilla Alakija while presenting the Africa Cinematography Festival (ACF) brand ambassadors explained that the ACF project would provide the youths of Nigeria and Africa at large with great opportunities that will help develop their mental and moral faculties and also create self employment opportunities.

According to Mrs. Ambilla Alakija, the brand ambassadors drawn from Nigeria, South Africa, Gambia, Cameroun, Republic of Benin, Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana have all played key roles in the development of the film industry in their respective countries. Among them are, Ramsey Noauh from Nigeria, Sandra Segehers Mushud from DRC, Bintu Sylla from Guinea and Oghenekaro Itene also from Nigeria etc.

During the event, both the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board and the Managing Director of the Nigeria Film Corporation (NFC) gave goodwill messages.

The Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Alhaji Adedayo Thomas commended the vision of the organizers of ACF for the Nigerian film industry. He said it is a great honour for the Censors Board to be seen as progress partners and that the Board is excited about what the ACF presents to the various stakeholders in the film and video industry in Nigeria.

Thomas admitted that he was pleased with what Africa Cinematography Festival (ACF) seeks to achieve through film entrepreneurship, capacity building, empowerment, networking, partnership and growth for the industry in Nigeria and Africa at large.

According to him, the NFVCB looks forward to the prospect of growing and sustaining the film and video industry through quality and globally competitive content, productions which will ultimately increase the film value chain in Nigeria and make the industry a globally recognized film and video industry. He noted that, a platform such as this, will ultimately provide film stakeholders with capacity building always and that, suggestions are welcomed from all.

Speaking further, the Executive Director noted that identification with the ACF is natural to the Board due to its vision, what it presents and the long term effects it will have on the film and video industry in Nigeria. He said it is also part of the Board’s stand to support any platform that seeks to improve the Nigerian film and video industry.

Thomas reiterated the Censors Board’s commitment to providing an enabling environment which will not only facilitate global film content production but also ensure that film and video investments is guaranteed through structured distribution and rights protections. According to him, this was why the Board took the fight against unlicensed distribution, distribution of unclassified films and video works, the unapproved release of films and illegal import and export of films and video works to Alaba International Market in August, 2017.

Thomas got an ovation when he informed the gathering that within five months of his appointment, the Board was able to raid the Alaba Market of unwholesome films and video works worth over N100 million. He also told them of the arrests of five major defaulters who are in police custody in Abuja and would be prosecuted soon. This, according to him, is the first feat in the history of the Nigerian Movie Industry.

The ED told them that the present government only wants to support ideas that generate wealth for the Film and Video Censors Board. He told them that protection of ideas and intellectual property rights of stakeholders will generate wealth and not subsidy. According to him, by the time the government finishes with the cleaning of the environment, there will be no need for subsidy because clean environments worldwide generates prosperity. He therefore called on all stakeholders to watch out for the Board’s Consumer Forum coming up at the Yankari Games Reserve, Bauchi, in November 2017. He encouraged all the stakeholders to ensure they attend the forum as well as the ACF capacity building forum in November which are all platforms meant for the film industry in Nigeria to flourish.