All the Winners of Awards at the 13th Abuja International Film Festival

Press Release: Dateline 10th October 2016.  13th ABUJA INTERNATIONAL FIM FESTIVAL

The 13th Abuja International  took place from 4th to 7th of October 2016 at the Silverbird cinemas Abuja. The festival witnessed the screening of 65 films from 37 countries from the over seven hundred entries received from 57 countries.  The Film market witnessed the attendance of 30 exhibitors who came to exhibit their product and services during the 4 day event.

The Film Festival this year was very much different from previous years as it had unprecedented 3221 visitors at the festival in 4 days. This is probably the largest number of visitors at any film festival in Nigeria. We also created some programmes that made the Abuja international film festival different from previous edition. You know we are the premiere and longest running independent film festival in Nigeria and West Africa. Uninterrupted for 13 years. this year’s we had a masterclass in acting facilitated by Richard Mofe Damijo, Lancelot Imasuen, Segun Arinze and Francis duru where over 150 actors were trained in the basics of screen acting. We also collaborated with Canon UK and Middle East to train 60 young aspiring Nigerians in cinematography and Photography, here skills and knowledge was transferred which I know the results will manifest in the coming years as most of them will be very successful entrepreneurs in the creative sector.

This is not the first time we are having a minister at the festival. we have had over 3 ministers in the person of Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu, Mr. Frank Nweke jnr both Minister of Information and Oloye olajumoke Akinjide the former Minister of state FCT, so Ministers attending the Festival is not new but however what is unique is that we had three ministers in attendance namely Alhaji Lai Mohammed the Minister of Information, Alhaji Muhammed Bello of the FCT and Engr. Suleiman Adamu the Minister of water resources. We also had 9 ambassadors from Iran, US, Argentina, Mexico, France, Ghana, China amongst others. Also in attendance were Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, present and former DG's, former Ministers and several major stakeholders. We had a large delegation from Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Togo, Benin, Cote D'Voire amongst others for the FEPACI meeting. It had more exhibitors as they had a lot to offer the sector.

It was basically a function of careful planning and creating the right programming for the festival. an example is the women in film panel that x-rayed the dominant influence of women in Nigerian cinema lately and of course the fepaci co production and distribution workshop where countries within the west African sub region and neighboring countries discussed areas of synergy and partnership in production, distribution and the fight against piracy.

We are very optimistic of a bigger 2017 film festival. For me it can only be better and we hope to do an appraisal of what happened this year and begin to plan for 2017. I have always said festivals are planned for a year so we will return to the drawing board and begin the plan. What I can assure you is that we will do better and continue to raise the standard.

That is in the pipeline, we will add more interesting categories next year. Some of these additions will be in tune with the best global standard as per award categories for festivals without eroding the essence of the festival. However we will want to get most of the categories endowed and this is obviously possible.

The 13th Abuja International film festival had likes of Richard Mofe Damijo, Emeka Ike, Paul Obaazele, Zack Orji, Evelyn Ikunobe, Thelma Okoduwa, Segun Arinze, Judith Audu, Emeka Osai, Fred Amata, Sonny McDon, Musi Waa and Wilson Gilbert  from cameroun, Akofa Asiedu and Kwame Boadie from Ghana, Ken Njoku, Chike Chekwas, Chike Brian, Bond Emeruwa, Mahmood Ali Balogun, Tony Anih , Ladan Salihu former DG FRCN, Mr. John Odey Former Minister of Information amongst several others in attendance.

ALL THE WINNERS
OUTSTANDING STUDENT FILM
A TURNED TABLE - SAMSON NUNGKOP

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR
PRINCE DAVID OSEI- LAST NIGHT
GHANA/NIGERIA

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTRESS
JUDITH AUDU - JUST NOT MARRIED
NIGERIA

OUTSTANDING FILM IN DIRECTING
SADEGH DACHIGHI - UNTIL AHMAD RETURNS
IRAN

OUTSTANDING  DOCUMENTRY FILM
RECORD MUNDIALE - MEXICO
SANTIANO GERAT

OUTSTANDING FILM IN ANIMATION
MONSTER HUNT -/CHINA
RAMAN HUI

OUTSTANDING  FEATURE FILM (FOREIGN)
HARD COP (VIVIR Y DEJAR MATAR)
ARGENTINA
JUAN GABRIEL CORNEL

OUTSTANDING  FEATURE FILM (INDIGENEOUS)
A SOLDIER’S STORY FRANKIE OGAC

OUTSTANDING  SHORT FILM (NIGERIA)
OPEYEMI - ALVAN OBICHIE

OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM (FOREIGN)
ALMA - CHRISTA EKA ASSAM
CAMEROON

GOLDEN JURY AWARD
MONSTER HUNT - RAMAN HUI
CHINA

EFERE OZAKO BEST EXPERIMENTAL
WAKRIKE - CHINWIKE ONWUCHEKWA
NIGERIA

OUTSTANDING MUSIC SCORE
THE TALE OF LOVE - AHMAD RAMEZANZEDEH
IRAN

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
ATM - LANCELOT ODUWA IMASUEN