Chika Anadu’s B for Boy, Kenneth Gyang’s Confusion Na Wa for Colours of the Nile International Film Festival 2014

Two major Nigerian films Chika Anadu’s B for Boy, Kenneth Gyang’s Confusion Na Wa are among the 48 African films for second edition of Colours of the Nile International Film Festival opening today in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia.

Colours of the Nile International Film Festival 2014: Line Up

Lenses on African Renaissance

Press Release

Colours of the Nile International Film Festival Launches Monday 24 March 2014

48 African films from around the continent will be highlighted during the festival, which runs from 24 – 31 March 2014.

The second edition of Colours of the Nile International Film Festival (CONIFF) launches on Monday 24 March 2014 highlighting 48 African film offerings from around the continent, all of which will be African, East African or Ethiopian premieres from African directors or producers. There will be competitive categories for features, documentaries and short films, with ten awards being given out, including The Great Nile Award for Best Feature Film Director.

The feature selection of 11 films spans a number of debut features: Chika Anadu’s B for Boy, Kenneth Gyang’s Confusion Na Wa, Soussaba Cisse’s Rumours of War, David Tosh Gitonga’s Narobi Half Life, Shams Bhanji’s Zamora: to the more established names of Lincino Azavedo’s Virgin Margarida; Moussa Toure’s La Pirogue; Ntshaveheni Wa Luruli (Elelwani) and Judy Kibinge’s Something Necessary. The list is completed with the Second feature from Ethiopian Director Yidnekachew Shumete, Nishan.

“The festival provides an opportunity to showcase some of the latest films by African filmmakers in its competition sections and to introduce audiences also to older films that they may not have had the opportunity to see, out of competition, including a country focus this year inviting the audience to look back at some of the films from the post-apartheid South Africa, a country which has had a very unique journey of renewal” says June Givanni, the artistic director of the festival.

The line-up of seven impressive documentaries in competition includes both of the filmswhich are from North Africa in this festival: Bout de Vie: Bout de Reve (Algeria/France) and Boxing with Her (Tunisia) presenting unusual and radical perspectives of the world.  All of The films in this section were made in the last two years. Here again, established names of Jean Marie Teno (Leaf in The Wind), William Mbye (President Dia): rub shoulders with the rising stars such as Mati Diop; Lovinsa Kavuma; and Shannon Walsh&Arya Lalloo (Jeppe on a Friday).

The short films competition contains 14 films which were all made in the last 12 months and which provide a kaleidoscopic vision of images, sounds and stories of the continent that will provide audiences with a real treat.  The section included five films which have resulted from the Focus Features Africa First Short Film Programme, Twagga,Security, Adamt, Kwaku Ananse, and Berea. The range of genres and styles attest to the fact that the skills and ambitions of young filmmakers remain as varied and ambitious powered with a Renaissance vision and spirit.

In its country focus section dedicated fully to South African cinema this year, CONIFF programmed a tribute to Nelson Mandela – Madiba, the Great Man of Peace who has marked humanity. Nelson Mandela: “The Struggle Is My Life” by the ANC member Lionel Ngakane will be one of the films to be screened in this section. Oliver Schmitz’s Hijack Stories and Mapantusla, Zola Maseko’s Drum and Madoda Ncayiyana’s Izulu Lami are the other films screened in the South African focus together with a documentary by David Forbes, The Cradock four.

The non-competitive section of the festival “Best of the Rest”  includes a retrospective of the works of Newton Aduaka and an important ‘Mockumentary’ by Cameroun DirectorJean-Pierre Bekolo that sets a challenge to spirit of Renaissance (The President). The feature Kinshasa Kids by Marc-Henri Wajnberg and three engaging documentaries Creativity in Exile:  Joy its Nina; and Messages by Music that are linked in their expressions of migration and PanAfricanism, complete the out of competition section.   

“Our selection captures the shifting paradigm in African cinema that is brought forward by extremely talented young African filmmakers. At the same time the festival upholds and celebrates the extraordinary work of established names of African cinema. This flavour opens a new window to dive into the captivating yet unexplored world of African cinema” says Abraham Haile Biru, CONIFF’s founder and president.  

Oliver Smitz’s film Life above All will open the festival.

The 2^nd Edition of Colours of the Nile International Film Festival is organized by Blue Nile Film and Television Academy in partnership with the Ethiopian Filmmakers Association.  The festival is made possible with the generous support of the European Union, Institut Francais, UNESCO, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, Alliance Ethio-française d'Addis-Abeba, Embassy of the Republic of France in Addis Ababa, Embassy of the Republic of France in Kenya, The Italian Cultural Institute, Timret Lehiwot Ethiopia, W/Loul Travel and Tour, Reporter News Paper, KETA Printers Plc and Leyu Design.

For more information:

Contact Joy Sapieka

joyls@mweb.co.za  +27  73 212 5492

or

Call: +251 930099127

E-mail: info@coloursofthenile.net

Visit: www.coloursofthenile.net

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Using Black Magic in Nollywood By Daring Filmmaker C.J. “Fiery” Obasi

Why I Shot My Horror Feature OJUJU on the Black Magic Cinema Camera

By C.J. “Fiery” Obasi

I shot about 50% of my upcoming feature film on the Black Magic Cinema Camera. My verdict?

 It is a brilliant camera.

Like many filmmakers and tech geeks I was waiting for an opportunity to use the BMCC, way before it was even released. Soon as I got the opportunity, I embraced it with both hands. Literally.

First, I was making a horror feature film OJUJU on a budget (mostly without a budget), and I had weighed first my pocket, obviously and the cons that come with shooting with a typical high-end digital camera such as a Red-Epic or an Arri Alexa without having access to world-class post-production equipment. In my experience, besides the fact that they can afford it (I couldn’t) most filmmakers in Nigeria shoot on a RED because they want crisp pictures, and that’s fine. For me though, I wanted to shoot on a RED because I wanted to project a finished project on 4k. Now, realistically speaking, most filmmakers I know end up projecting in full HD (1080p) anyway, even after shooting on 4k. Which makes me wonder – what’s the point? Why would I spend all that money (which I don’t have, need I remind you) hiring a RED 4k and above camera, shoot, and then only to have a finished film in 1080p. Not to mention the post-production hurdles that you’re going to face when you’re not equipped to handleits post-production demands. I would rather save my money (again, which I don’t have), shoot on a BMCC, light properly, get my film look, and end up with easily manageable rushes that I can edit on the go, even on my laptop, as I see fit. I can have the entire rushes saved in a 1Tb external hard drive. Get an extra one or two, just for back up. But ultimately edit on the go, from one external hard drive. I don’t need a super computer to achieve this. I wish I had one. But I’m making a film on a budget, and as much as I would loooooove to have some Paramount pictures level type of editing suite, we make do with what we got. We’re gonna make pictures. Thanks to the French New Wave, Dogme 95 and John Cassavettes we can conceive an idea, script it, and get on real locations making our dreams come alive, edit it and voila, we have us a picture. And thanks to the BMCC almost any filmmaker can get that film look, without worrying too much about what happens after principal photography.

 Me (Left), An actor (centre), and DOP, Tunji Akinsehinwa (Right)

DOP Tunji Akinsehinwa who has worked on celluloid, as well as with high-end 4k cameras on International projects enjoyed using the BMCC for the first time.

The BMCC is a sleek machine with a 2.5K Raw DNG and 1080p ProRes capability. Its pictures have a peculiar film look, which you can achieve whether in Raw or ProRes format.Which for me is really ground-breaking stuff. It’s got an awesome User Interface, straight to the point kinda stuff. And the monitor’s big enough, just in case you can’t chuck out extra cash for a separate camera monitor. I wish I had the opportunity to shoot my entire film on the BMCC, but I didn’t. Don’t ask why, I only seized the chance when I had it. I would welcome every chance I get to shoot on it. I enjoyed it. But if the guys at Blackmagic Designs wish to win me over for life, all they have to do is one thing. Just one tiny weenie thing – they should just upgrade the fps capability of the Black Magic cameras to support ultra-slow motion shooting. And that my friends, would be knocking the ball out of the ball park.

Actors Gabriel Afolayan and Meg Otanwa play a ghetto couple Romero and Alero respectively...will their 'ghetto love' see them through, when the plague of OJUJU strikes!

Romero’s (Gabriel Afolayan) neighbourhood is in trouble. People are suddenly manifesting symptoms of rabid river blindness . With his friends, Emmy (Kelechi Udegbe) and Peju (Omawunmi Dada) he struggles to understand how the neighbourhood’s sole source of water supply could have been infected. However, there’s no time to ponder because they all must survive and fight their way through to escape the infested neighbourhood.  

Starring:
Gabriel Afolayan, Omowunmi Dada, Kelechi Udegbe, Meg Otanwa, Chidozie Nzeribe, Brutus Richard, Jumoke Ayadi, Paul Utomi and introducing Kelechi Joseph.

 http://imdb.com/title/tt3387582/

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Famous Nollywood VIPs Rally Against Piracy at Transerve's Press Conference in Lagos

Famous Nollywood star Kanayo O. Kanayo, who is now Chairman of the Board of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Studies (NIHTS), accomplished filmmaker Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Gabriel Onyiyechi Okoye, aka Igwe Gabosky, President of the Motion Picture Distributors of Nigeria (MOPIDON) and major stakeholders in the entertainment industry, including Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Mr. Afam Ezekude, Ms. Patricia Bala, Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and President of Copyright Society Of Nigeria (COSON) Mr. Tony Okoroji were among the dignitaries at the press conference and product launching of Transerve Disc Technologies Limited at the prestigious Golden Tulip in Festac Town, Lagos on Friday March 21, 2014. The event also attracted leading producers and marketers from Lagos and other states in Nigeria.

Transerve, the biggest producer of audio and video CDs, DVDs and other digital products in West Africa launched the Job Alert Management System (JAMS), its pace setting anti piracy Optical Disc Software that monitors the production and distribution of all products and services from the company to all the customers in Nigeria and the rest of the world.
This is the first of its kind innovation by any manufacturer of digital distribution audio and video tapes in CDs, DVDs in Africa.

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Lest We Forget Those Killed In Stampedes for Jobs In Nigeria

Those Killed In Stampedes For Jobs In Nigeria Officials and activists say at least 16 people died in stampedes when half a million people were invited to apply for fewer than 5,000 Nigerian government jobs. According to the News Agency of ...


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How Did You Feel the First Time You Saw Yourself on Film?

Cover Photo Shoots - How Did You Feel the First Time You Saw Yourself on Film?

Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong’o, leading stars of the multiple award winning Best Film at the Oscars "12 Years a Slave". The film won three Academy Awards: Best Picture (becoming the first film made by a black director or producer to receive the Academy's highest honor). Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Brie Larson, and the rest of the stars on our Hollywood Issue cover tell Krista Smith.

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Cocoa And Chocolate Companies Team Up With Leading Foundations To Train Farmers In West Africa

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --– More than 200,000 cocoa-farming families in West and Central Africa will be growing more cocoa and producing more food for their own tables within the next five years, thanks to a new program by the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Walmart Foundation. The initiative, known as the Cocoa Livelihoods Program, will train cocoa farmers in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon about good agricultural practices and farm management skills. It will also provide them with resources to increase productivity in cocoa and food crops. The four countries account for more than 70 percent of the world's supply of cocoa.

"WCF is proud to partner with the Gates Foundation, the Walmart Foundation and more than a dozen of our corporate members as we continue our mission to improve cocoa-farming communities in West Africa," said Bill Guyton, president of the World Cocoa Foundation. "The private-private partnership model that we have built to support programs like these is helping to make a real difference in the lives of countless people where cocoa is grown."

"By joining forces with WCF, we are able to bring high quality training that will help farmers, many of whom are women. We believe increased skills will lead to greater financial independence for these women and give them the opportunity to improve the lives of their families," said Julie Gehrki, senior director of the Walmart Foundation. "This program is part of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation's commitment to support training for nearly 1 million small farmers in emerging markets, half of them being women, by the year 2015."
Cocoa farmers in the four countries will receive assistance in accessing agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and planting materials; have access to a growth fund that will give farmers the financial tools and credit needed to purchase critical cocoa inputs; and will receive valuable information on empowering women, who tend to care for the household and ensure food production. The training will provide cocoa farmers with skills essential for improving the quality of life and economic well-being of themselves, their families and communities.

About WCF The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is an international membership foundation that promotes a sustainable cocoa economy by providing cocoa farmers with the tools they need to grow more and better cocoa, market it successfully and make greater profits. WCF's membership includes cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80% of the global cocoa market. For more information, visit worldcocoa.org.

About the Walmart FoundationWalmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Women's Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Together, they have donated more than 1 billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart's giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.

SOURCE World Cocoa Foundation
CONTACT: Jackie Marks, Jackie.Marks@worldcocoa.org, + 1 (202) 737.7870

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Chimamanda Adichie Wins Major US Award for Americanah

Chimamanda Adichie Wins US Award


Press Release
Photo: Chimamanda/Facebook
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

New York — Tonight, at the New School in New York, the National Book Critics Circle announced the recipients of its book awards for publishing year 2013.

The winners include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s audacious novel “Americanah” (Alfred A. Knopf), a love story, immigrant’s tale and acute snapshot of our times; and Sheri Fink’s “Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital” (Crown), an extraordinary reconstruction of the chaotic days following Hurricane Katrina.

Frank Bidart was awarded the poetry prize for “Metaphysical Dog” (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), which continues his life-long exploration of the big questions. The criticism award was presented to Franco Moretti for “Distant Reading” (Verso), which proposes boldly unorthodox methods for studying literature.

Amy Wilentz’s “Farewell, Fred Voodoo: A Letter From Haiti” (Simon & Schuster) was given the prize in autobiography; it is a gritty, surprising memoir based on years of reporting from Haiti. The biography prize went to Leo Damrosch for “Jonathan Swift: His Life and His World” (Yale University Press), a spellbinding life of a complicated, contradictory subject.

Anthony Marra’s novel “A Constellation of Vital Phenomena” (Hogarth) was the debut recipient of the John Leonard Prize, established in 2013 to recognize an outstanding first book in any genre. Named to honor the memory of founding NBCC member John Leonard, the prize is uniquely decided by a direct vote of the organization’s nearly 600 members nationwide, whereas the traditional awards are nominated and chosen by the elected 24-member board of directors. The Leonard Prize carries with it a $500 cash prize, generously donated by longtime NBCC member Linda Wolfe.

The recipient of the 2013 Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing was Katherine A. Powers, contributor to many national book review sections, including the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and the Barnes and Noble Review. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is the editor of “Suitable Accommodations: An Autobiographical Story of Family Life: The Letters of J. F. Powers, 1942–1963.” For the second time in its 27-year history, the Balakian Citation carries with it a $1,000 cash prize, generously endowed by NBCC board member Gregg Barrios.

The recipient of the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award was Rolando Hinojosa-Smith. At 84, Hinojosa-Smith is the dean of Chicano authors, best known for his ambitious Klail City Death Trip cycle of novels. He is also an accomplished translator and essayist, as well as a mentor and inspiration to several generations of writers. A recipient of the 1976 Premio Casa de las Americas, Hinojosa-Smith is professor of literature at the University of Texas, Austin, where he has taught for nearly three decades.

Founded in 1974, the National Book Critics Circle Awards are given annually to honor outstanding writing and to foster a national conversation about reading, criticism, and literature. The awards are open to any book published in the United States in English (including translations). The National Book Critics Circle comprises nearly 600 critics and editors from leading newspapers and magazines providing coverage of books.

Recipients of the National Book Critic Circle Awards for 2014

Poetry
Frank Bidart, “Metaphysical Dog” (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)

Criticism
Franco Moretti, “Distant Reading” (Verso)

Autobiography
Amy Wilentz, “Farewell, Fred Voodoo: A Letter From Haiti” (Simon & Schuster)

Biography
Leo Damrosch, “Jonathan Swift: His Life and His World” (Yale University Press)

Nonfiction
Sheri Fink, “Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital” (Crown)

Fiction
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “Americanah” (Knopf)

NBCC 2014 Winner Bios

Frank Bidart (b. 1939)
Frank Bidart is the author of numerous books of poetry, including “Watching the Spring Festival” (2008) and this year’s recipient for the award in poetry, “Metaphysical Dog” (Farrar, Straus, Giroux). A formidable figure in American letters, Bidart has been previously a finalist for the National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize nominee. He teaches English at Wellesley College and lives in Cambridge, MA.

Franco Moretti (b 1950)
Franco Moretti is the Dorothy C. and Laura Louise Bell Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Stanford University, where he also founded the Center for the Study of the Novel and the Literary Lab. A pioneer of the digital humanities and the use of quantitative methods imported from the social sciences, Moretti is the author of seven books, including most recently “The Bourgeois (2013)” and this year’s recipient of the award in criticism, “Distant Reading” (Verso).

Amy Wilentz (b. 1954)
Amy Wilentz is the author of four works of nonfiction, including “I Feel Earthquakes More Often Than They Happen: Coming to California in the Age of Schwarzenegger” (2006) and this year’s recipient of the award in autobiography, “Farewell Fred Voodoo: A Letter from Haiti” (Simon & Schuster). A winner of the Whiting Writers Award, the PEN Martha Albrand Non-Fiction Award, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Rosenthal Award, she has contributed to numerous magazines and is a long-time contributing editor at The Nation. She teaches in the Literary Journalism program at the University of California at Irvine and lives in Los Angeles.

Leo Damrosch (b. 1941)
Leo Damrosch is Ernest Bernbaum Research Professor of Literature at Harvard University. He is the author of ten books on literary and historical subjects, including “Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Restless Genius” (2005), a National Book Award finalist, and this year’s recipient of the award in biography, “Jonathan Swift” (Yale University Press). He lives in Newton, MA.

Sheri Fink
Sheri Fink is the author of this year’s recipient of the award in nonfiction, “Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital” (Crown). Fink’s reporting has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Magazine Award, and the Overseas Press Club Lowell Thomas Award, among other journalism prizes. A former relief worker in disaster and conflict zones, she received her M.D. and Ph.D. from Stanford University. She lives in New York.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (b. 1977)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the author of three novels, “Purple Hibiscus” (2003), “Half of a Yellow Sun” (2006), and “Americanah” (Knopf), the recipient of this year’s award in fiction. A native of Nigeria, Adichie has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction (2007) and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (2008). She divides her time between the United States and Nigeria.

Anthony Marra
Anthony Marra is the New York Times bestselling author of “A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.” It was selected as one of the ten best books of 2013 by The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, Salon, New York Magazine, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal. He is the winner of the Whiting Award and the Pushcart Prize, and currently teaches at Stanford University.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE

The National Book Critics Circle, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1974 at New York’s legendary Algonquin Hotel by a group of the most influential critics of the day, and awarded its first set of honors the following year. Comprising nearly 600 working critics and book-review editors throughout the country, the NBCC annually bestows its awards in six categories, honoring the best books published in the past year in the United States. It is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the publishing industry. The finalists for the NBCC awards are nominated, evaluated, and selected by the 24-member board of directors, which consists of critics and editors from some of the country’s leading print and online publications, as well as critics whose works appear in these publications. For more information about the history and activities of the National Book Critics Circle and to learn how to become a supporter, visit http://www.bookcritics.org

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Orikinla Offered Residency at the Famous Tyrone Guthrie Centre

 Award winning Nigerian artist and writer Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, aka Orikinla Osinachi has been offered residency at the famous Tyrone Guthrie Centre for creative artists at Annaghmakerrig, Ireland.

Orikinla started writing professionally at 18 as a scriptwriter for the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Channel 10 in Lagos in the early 1980s and his drawings for books have been exhibited in Japan when he was 20. He is the author of Children of Heaven (1987), Scarlet Tears of London (2006), Bye, Bye Mugabe (2008), In the House of Dogs (2011), Diary of the Memory Keeper (2013), The Prophet Lied (2013), co-author of Na-ked Beauty (2006), The Language of True Love (2006) and also the most prolific African blogger with over 30 blogs of which the most popular is Nigerians Report Online and Publisher/Editor of Nollywood Mirror, the most circulated publication on Nollywood in paperback, hardcover and Amazon Kindle. He started his Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema and launched the Screen Naija One Village, One Cinema Project in 2013 and recently started Nollywood Digital that will have an annual Nollywood Digital Cinema Fair every summer. His new social media project iPost Nigeria has attracted the attention of major international companies and organizations. Orikinla is expected to complete his theatrical work "Chi Amanda" during the course of his residency. "Chi Amanda" chronicles the lamentations of three women from the three dominant tribes in Nigeria who fled from different agonies of domestic violence and also tackles the plight of a young woman with the burden of unwanted pregnancy. Orikinla's last major theatrical work "Sleepless Night", the first play on the martyrdom of Chief MKO Abiola and the June 12 Crisis was premiered in July 2002 at the old French Cultural Center in Ikoyi, Lagos. It was co-sponsored by United Artists for Human Development (UAHD), French Cultural Center and Dele Momodu, Publisher of the popular Ovation International magazine. The cast was from the famous Crown Troupe of Africa led by Segun Adefila featured in the award winning documentary "Bariga Boy".
See full biographical profile on http://www.changemakers.com/users/michael-chima-ekenyerengozi.

The centre has since hosted people such as Michael Harding, Loreena Mckennitt, Oonagh Kearney, Derval Symes, Page Allen, Roisin Meaney, Anne Rigney, Gemma Browne, Colette Bryce, Phil Coulter, Brian Kennedy and Peter McCann.

The Tyrone Guthrie Centre is a centre for creative artists at Annaghmakerrig, Newbliss, County Monaghan, Ireland, founded in 1981.
The mansion was the family home of theatrical director Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971.
The centre accommodates eleven residents and there are five self-catering cottages plus a facility and studio for a disabled artist and carer. Each artist must apply individually to the Board of Management and submit examples of their work. To be accepted as a resident, an artist must have demonstrated a proven track record in their field. Facilities include a baby grand piano, seven studios for visual artists, a performance space, an acoustic recording studio, a dark room for black and white photography and a recently added print studio. The ethos of the house is focussed on facilitating creative work within a welcoming, homelike and trusted environment. The only condition of residency is that all the artists must assemble for the evening meal. This was one of the terms of Guthrie’s will as he felt that conversation over good food would encourage creativity and collaboration. The Centre was one of the first North/South collaborations in the early 1980s and was managed as a joint venture by the Arts Council of the North and South of Ireland.

Many artists have commented on the fact that a stay in the Centre has given them the time and space to produce creative work and it is no exaggeration to describe the Centre as a place of heightened creativity.

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President Goodluck Jonathan, the Grand Patron of Nollywood

 President Goodluck Jonathan Has Lifted Nollywood To A Higher Level

 “Whenever I travel abroad, many of my colleagues, Presidents of other countries, ask me about Nollywood. Nollywood is our shining light. Africans are very proud of Nollywood. That is why we are here today to celebrate the success story of this national, continental and global brand.”  
 ~ President Gloodluck Jonathan, Saturday, March 2, 2013, at the State House in Marina, Lagos.

President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan of Nigeria has become the most gracious and generous patron of Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry and the first Nigerian President to lift Nolllywood to a higher level with unprecedented financial largesse of US$200,000,000 for a special Entertainment Intervention Fund he announced whilst gracing the occasion of the 30th Anniversary party of the Silverbird Group on Saturday November 6, 2010 after a passionate appeal by Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Silverbird Group. “I have one message for you tonight. Mr. President. I want you to support the entertainment industry. It’s not about me, it’s not about Silverbird, it is about Nigerians, about the youth who are our future,” Ben Murray-Bruce appealed enthusiastically. ‘’I want you to recognize the entertainment industry, you said you will never let them down, let the young kid go to the bank and borrow a million or two to make a record or make a movie, support the entertainers, if you support them, they’ll vote for you’.
 Click here to read the full report with more photographs.

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Job Listing: Communications Associate, New Media

 

 Job Listing: Communications Associate, New Media

Employer: Global Financial Integrity
Application Deadline: Friday, April 4, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Salary: Commensurate with experience.
Benefits: Fully paid employee portion of health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance. Generous vacation time, sick leave, and 13 paid holidays.
Reports to: Communications Director

Global Financial Integrity (GFI) seeks a motivated, highly adaptive Communications Associate, New Media to join its communications team. The Communications Associate, New Media will work with the Communications Director to broadcast GFI’s message through a variety of channels, including traditional media, new and social media, and GFI’s website. The Communications Associate, New Media will also provide technological and communications support for GFI’s operations. The position is based in Washington, DC.



Responsibilities:

• Manage the gfintegrity.org website using Wordpress;
• Manage GFI’s social media presence, including Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit;
• Design and send mass email, including press releases, announcements, and actions;
• Author, draft, or edit blog posts, op-eds, press releases, and other strategic communications;
• Work with press, bloggers, and social media elites to project GFI’s message;
• Build and maintain email contact lists for strategic communication;
• Supervise communications interns;
• Other responsibilities as required.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in a related field;
• 1-2 years of experience in strategic political communication or relevant internship;
• Experience using social media as an advocacy tool, particularly Twitter;
• Excellent skills in copy editing, persuasive writing;
• Excellent general ability to learn and utilize information technology skills;
• Familiarity with HTML, CSS;
• Familiarity with a CRM (Convio, Salsa, Blue State Digital, etc);
• Familiarity with a CMS (Joomla, Drupal, Wordpress, etc);
• Team player who can work in a fast-paced environment;
• Intellectual curiosity;
• Candidates must be legally able to work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience sending targeted mass emails using Salsa;
• Experience creating web content using Wordpress;
• Proficiency with HTML and CSS (familiarity with Javascript and PHP a bonus);
• Proficiency with Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator;
• Experience working on political campaigns or with issues involving anti-corruption, financial transparency, financial crime, global development, human rights, international finance, international institutions, and/or trade a plus.

About GFI:

Global Financial Integrity is a Washington-based research and advocacy organization that analyzes and works to curtail illicit financial flows resulting from crime, corruption, and tax evasion. According to GFI’s groundbreaking research, nearly one trillion dollars leaves developing countries every year due to crime, corruption, and tax evasion. GFI promotes national and multilateral policies aimed at curtailing these flows, thereby enhancing global development and security.

To Apply:

Please email your resume and cover letter to Clark Gascoigne at newmediajob@gfintegrity.org with the phrase, “Communications Associate, New Media Position” in the subject line. Due to the expected volume of applications, only candidates who will be asked to interview will be contacted. No calls, please.

For a static HTML page with this job posting, click here.

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Global Financial Integrity (GFI) is an equal opportunity employer. It is GFI’s policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for professional advancement without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, or disability.

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