Award-Winners at Durban FilmMart 2020

Award-Winners at Durban FilmMart Announced

13 September, 2020.

After 10 days packed with virtual panel discussions, conversations, presentations, pitches, and meetings, the 11th Durban FilmMart ended on a high with the announcement of the 2020 Official Awards for Projects on Sunday, 13 September.

Venice International Film Festival 2020: Full List of the Winners

The 77th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 2 to 12 September, 2020 on the Venice Lido.
Closing Ceremony.
Date: Sat, 12 September • 6:00 pm WAT
Location: Lido di Venezia, Italy.
Host: Anna Foglietta.

Golden Lion
Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao.

Global Rate of Alcoholism is Worse than COVID-19 Pandemic

@MBuhari@ProfOsinbajo@NTANewsNow
Alcoholism is worse than #COVID19@WHO reports that alcohol consumption contributes to 3 million deaths each year globally as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people.
More than 1.5 million cases per year in Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/GRbRkEKXv2

— 247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) September 13, 2020

Dr. Mrs. Aisha Buhari: The Most Beautiful First Lady in the History of Nigeria Since Independence

The Most Beautiful First Lady in the History of Nigeria Since Independence

A major fact majority of people don't know about Her Excellency, Dr. Mrs. Aisha Buhari .
She hails from Adamawa State, a great granddaughter of Ardo Hamza, District Head of Balala and the granddaughter of the first Minister of Defense, Muhammadu Ribadu, MBE. The popular Ribadu Road in Ikoyi on the Lagos Island is named after him. The road is off the major Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

247 Nigeria On Twitter Now Has Over 12, 000 Unique Followers

247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter
https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria achieved another milestone with over 12, 000 unique followers so far on #Twitter
Reporting and Supporting Free Speech for Democracy and Justice.
Promoting citizen journalism.
Reporting and Supporting the global film industry and contributed to save a movie theatre from shutting down in America.
Promoting and Supporting the education of underprivileged girls out of school since 2013

We are currently developing our iPost Nigeria mobile video app.
https://youtu.be/j-jjMBCgthM

We thank Almighty God for everyone following and supporting us with Cheers all the way to the Top.

By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
The CEO,
International Digital Post Network Limited
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series
247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter
https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

The Nigerian Screenplay That Can Win The Academy Awards

By the Grace of Almighty God, I have already coauthored the screenplay that can be made into a feature that can win #Oscars of The Academy  Awards for Best Original Screenplay; Best Picture, Best Director; Best Production Design; Best Cinematography; Best Score and Best Actress.
I have already watched the romantic drama on the screen of my mind.
I already know my cast and crew.
I already know the right director.
American Director; Nigerian Producer; French Cinematographer; African American or Nigerian male actor for leading male role and a dark skinned Nigerian young woman not more than 21 year old for the leading female role.

SA's Top Film Industry Event, Durban FilmMart Draws 1057 Delegates To Virtual Platform

SA's Top Film Industry Event Draws 1057 Delegates to Virtual Platform

10 Sep 2020
The Durban FilmMart Institute is pleased to announce that the 11th Durban FilmMart virtual edition reached its halfway mark on Tuesday, 8 September with 1057 delegates registered.

“Our film co-production and finance market, through this edition has made its mark in solidifying its position as the most important platform on the continent for development and birthing of the content for African cinema,” says Head of the Durban FilmMart, Toni Monty. “We made a bold call to go virtual this year and not wait for a post-pandemic physical event. This call was indeed heard by the industry as they have come out in full force to robustly engage with each other in this virtual space.”

Shaka The Great: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest African King

Shaka The Great
The rise and fall of the greatest African king.
 - By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

Nodumehleli!
Nodumehleli!
Nodumehleli!
lowo lapho ehlezi wenza ukuba kudume umhlaba!

(Nodumehleli means the one who when seated causes the earth to rumble.)

This is a historical fiction film project based on the melodramatic life of King Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, popularly known as Shaka Zulu, Monarch of the Zulu Kingdom. The name Shaka was a nickname given to him from his father, Senzangakhona's claim that  Shaka's beloved mother, Nandi was not pregnant but was suffering from an intestinal condition caused by the iShaka beetle. Because he wanted to cover up the truth that she was pregnant for him. 
Senzangakhona was a crown prince and Nandi was an orphaned princess and they were forbidden to marry. So,  Shaka was born as an  illegitimate child from an illicit affair. . 

The best depiction of Shaka in motion picture is the TV series, "Shaka Zulu" of 1986 directed by William C. (Bill) Faure (17 July 1949 – 18 October 1994) and with the unforgettable role of Shaka played by Henry Cele, (20 June 1941 – 2 December 2007).
A new film on the legendary phenomenon of Shaka Zulu is long overdue.
I have read the most authentic documents on his life history and I believe there should be a more comprehensive analytical feature film on his military genius and prowess as a coldblooded conquering warrior. But who idolised his beloved mother, the only woman he ever loved and whose death made him insane and quickened his untimely death by assassination in the hands of his stepbrothers. Shaka himself ascended the throne by killing his elder stepbrother, the rightful successor of their father, King Senzangakhona kaJama (c. 1762 – 1816).

Netflix Needs Cinemas and Cinemas Need Netflix

Netflix Needs Cinemas and Cinemas Need Netflix

The long months of the #lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic left movie theaters closed and millions of movie-goers had no other choice, except the Hobson's Choice of sitting in the comfort of their homes binge watching movies, series and other shows on OTT platforms and cable TV channels. Netflix, the most preferred streaming video service since 2007 attracted more subscribers than ever before. Both the major film production studios and  movie theatre chains have been apprehensive of the  popularity of Netflix and feared that it will reduce the populations of movie-goers. But they were wrong, because before the COVID-19 pandemic, movie theaters had a record breaking year in 2018 from Nigeria to North America.
The revenues from tickets sold were about US$12bilion in North America.
According to the Motion Picture Association (MPA) , the number of tickets sold was more than 1.2 billion tickets, representing a 4.8 percent increase over 2017.

Cate Blanchett Praises 77th Annual Venice International Film Festival

Opening speech of President of the Jury, Catherine Elise Blanchett., AC praising the 77th annual Venice International Film Festival organised by the La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera.

People arrived at the venue on the Venice Lido in Italy wearing their facemasks, going through temperature checks and observing the rules and guidelines for social distancing. The film festival started from September 4 and will end on September 12, 2020.

It is the first international film festival to be held with physical presence of the organisers and participants in the atmosphere of the COVID-19 pandemic.