Kenneth Udeh from Abuja
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe has said that objective of the 2021 edition of the annual Zuma film festival organised by the NFC is positioned to create wealth and digital opportunities.
Chidia who recently marked his 68th Birthday, also said that the Festival will provide participants with knowledge-based information and networking opportunities that are available within online digital platforms for the development, marketing and distribution of content, at minimal cost, but with huge return on investment.
According to NFC Boss in a brief telephone chat with newsmen from the United States, the Festival which is scheduled to hold from Dec 1st to Dec 7th in Abuja will create avenues for more investors to explore the opportunities in the Nigerian Film Industry.
Recall that the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) had announced a five-member Jury for the 12th edition of ZUMA Film Festival (ZUFF), tagged “Show Me the Money”.
Dr Chidia, announced this in a statement by Mr Brian Etuk, NFC Head of Public Affairs.
Maduekwe said that the Jury would be chaired by a Professor of Media Arts Criticism, University of Abuja, Daniel Omotsola.
He said that the chairman of the Jury had served and participated in various Film Festivals, Film Production development programmes, among others.
According to him, the Jury will adjudicate on all entries in the competitive category of the film festival,
Speaking on the theme , Maduekwe said the theme is to further the conversation on investment opportunities available in digital content creation and exhibition.
“ZUFF 2021 will provide participants with knowledge-based information and networking opportunities.
“The opportunities that are available within online digital platforms for the development, marketing and distribution of content, at minimal cost, but with huge return on investment,”he said.
Maduekwe reiterated the role of the jury in ensuring a successful film festival in this edition.
“The jury is most critical to the selection of winning entries of ZUFF, which has obviously set the pace in film festival organisation and management, since it was rebranded in 2017 to become an annual event in December every year.
“Composition of the jury reflects the premium and niche of ZUFF, which has carved for itself among the fastest growing film festivals and market in the world,”he added.
He gave assurance that NFC would deploy its capacity enablement for a successful film festival, which opened for domestic and foreign collaboration and partnership.
NFC boss expressed his strong belief that members of the Jury, who had contributed immensely to the growth of film production in Nigeria, would bring their experience to bear, as the NFC forged ahead to institute a world class film festival for the country.
ZUFF 2021 awards categories are based on ‘Best Cinematography’, ‘Best Script’, ‘Best Animation’.
Others are ‘Best Actress’, Best Actor, Best Documentary, ‘Best Foreign Film’, ‘Best Student Film’, ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Indigenous Film’.
