Africa Cinematography Festival, the game changer in the filmmaking and entertainment industry has been unveiled to train young Nigerians and improve the skills of stakeholders in the film and entertainment sector.

The festival, the first of its kind in the industry is designed to bridge the knowledge gap which has negatively affected all aspects of the film making and entertainment industry through training, production enhancement workshop, networking, film market, film and technology expo in the last quarter of 2017 in Lagos.

Disclosing this in Lagos, the Founding Brand Ambassador and Director General, Event Coordination, Mrs. Judith Alakija identified inadequate knowledge as the major challenge hindering the competitiveness of the Nigerian film making and entertainment industry on the global stage, promising that the festival will change the trend.

“The gulf-like knowledge gap, leaves our youths at a disadvantaged position which could threaten their future as entrepreneurs in the industry,” she said.

“Africa Cinematography Festival provides our youths across Nigeria and Africa a great future and self-employment opportunity. It provides all industry players and stakeholders, including you and I the platform for optimization of the inherent potentials and prospects of technological advancement in audio-visual, sound, light and still photo productions.”

She expressed her commitment to the “Project Nigeria” with a great focus in promoting youth capacity building and developing the film making and entertainment industry because of its potential to enhance Nigeria’s GDP.

Mr. Henry Emenike, Chief Executive Officer, Legacy Empire Management and Co-Founder Africa Cinematography Festival described the festival as a child of necessity, “especially when one weights what is currently obtainable against what should have been the gain of the industry.”

He said Nigerian film industry had enjoyed massive followership but that getting foreign partners had been difficult due to lack of trust.

Emenike said the Africa Cinematography Festival will pave way for a new era and embody an industry buoyed by technological advancement.

“The ACF is not just about master classes, trainings and workshops, but also exhibitions in film technologies. As a platform, it will provide renowned and emerging cinematography equipment manufacturers and their local partners a huge window for expansion into the Nigerian market.

“We want to provide a platform for trust and partnership between the manufacturers of these equipment and film makers, we are hoping of bridging this gap by creating a meeting point for both cinematography equipment manufactures and film makers,” added Emenike.

Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, the Founding Grand Matron, Africa Cinematography Festival said she was fascinated by the initiative, describing the festival as a project that “speaks to the spirit of young Nigerians.”

While expressing her full commitment to the festival, she called on the youths to explore the initiative to enhance their skills for the overall development of the industry.

“I feel convinced that the ACF speaks to the Nigerian spirit, but much more importantly the yearning of many of our talented men and women who presently appear to have hit the crossroads between their dreams and their realization.

“I share the view that the future of a country, nation or people is a direct function of what the younger generation makes of it. This fact, as common a cliché as it may have become in our national discourse, stresses the need to prioritize the empowerment of those within the bracket.

“I share the view that the future of a country, nation or people is a direct function of what the younger generation makes of it. This fact, as common a cliché as it may have become in our national discourse, stresses the need to prioritize the empowerment of those within the bracket,” Mrs. Alakija concluded.

Registration for the festival is expected to begin in the next two weeks while the festival will run for six days in November 2017.