African International Documentary Festival Foundation (AFIDFF) says the first African International Documentary Festival in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea scheduled for September is aimed at celebrating Africa’s documentary producers and filmmakers.
Mrs Malame Manghza, the Director -General of the foundation, made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
“This festival aims at celebrating renowned and upcoming documentary producers, filmmakers and storytellers across Africa and showcasing the continents rich cultural heritage and history.
“The festival will avail opportunities for the development of the tourism sector in the country and promote investment in filmmaking.
“It will commence with a cultural exchange programme between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea in documentary and filmmaking to create an ecosystem of tourism ambassadors.”
According to Manghza, AFIDFF team has already started talks with the Equatorial Guinea Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Francisco Mangue, on processes to achieving success of the initiative.
Manghza said that the event would be initiated alongside AFIDFF’s partner, Dreams Hub; a project in Malabo, aimed at providing technological tools mainly to young people with high potential from families with limited financial resources.
READ ALSO: FG appoints rectors, registrars for three federal polytechnics
“AFIDFF and Dreams Hub have entered into an understanding, in a bid to actualise the first ever festival, to promote the culture of young African storytellers through films and documentaries.
“This is expected to encourage African-themed stories with a view to creating jobs for 3,000 people during the festival across the continent of Africa.”
She further underscored the significance of the event as an opportunity to tell Africa’s collective stories, bridge differences in cultures and unravel opportunities in storytelling for young African documentary and filmmakers.
“The continent is in dire need of our voices to be heard on the international scene through the telling of positive stories anchored on our technologies, ways of life and community-centredness.
“It includes providing business opportunities for local artists and their communities, and improving the way the international community sees Africa and Africans.”
She said that both partners had continued to engage in conversations and actions involving both the public and private sectors and key stakeholders which would lead to the realisation of the event.
Manghza said that the plans had already received positive responses from the government of Equatorial Guinea towards the initiative, while it would be an avenue to explore the country’s tourism sector.
NAN reports that AFIDFF is an organisation founded on the ideals of national and international cultural values dedicated to the preservation of Africa’s rich cultural heritage and history within and beyond Africa.
The foundation’s goal seeks to protect history, promote creativity in the cultural industries and project the true image of Africa through documentary and storytelling by Africans themselves.
The festival will be a weeklong activity and is expected to hold from Sept. 18 to Sept. 24. (NAN)
