AIFF set to reposition African cinema with global collaborations, investor confidence

By Esther Onyegbula

The Afrik International Film Festival (AIFF) is positioning itself as a leading platform for elevating African cinema, with a focus on strengthening global collaborations, attracting investors, and empowering a new generation of storytellers.

Speaking at a press parley in Lagos, the festival’s Programme Coordinator, Toka McBaror, said the festival aims to celebrate African storytelling while giving emerging filmmakers the visibility and support they need to thrive. McBaror described AIFF as a long-overdue platform that places African narratives in the hands of Africans. He emphasized the importance of authenticity in filmmaking, noting that African stories must be told by those who lived the experiences. The festival will feature a range of activities, including immersive screenings, networking opportunities, and capacity-building sessions.

McBaror added that the festival will continue to expand its footprint, promising, “By next year, I hope to bring you to where we are.” The Chief Executive Officer of AIFF, Nwankpa Wisdom Isaac, said the project was driven by the need to boost investor confidence in African cinema and unlock international market opportunities.

“I’m just an investor. I believe in this platform, and that is why I pioneered it,” he said. “We need a platform where we can tell our stories to the world. It is Africans that will tell African stories.”

Isaac noted that limited cinema screens across African countries make it difficult for producers to recoup investments, prompting the need for international collaboration. “If you invest in a movie with a budget similar to foreign productions, you may not recover that money locally,” he said. “The only way forward is to create a platform that allows collaboration with foreign countries so we can produce big films that tell our stories better and ensure investors get returns faster.”

He added that the festival had already completed a collaborative project featuring Hollywood actors, with the film expected to hit the market soon.

According to him, AIFF will roll out more programs next year aimed at strengthening cross-border partnerships and raising industry standards. “It’s a new era, a new beginning. This will make a huge difference in the industry,” he said. McBaror also spoke about one of the festival’s recent productions, The Creek, which he described as a compelling African narrative rooted in the Niger Delta experience.

“It is the story of the African child who enjoyed the wealth of the land before things changed, the story of the Niger Delta today,” he said. “These are the stories that resonate with every African child. We are committed to telling stories of yesterday, today, tomorrow, and the future.”

A member of the AIFF board, Ojini Prisca Eberechi, highlighted what participants can expect at the festival, including immersive screenings, networking opportunities and capacity-building sessions.

“At AIFF, attendees can look forward to a rich festival experience that blends cinema, culture and global networking,” she said.

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