Emem Isong premieres Edikan

Amidst glitz and grandeur, respected director, Emem Isong recently staged the world premiere of Edikan, the Ibibio language film from the stable of Royal Arts Academy, which is also subtitled in English.
Edikan tells the pathetic and moving story of a teenage girl that was sexually abused by her stepfather and later branded a witch, when she dared to speak out.
Co-produced by Uduak Oguamanam, the heart-wrenching movie stars leading acts like: Desmond Elliot, who also directed, Ini Edo, Lilian Ikpe, Nse Ikpe-Etim and several others.
Speaking on what to expect at the event, Isong, with over a decade experience as an award-winning filmmaker, disclosed that it is going to be an intellectual premiere with several notable Nigerians and leading Nollywood personalities in attendance.
“A 30-minute footage of the film will be screened, there will be also be a cultural display by a dance troupe.
Also, a notable children rights activist will deliver a speech. Hip-hop act, Slam will perform a special song for the African Child, Anne Inyang and other performers would support him on stage. There will be light refreshments and other side attractions for the premiere”, disclosed Isong, the CEO of Royal Arts Academy.
Continuing, Isong further revealed that Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, a principal officer at the House of Representatives, has agreed to chair the evening event, as well as deliver the keynote address.
Also coming as the Special Guest of Honour is Hon. Chris Essien, the Chairman of Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Akwa Ibom State.
“We are using this film as a medium to create awareness about the child-witch saga, with a view to eradicating it from our State, Akwa-Ibom and any other place, its still being practiced. We are also open to partnerships with both private and public sectors, so that this just cause can be propagated and promoted evenly. I also see Edikan as an advocacy tool that would help change the system, especially my State, which has been bastardized. Mind you, I understand the positive impact movies are making in the society based on my extensive research and experience as a filmmaker. Above all, some percentage from the proceeds of Edikan, will go to the victims of this child-witchcraft abuse, as well as some homes and institutions catering and fighting for their rights and protection,” she promised.
Meanwhile, the well-traveled filmmaker is still celebrating with colleagues, friends and well wishers few weeks after carting home three diadems at the recently held City People Entertainment awards. Isong, who won in the categories of Best Scriptwriter, Producer and Movie of the Year, with the hit flick-Re-loaded, maintained the awards would spur her into doing more great things for Nollywood.
The rain of awards continued for Isong, at the just held Women in Media (WIM) awards, where she also won the Excellent Personality trophy, in recognition of her immense contributions to TV/movie productions, over the years. The premiere, which is currently serenading Nollywood, is strictly by invitation; and gatecrashers would not be allowed in.




Organizers set for 6th Abuja film festival




All is now set for the 6th edition of the annual Abuja International Film and Video Festival, holding from September 23rd to 25,th 2009, at the prestigious Shehu Musa Yardua Centre and Cyprian Ekwensi Cultural Centre both in Abuja, Nigeria, respectively.
The highly reputed Film and Video Broadcast Festival, according to the organizers, attract entries from over 50 countries worldwide, with an attendance of over 2,000 participants from the film, TV and general public.
The festival is organized in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, the National Film and Video Censors Board, the Nigerian Film Corporation, the Nigerian Intellectual Property Commission and the Nigeria Television Authority.
According to the festival Director, Mr. Fidelis Duker, The festival has so far received over 107 entries from around the world and it has gone further to enlarge the advisory board of the festival to include the relevant government agencies and learned practitioners from the media and PR world. He further disclosed that the festival has incorporated a musical festival to the yearly event and that notable and up and coming music acts will be on hand daily to entertain visitors and delegates.
A Nollywood Achievement award has also been created as a yearly package of the festival, to honour all stakeholders in the industry who have contributed annually to developing and improving the sector since inception. Criteria for the awardees will be unveiled on August 1, 2009.
The festival manager Ebiere Ajibola Bodude stressed on the need for the relevant government regulatory agencies to support the film festival, which is the oldest independently run film festival in Nigeria today. The festival has commenced accepting entries for films in the following categories – feature, short, documentary and experimental films produced in the last 24 months. For more info, visit: www. info@abujafilmfest.org



More laurels for top director, Lancelot Imasuen


pic-Imasuen with Actress Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde at an event

Few weeks after mesmerizing the world on CNN’s Screening Room, where he spoke extensively about the huge potentials inherent in Nollywood and what makes the second largest film producing nation globally very unique, Nigerian born internationally acclaimed filmmaker, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, is set to receive and give out more honours and laurels.
Gathered that City People magazine recently honoured the well-traveled director at his native Benin, Edo State, South-South Nigeria, for his immense contributions to the nation’s home video scene.
The historic event, according to Imasuen, who just returned from a global tour/premiere of Ebuwa, his latest language film, in the US, UK and Canada, the honour further attests to the fact that he has done extremely well for Nollywood and himself as a film maker cum cultural ambassador with an undying passion and belief in the Nigerian project.
“My brother, I’m overwhelmed by this gesture from City People and really humbled too. It is going to be three events rolled into one on the D-day. Aside the honour from City People, I will also be having the official release party as well as announcing the worldwide release date for Ebuwa with a lot of fanfare and razzmatazz, immediately after the City People event. On that day also, I will be personally presenting special awards called the Arts Support Heritage Awards (ASHA), to some specially selected individuals that have hugely supported Ebuwa and I over the years, home and abroad. We would also give out classy souvenirs at the event. Like we all know, Ebuwa is a film on human trafficking and prostitution, it has also been endorsed by NAPTIP”, he disclosed.
Speaking further, Imasuen, with over 200 films to his credit, posited that the Ebuwa tour, which spanned over three months, was very successful and has further propagated the ideals of Nollywood to the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, as a filmmaker with bias for topical and contemporary stories and issues, Imasuen, would soon be hitting locations for a movie on Breast Cancer, in collaboration with the publishers of Genevieve magazine. The big budget project, expected to be completed this year, according to Imasuen, would be used as an awareness/advocacy tool, to further help fight the scourge of the disease that is ravaging women, in Nigeria.
Aside being interviewed on CNN, the passionate filmmaker also disclosed that as a true ambassador of Nollywood, he had equally been invited to some of the leading international media organizations like: BBC, Chinese Radio, CBC, the America Market Place and several others, to further discuss the Nollywood phenomenon. “If truth must be told, Nollywood has been accepted globally and that is a very big plus for Nigeria. It is one aspect of us that is very positive and I have always insisted that we must guard it jealously. It is high time our government embraces it fully, even those in the private sector. Again, our dream of winning an Oscar must come through our language movies, because we have plenty indigenous stories to tell the world”. He also spoke on the forthcoming Nollywood North American film festival, which he initiated, during his recent trip to Canada. He argued that the festival, which holds in September 2009, would further reposition and
help put Nollywood on the global map of leading filmmaking nations. “ Both the public and private sectors should proudly support this festival”.


New pop sensation comes on board

Things will no longer be the same, especially for Nigerian pop fans who have been wondering what happened to the thriving pop culture synonymous with the music scene of the 90s. And the reason is Kimwonder, the new pop sensation, who just berthed on the scene from her base in Los Angeles, USA. Ready with a four-tracker aptly entitled: Right Time, Kimwonder’s effort is a product of a five yearlong rehearsals in the studios, and include tracks like: Right Time Party, Enjoy the moment, Traffic 2 Haven and Papa.
All the tracks composed and arranged by Kimwonder have flavours of pop and R&B in appropriate doses.
According to Kimwonder, her incursion into music was as a result of sheer interest.
“Right from when I was a kid, I have always been drawn to good sound. I grew up listening to all genres of music, and along the line I did not need anyone to tell me that my star lies in pop songs. I feel okay with pop, because it reflects my mood always. Perhaps that is why I have the song, Enjoy The Moment. It is a reflection of the good old pop songs we have grown to know with pop stars like the late Michael Jackson.”
Of course, so many singers spring surprises when their academic background is weighed against their love for music. Kimwonder is essentially one of those wonders. With a degree in Agricultural Economics, it comes as a surprise that she could find time to do music.
“Music runs in my blood. I get a lot of joy from singing. But my degree in Agric Econs is also a boost to my knowledge, which is important in what I am doing. Music is a field where you share your knowledge, mood and experiences with your audience”
Her producer, Mr. Chris said he was lured to Kimwonder by her outstanding talent and humility.
“I have worked with lots of artistes both males and females, and I can tell you that Kimwonder is a combination of beauty and brain, and to have that with the kind of humility she has exhibited obviously astounded me. I know she would go very far. This is just the beginning of the journey.”
The album, which was recently presented to the public, at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt, featured a lot of performances from various Nigerian artistes, including XHuman, one of the rappers she featured in the album.



Info-Bits:

-Actress cum presenter of Bold Faces on TV, Tricia Eseigbe, added a year on July 14. Happy Birthday.
-Jim Iyke recently storms South Africa , from the US, for the shooting of the Glo’s advert with Nollywood stars.
-The London based prime mover of Zafaa Awards, UK, Mr. Sam Anwuzia is in town.
-Top actor, Victor Osuagwu renews multi million Naira contract with Symba group.
-The Michael Jackson tribute concert finally held @ O’Jez, recently.
-Slam returns, drops new album, Simply Slam.
-Emeka Enyiocha and wife, to dedicate daughter, Adanna, at Overcomers Church, Surulere.