March 22-25, documentary filmmakers and enthusiasts from around Africa and parts of Europe and the West, will converge on Lagos for the 2018 edition of the yearly I-Rep International Documentary Film Festival.Produced by the Foundation for the Development of Documentary Film Festival in Africa,the festival will be held at its traditional home, Freedom Park in central business district of Lagos Island. This is the eighth edition of the yearly feast of documentary films, which began in 2010.
The 2018 festival is set to build on the momentum from past editions; especially last year’s and will explore the theme: ARCHIVING AFRICA II: Frontiers and New Narratives.
The list of the Festival Special guests is eminent and resourceful. Renowned documentarist of the Nigerian film industry, Professor Jonathan Haynes from Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York City will present his new book, Nollywood: The Making of Nigeria’s Film Genre; Professor Paul Ugor from the Illinois State University will present a keynote and, also review Jonathan Haynes’ book.
Chairman of the iREP Board, Professor AwamAmkpa from the Tisch School of Arts, New York University, and Dr. Paul Nwulu, Programs Manager, Ford Foundation West Africa will also be key speakers.
A new addition to the programming content of the annual festival, will be a special artiste showcase that will reflect on the works of Professor. Niyi Coker, E. Desmond Lee Distinguished Professor of Theatre and Media Studies at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Focussing on the multi-skilled artiste’s work in Theatre/Cinema/New media/academia, the showcase is essentially designed to present Prof. Coker to aspiring young filmmakers, to make a career in the arts, especially the Film and the new Media. Prof. Coker has directed over 50 major stage productions around the world. His film credits include; The Black 14 (for FERPA PBS in 1995); Black Studies USA, Pennies for the Boatman, etc. His latest documentary film “Ota Benga: Human at the Zoo” like his previous works, has won serial awards at international film gatherings.
A second showcase will celebrate the life and career of famous filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, who will be 70 on February 26. Founder of the production outfit, Mainframe Opomulero, TundeKelani’s award winning works include Ti Olu Ni Ile; Ayo Ni Mo Fe; Saworoide; Arugba; Thunderbolt; Abeni; Maami; and lately Sidi Ilujinle, devised from Wole Soyinka’s classic, The Lion & The Jewel.
A three-day Training programme will precede the formal opening the festival. Starting on Monday March 19, the training will focus on Storytelling, and will be conducted by Mr Yinka Ogun, a well-known television/radio content provider/consultant and producer, whose film credits include Abeni, directed by Tunde Kilani; Prince of the Savannah, directed by BayoAwala, and Maroko, directed by Femi Odugbemi. His selected Television credits include Doctor’s Quarters, and Edge of Paradise, both MNET productions. He is the creator of the award-winning MNET soap opera ‘Tinsel’, and the multiple awards winning ‘Dear mother’.
Rationale/Motif behind Festival Theme:
Progress in Africa is still very much befuddled by a quavering attempt at measuring up to expectations of the West on what civilization should be. Africa’s striving for progress cannot be isolated from the sense of identifying with values that have defined our humanity over time. African cultural materials are capsules of experiences that have moved us forward as a people and they are important archive of the progress we can make. It is sad, however, that these archives are locked in different museums outside the continent with evident little efforts or willpower by African political leaders to rightly request for the repatriation of such archives. And it is even more disturbing that African historians and researchers seem to show less concern and enthusiasm to trace the locations of the archives for the purpose of harvesting and harnessing the materials for educational benefits of the peoples, especially the younger generation of the continent.
Africa: Between Archives and Progress:
How do we even begin to talk about progress without understanding where it is taking them to, and how do we understand where it is taking us to if we have no sense of where it brought us from. A new demography of young African elite is emerging from the frontiers of new-age mantra of change, with new narratives of progress groomed by Western investment into controlling the culture space within which the minds of Africans operate. There has to be a counter-narrative that re-purposes the perspectives of these new narratives, from mere puppets of the West, to expanding the humanity of Africa with its connections. Our investment in archiving our humanity is shamefully minuscular, and so, it has become difficult to extend it into the future and pass it on to the next generation that must continue the journey of progress.
Our past must feed the present to shape a future and documentary film making as a cultural tool must begin to curate the agenda upon which we can begin to define our humanity and measure our progress.
ABOUT IREP
iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival is the prime documentary-only film festival on the coast of West Africa. Since 2011, the festival has brought together the brightest minds in the genre in Nigeria and other parts of the world to showcase their works and as well share experiences through screenings, panel discussions, ‘Producers’ Roundtable’, training, workshops, and networking. Guests’ attendance has been from as vast and diverse countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroun, Egypt, Algeria, Mali as well as the USA, Germany, France, and others.
