Entertainment
THE Kaduna International Film Festival (KIFF) is a critical tool in changing the narrative of northern part of the country as a region grappling with insecurity, the organisers of the festival have observed.
The founder of the annual festival, Israel Audu, stated this during a courtesy visit to the management of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Audu, also the Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Film Festivals Association (NFFA), said that the northern part of the country was blessed with natural and human resources.
He explained that with a rich cultural heritage, the region would need platforms such as the KIFF to showcase such assets.
He said that the festival would be highlighting and showcasing the rich culture of the region and its creative industry.
“Most times when you google about the northern part of the country, most especially in Kaduna, you find issues such as kidnapping and the like, which have taken over the media space.
“It is the right of the youths as creative group to see what will change this narrative of the challenges we are facing and showcase the positive angle,” he said.
He said that film makers had been using various platforms to rewrite the image of the country and were contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product.
He also said that the forthcoming KIFF festival would hold in August and would include activities such as master classes to develop skills of creativity, panel sessions, seminars, film screening, exhibitions and award ceremony.
According to him, the creative industry in the northern part of the country was lacking the requisite exposure to grow in spite its many talents and potential.
He expressed confidence that the annual KIFF would help in addressing the situation.
He explained that the visit was to seek the support of NAN as a credible media organisation in publicising the rich culture and talent of the northern region and its various works to the world.
He observed that the move would also facilitate international collaborations.
Responding, the Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, commended the KIFF organisers for their determination to use the festival in changing the trajectory of the northern part of the country.
Mohammad noted that the creative industry is the forte of youths worldwide which had been used by countries such as India to change the trajectory of their nations.
He said that the media is critical to the success of their festival and assured the founder that NAN would support the organisation in publicising all the activities of the festival.
NAN reports that KIFF started in 2018 as the first international film festival in northern part of the country aimed at promoting arts and creativity in the region.(NAN)
Photo Caption From left: Malam Ali Muhammed Ali, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Mr Israel Audu, the founder, Kaduna International Film Festival (KIFF), during his visit to NAN headquarters Abuja, on Wednesday.
F.A
May 23, 2024
Tags: Festival Kaduna Film Industry
