By Stanley Nwanosike
Budding and renowned film producers, directors, actors and script writers have been pencilled down to converge on Enugu for the maiden edition of the Coal City Film Festival.
The Executive Director of the festival, Mr Uche Agbo, told newsmen in Enugu on Monday that the up-coming festival was meant to celebrate both indigenous and foreign film makers as well as already made films.
Agbo, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Okike Media, said that the festival would feature renowned film industry players like Zack Orji, Segun Arinze, Patience Ozokwor and other arrays of stars.
According to him, this film festival will open the doors of South-East, Nigeria through cultural exchange and cinematic experiences.
He said that the festival, which would be a three-day event, would be holding between March 25 and March 27 within three venues in Enugu metropolis.
We are pleased to officially announce the entry of the maiden edition of the Coal City Film Festival; joining the rest of Nigeria, West Africa and the world in the culture of film festivals.
Coal City Film Festival follows the mould of the world famous Sundance, Cannes, Venice, Toronto film festivals among others.
Many film festival enthusiasts and industry practitioners understand the global economic, brand advantage film festivals give to the localities to which they originate especially Enugu as the cradle of film industry in Nigeria.
The festival like its contemporaries world over will serve as convergence between practicing and independent filmmakers, industry leaders and practitioners within South-East and the country for days of screenings, symposiums, tour trip, trainings and gala/award nite.
It is estimated that over 500 films have been cleared from over a thousand submissions from over 50 countries for screening at the Coal City Film Festival and a film, Oluedo will be premiering in its first time at the festival, he said.
Agbo said that the opening ceremony of the festival would hold at the evening hours of March 25; with red carpet between 4p.m. and 5p.m. and the actual opening by 6p.m. at Diamond Cinema, Enugu.
He said that for three-day running, there would be trainings for budding filmmakers at National Museum while there would also be seminars, symposia, tour of tourist sites in the state.
There will be basic learners class and master class in such areas as Acting, Directing, Script Writing and Production for two days across three venues in Enugu metropolis.
Registered participants will receive free unlimited access to the above mentioned activities and registration is still open and free-of-charge till the festival ends via our website:www.coalcityfilmfestival.com.
Participants might have opportunity to get a role in the filmmaking industry and we are also planning to set up a professional certificated film and cinematographic academy in Enugu, he added. (NAN)
Source: NAN News