19th Abuja International Film Festival announces 2022 nominees

The organisers of the Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) have announced the official selection for the 19th edition of the film festival scheduled for October 31 to November 3, 2022 at the prestigious Silverbird Cinemas Abuja and two other centres in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.

According to the Festival Communication Officer, Millicent Bassey, who announced the festival theme as “The Digital Revolution – Harnessing the potentials in online streaming and downloads of contents” as being an apt theme that reveals the opportunities and challenges inherent in the global digital film arena of which Nigeria is a major player.

AIFF, which is the longest running film festival in anglophone West Africa, received a total of 1,771 films from 87 countries, while about 91 films and filmmakers made the final selection for the 2022.

The festival director, Temitope Duker, who spoke on activities lined up for the festival, emphasised that the festival regulars like screenings, master classes, panel discussions, parties and the grand event of the closing night, where honours will go to deserving films and filmmakers will feature this year.

Also listed for this year’s event is a short film competition for young and aspiring filmmakers on hygiene and it is sponsored by HYPO bleach with contestants expected to submit their films on or before the 20th of October 2022 with a duration of five minutes.

Interestingly, some of the films this year have thematic content on gender and social issues from various countries including Nepal, Poland, USA, South Africa, India, China, Jordan, Canada, Tanzania, Brazil, Egypt and Nigeria amongst several others.

Duker confirmed that unlike the 2021 edition that had only 1,171 entries with 92 selected for screening and 42 nominated for possible awards, the 2022 edition has more entries from more nations around the world with Nigeria accounting for 35% of the total entries.

Reiterating further, Bassey maintained that he is excited that the festival is back in full force ahead of the 20th Edition next year.

“As the global filmmaking industry moves towards a new digital revolution in online streaming and downloads of contents, it has become expedient to discuss the new story-telling traditions used by filmmakers in captivating the online viewers,” he said.

The activities for the 20th edition of the festival will be unveiled during this 19th edition with the launch of the Score Nollywood Hall of Fame and Museum in Abuja.

The Nominees for the 2022 Edition of the Festival are as follows:

EXPERIMENTAL FILM

Adventures of Comic Con                 – USA

Flesh and Spirit – Nigeria

Kuto – Congo

Freedom to Flashbush – USA

Mother Tongue – Pakistan

SHORT FILM – NIGERIA

Convictus – Gbenga Salu

These Two                 – Amina Garba/Imoabasi Ime

May 27th – Smart Edikan

Dangerous Silence                 – Adeyinka Adetoyi

Dark Clouds                 – Kemi Adekomi

Almost – Jon Imo Bassey

Hostage – Matthew Oluwatobiloba

FEATURE FILM – NIGERIA

Enough of the Silence – Andrew Amenechi

Strain – Uduak Obong Patrick

Sin City – Muyiwa Ademola

What Happened in St James – Marc Adebesin

Obsession – Chidiebere Emmanuel

The Troubled One – Vigil Chime

Alaise                                 – Edgar Leroy

SHORT FILM – FOREIGN

Fringe Magnet                                              – Brazil

On/Off – South Africa

Dear Immigrant                                          – Canada

Memories from Others – USA

That Day I was Twenty One – China

Nakato – Uganda

One God, One Love – Bahamas

OUTSTANDING ACTOR

Okey Uzoeshi – Strain                                                              – Nigeria

Edris Ludega – Bedroom Chains                                       – Uganda

Muzaffar Khan – The Brittle Thread                                 – India

Sambaza Nzeribe – Enough of Silence                                    – Nigeria

Jai Raja                              – The Lifting                                                    – USA

Kenneth Okoli – The Touched One                                     – Nigeria

Deyemi Okanlawon – What happened at St James – Nigeria

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS

Toyin Aimaku             – Sin City                                            – Nigeria

Foi Wambui – Enough of the Silence            – Nigeria

Bahri Soula – Soula                                                – Algeria

Shaffy Bello – Obsession                                      – Nigeria

Meghar Matu – The Brittle Thread                 – India

Valerie Ayena – Love Trap                                      – Cameroon

Tunu M. Yaya – Uncle                                                – Uganda

BEST FEATURE (FOREIGN)

Brave – France

Bedroom Chain – Uganda

The Lifting                                                 – USA

Uncle – Tanzania

Love Trap – Cameroon

Master of Light –  USA

Identical Justice – USA

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR

Cosson Chinepoh                 – Love Trap                                      – Cameroon

Andrew Amenechi                 – Enough of Silence                    –  Nigeria

Tom Jones                 – Mateka(Captives)                    –  Uganda

Chidiebere Nwosu                 – Obsession                                      – Nigeria

Shanchar Levi – Shlosha Tapuzim                      – Israel

Habibu Yusuph Madabu – Uncle                                               – Tanzania

Muyiwa Ademola   – Sin city                                              – Nigeria

OUTSTANDING MUSIC SCORE

Brave                 – France

Mateka – Uganda

Shlosa Tapuzim                 – Israel

Sin City – Nigeria

Life After Death                 – Nigeria

Omowale                 – South Africa

The Alert                 – Nigeria

OUTSTANDING STUDENT FILM

Aminata – Spain

The Lesson Of Courage                 – China

Towards Utopia                 – UK

Zoe – Central Africa Republic

Once upon a Perfect Murder                                 – Nigeria

The Doll – Iran

On Solid Ground                 – Serbia

OUTSTANDING ANIMATION FILM

Larvae Story                 – Korea

The Pyramid                 – Egypt

The Nomad                  Lebanon

Weight – USA

Shloha Tapuzim                 – Israel

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY FILM

Palm To Crude – Nigeria

Everest Man – Nepal

Heart of Gold – Thailand

Journey of Igbo Civilization                 – Nigeria

The House Mulogiouli – Kenya

From Behind The Window                 – Iran

Cinema Beyond Boundaries                 – Australia

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