Mr Allen Agozie, co-founder of Fenmore Studios says the maiden edition of the Fenmore free Film Festival was aimed at empowering the Nigerian youths in the film industry.
Agozie, who said this at the sideline at the event, added that the young, yet rapidly ascending production company is a hub of innovation and creativity that is quickly carving a niche for itself, and promising a bright future for filmmaking in Nigeria.
The exhibition that took place in Abuja on Friday, 9th February had in attendance, H.E. Pascaline Gerengbo Yakivu, Ambassador of Congo DR to Nigeria, Directeur Judikaël Regnaut, Institut Français du Nigeria, Directrice Déléguée Magaly Losange, Institut Français du Nigeria.
“As a production company, Fenmore Studios decided to organise this film festival, in collaboration with Institut Français du Nigeria and Mambah Café, to celebrate short films and young filmmakers who are trying to tell our stories.
“Our efforts are to nurture new talent and highlight them as a notable entity to watch in the cinematic landscape’’.
According to him, as Nigerian youths grapple with unemployment, the film industry is a viable option that can create jobs and make people self-employed, if they can tap into it.
According to him, the Film Festive was an initiative to offer young filmmakers a platform to showcase their talents and creativity.
“The aim of Fenmore Film Festival is to give them a platform to showcase their works, and encourage them that they can be genuine tellers of original human stories’’.
He said that the theme of the festival was ‘Contemporary African Narratives’, was about the new ways of telling the African story.
“We want to tell our young filmmakers that they can change the nation through film.
“We selected and exhibited eight films that we believe show exactly what it means for young filmmakers in this generation to tell the same story that have been told before about society, but with a bent that will appeal to a wider audience.
“We hope that anyone that attended the festival falls in love with the films, and with this happening in Abuja, youth will join this community of young filmmakers to explore the vast opportunities that abound,” he said.
He noted that a lot of opportunities were available both in front and behind the camera for creative and talented young Nigerians who may want to venture into the motion picture industry.
“There are opportunities in the industry for every passionate and talented youth; from acting to cinematography, script writing, costume design and many more specialties.
“A lot of Hollywood films are being made with millions of dollars and that is because they think it is an industry worth investing in, and Nollywood actually has the same potential.
“So, what we really need to do is to start telling our own stories very well, genuine stories that a lot of people will be interested to tap into and make bigger on larger scale.
“That is when the money and employment will come, and the industry is definitely worth investing your time, talent and money in “, he said.
Agozie said that as Nigeria faces economic challenges and seeks to diversify its revenue mainstay, its rich culture and creative sector is a veritable alternative, if well harnessed.
He, therefore, urged the government at all levels to make the sector attractive to creative young Nigerians by providing necessary support in the form of funding and capacity building.
Some of the short films screened at the festival included ‘Swimming in a Sea of Trauma’, ‘You Matter to Me’, ‘Boy Meets Girl’, and ‘Cementary of Doves’. Others were ‘Rare Fish’, ’Hanky Panky’, and ‘A Quiet Monday’.
