THE 78TH FESTIVAL DE CANNES WINNERS’ LIST:The Jury of the 78th Festival de Cannes, chaired by French actress Juliette Binoche, surrounded by American actress and filmmaker Halle Berry, Indian director and screenwriter Payal Kapadia, Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher, French-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani, Congolese director, documentarist and Continue reading THE 78TH FESTIVAL DE CANNES WINNERS’ LIST→
The 77th Festival de Cannes is open!:“You may not be aware of this, but you are about to enter a parallel universe called the Cannes Vortex.” Camille Cottin was already on stage at the Grand Théâtre Lumière when lights went on for this 77th edition of Continue reading The 77th Festival de Cannes is open!→
IGUAZU WATERFALLS AND THE MOVIE BLACK PANTHER:The gorgeous Iguazu Falls, located at the Argentina-Brazil border. Coupled with the brilliance of Marvel Studios, the gigantic waterfall makes the place a worthy backdrop for such a grand superhero film Was the waterfall in Black Panther real? Footage for Continue reading IGUAZU WATERFALLS AND THE MOVIE BLACK PANTHER→
ETHNIC BIGOTRY & XENOPHOBIA AGAINST THE IGBOS IN NIGERIA:*The crime of that tribe must be so great.* In 1966: Nearly 1,000,000 of them was massacred in the North as revenge killings for a coup that was plotted by a young man that bears their name but had never Continue reading ETHNIC BIGOTRY & XENOPHOBIA AGAINST THE IGBOS IN NIGERIA→
CANON/EKO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2022 FILM INDUSTRY WORKSHOP:
There are times when one’s
workplace is akin to a war front. That is, there are always battles to be
fought, won or lost. With each loss or victory, enemies are created. It does
not matter that the victor was right. Once he wins a battle, he creates
enemies. And makes a few friends perhaps. Most of the battles are not
necessary. They are often petty. Divisive. Deadly. They are not always strictly
in the line of duty. They are not on principles such as what suits the
organization best or what approach would be less challenging for the group. The
battles emanate from petty jealousy, self-aggrandizement, inflated ego, and
envy. Such battles affect both men and women. They are often deadly. They
sometimes result in backbiting, planting evil stories, spreading false rumours,
backstabbing, gossiping to the Chief Executive, and outright lies against
persons. In African countries, sometimes the use of juju and other diabolic
means such as enchantment and witchcraft are not ruled out. Ask pastors what
their ears hear from adherents!
Sadly, it is not only in
workplaces that envy exists. It exists in any group of persons assembled or
related for any cause- familial, political, religious or commercial. Sometimes,
in a church or mosque, petty jealousy snowballs into a conflagration and people
change the location of worship. A pastor or a member becomes casualty
sometimes. Faith is undermined. When petty jealousy creeps into church
administration, God and His benevolent guiding principles are forgotten by the
combatants- they fight to finish. In a family, the man who is the only
successful person in life needs divine help to save him from wicked arrows from
siblings or cousins. Have you witnessed some deadly intra-family fights
resulting from jealousy and greed and small-mindedness? Sometimes it is so bad
that even in death enmity continues! Truly, Jesus Christ, the Righteous
declared: a man’s foes shall be they of his own household!
Sometimes envy and petty
jealousy also creep into relationships among friends. It is often said that
twenty friends cannot play together for twenty years! This saying becomes
meaningful when you see a friend gradually become an enemy through word and
deed. Except you are perceptive, you may not realize the slide or degeneration
or transmutation in time. It slips through snippets of statements attributed to
supposed friends which filter into your ears through third parties. For
example, it was at the wedding ceremony of my son that I realized that one of
such fellows, a crafty, wily devil, was a friend no more! Other manifestations
followed. But it’s better that one knows his enemies, what the Pentecostals
call ‘friendly enemies’ and decide on how to relate with them!
Envy of one for the other
is as old as man on earth. It accounts for the first recorded murder on earth
if the Bible is our guide. Cain killed his brother Abel. Abel, we are told, had
offered a better sacrifice than that of Abel. God accepted Abel’s. Cain’s
sacrifice was rejected because it was ill-conceived. In the Abel-Cain case,
there was sibling rivalry. And as we know, sibling rivalry still exists in
families across the world. It manifests in different ways especially when one
or some are more successful in life than others. It is in poor families. It is
in rich families. Some siblings have sworn never to set eyes on each other
forever! Can you beat that? Children from the same womb? Indeed, that desire to
maim, destroy or kill a rival is still very much with man.
In the office, it gets
worse as people rise in their career. The top is usually slim. In an
organization only one person gets the top job. But before you get there, there
are battles. There are many people who could get the plum job. Sometimes, the
set criteria point in the direction of one person. In Nigeria, if that person
is not from the favoured group, there is no guarantee that they would get the
job. As a result, there is intense jostling. For example, where there are five
deputy directors, seniority is decided by date of first engagement or
promotion. The person who is second in line may have vaulting ambition and may
resort to elimination means to clear the path for himself. This could be
dangerous. There have been too many mysterious and sudden deaths when there is
a struggle for a position.
Sometimes envy arises not
from what a target had done or said. It arises from the evil heart of the other
man. It is involuntary sometimes. Why you? Why not me? They seem to ask no one
in particular. It can also be planned and schemed over a period of time. If we
remember that not everyone is happy with our success in life, perhaps we would
be more circumspect in revealing plans to so-called associates and friends. In
some instances, small-minded friends or associates would simply be interested
in embarrassing or maiming you once they think or perceive or see that you are
ahead socially and financially. Nollywood Films often depict aspects of envy
and jealousy among friends, families and associates. Although often presented
in a melodramatic style, the incident of a successful man dying in mysterious
circumstances after extended family meetings or a man falling ill just when it
is time to climb the final step of the ladder is as common as it is as scary in
typical African settings. This by way no way suggest that there are no good
friends!
As much as possible, one
must be conscious of people around them as they make career growth. Too much
disclosure could be deadly. Plans should be kept to oneself. Sharing food or
drinking office tea are opportunities for some wicked actions. Our people say
that food that has been ingested is difficult to vomit. So, as much as
possible, rising persons should be careful of their drinks and food. In extreme
cases, rivals, known and unknown, resort to physical elimination. For this
reason, travel plans should be kept close to the chest. Above all, prayers of
protection are essential in a country as ours in which God is worshipped on
Sundays and ignored during the week by millions. When a workplace or church
environment becomes toxic, if we can let us move to another branch. If it is in
church of course there are laid down principles about inviting the person for a
discussion, getting a third party involved and treating the person like a
gentile. But a change of environment or avoiding proximity is a practical way
of reducing danger.
The final point to be made
is that nemesis awaits anyone who schemes evil against an innocent person,
whether at the workplace or in the family, in church, mosque or business
premises. Sadly, workers in the universities, including some professors, are
not excluded from this penchant for destroying people through all kinds of evil
schemes, means and shenanigans. Indeed, one professor was once reported to have
said to a colleague during a squabble: ‘remember that you have only one child!
In all of this, we all
must remember Emerson’s observation, made popular by Thriller Writer James
Hadley Chase, that ‘nemesis, is that recoil of nature, never to be guided
against, that ever surprises the most wary transgressor! Anybody who destroys
another will pay for it ultimately.
PROFESSOR HOPE EHGHAGHA write from the University of Lagos
VOICELESS (Nigeria) MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya) A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria) HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana)
BEST ACTOR MALE NOMINEES
JORGE LUIS CASTRO (OCEAN) Russia ADAM GARUBA (VOICELESS) Nigeria SEUN AKINDELE (DESPERATE PROPOSAL) Nigeria BERNARD ADUSE POKU (HEROES OF AFRICA) Ghana
BEST ACTOR FEMALE NOMINEES
UFUOMA MCDERMOTT (MR & MRS OKOLI) Nigeria LARA LAZARETTI (NOVEMBER) Portuguese Brazil NANCY ISIME (A DANCE TO FORGET) Nigeria ASABE MADAKI (VOICELESS) Nigeria
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR MALE NOMINEES
TONY AKPOSHERI ( Mr & Mrs Okoli ) Nigeria NANJIE RAMESH (BROKEN POT) Cameron SANI MU’AZU (VOICELESS) Nigeria FREDERICK LEONARD (VENDETTA ) Nigeria
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR FEMALE NOMINEES
NGOZI EZEONU (A DANCE TO FORGET) Nigeria YANA IVANOVA (GRAND CANCAN) Russia REKIYA ATTA (VOICELESS) Nigeria MA-BI ETONGO CELESTINE (BROKEN POT) Cameroon
BEST DIRECTOR NOMINEES
ROBERT PETERS (VOICELESS) Nigeria GILBERT LUKALIA (MISSION TO RESCUE) Kenya FRANK GHARBIN (HEROES OF AFRICA ) Ghana) MIKHAIL KOSYREV-NESTEROV (OCEAN ) Russia
BEST SCREENPLAY NOMINEES
JENNY AGUNLOYE OKOLIKO (VOICELESS) Nigeria KOSYREV-NESTEROV (OCEAN) Russia NAJID ALFRED TOOFE, STANFAME AJALAJA (MR & MRS OKOLI) Nigeria FRANK GHARBIN (HEROES OF AFRICAN) Ghana
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINEES
JONATHAN KOVEL ( VOICELESS ) Nigeria OLEG LUKICHEV (OCEAN) Russia VINCENT BAFFOUR (HEROES OF AFRICA) Ghana VICTOR OMBOGO (MISSION TO RESCUE) Kenya
BEST STORY NOMINEES
HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana) OCEAN (Russia) BROKEN POT (Cameroon) VOICELESS (Nigeria)
BEST CAST DIRECTOR NOMINEES
OCEAN (Russia) HEROES OF AFRICAN (Ghana) VOICELESS (Nigeria) MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya)
BEST FILM EDIT NOMINEES
VOICELESS (Nigeria) NOVEMBER (Brazil) MR & MRS OKOLI (Nigeria) MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya)
BEST SOUND NOMINEES
HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana) VOICELESS (Nigeria) MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya) NOVEMBER (Brazil)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN NOMINEES
VEGAS (USA) VOICELESS (Nigeria) A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria) OCEAN (Russia)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE NOMINEES
VOICELESS (Nigeria) A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria) NOVEMBER (Brazil) DESPERATE PROPOSAL (Nigeria)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG NOMINEES
A DREAM TO FORGET (Nigeria) OCEAN (Russia) NOVEMBER (Brazil) TWISTED (Nigeria)
BEST MAKEUP COSTUME NOMINEES
DESPERATE PROPOSAL (Nigeria) PIOUS LOVE (Nigeria) HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana) A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS NOMINEES
MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya) OCEAN (Russia) JUDAS KISS (Uganda) VOICELESS (Nigeria)
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM NOMINEES
NYARA “The Kidnapping” by Ram Ally K (Tanzania) MARIA KRISTU: The Buumba story by Paul.S. Wilo (Zambia) SHUJAA WETU (OUR HERO ) by Tom Johns (Tanzania) FURROWS by Julio Mazarico (Spain)
FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM NOMINEES
GOLDEN FISH,AFRICAN FISH by Thomas Grand, Moussa Diop from (Senegal) GUNS, BOMBS & WAR: A LOVE STORY by Emmanuel Itier from (USA) FREEPLAY by Ivan Torres (Spanish,United Kingdom)
SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM NOMINEES
YABÁ by Rodrigo Sena (Brazil) ARCTIC by Josu Venero, Jesus Mari Lazkano from (Spain) HALF-DROWNED by Nnadi Hillary Ikenna (Nigeria)
INDIGENOUS FILM CATEGORY NOMINEES
EFUNSETAN ANIWURA by Joshua Ojo (Nigeria) ISHI ANYAOCHA by Jhonpaul Nwanganga (Nigeria) THE WIDOW’S SON – HAUSA VERSION by Willie Workman Oga (Nigeria) GRAVE by Adeshina Abiola Paul (Nigeria)
INDIGENOUS FILM ACTOR NOMINEES
YEMI SOLADE (EFUNSETAN) CLARION CHUKWURA (EFUNSETAN) WALE ELESHO (EFUNSETAN) JESSICA RAYMOND (THE WIDOW’S SON – HAUSA) CHIDIEBERE ANEKE (ISHI ANYAOCHA)
BEST SHORT FILM NOMINEES
MUM by Kenechi Oraghalum (USA) BROTHERLY by Best Okoduwa (Nigeria) ARIZONA 1878 by Manuel Jose Olaya MuÑoz (Spain) CLICHÉ – REFLECTION OF A SILHOUETTE by Jesper Skoubølling (Denmark)
The California Film Commission (CFC) is one of several economic development departments within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development working to attract, retain, and expand business opportunities in California. The CFC supports a production-friendly environment to retain and grow production jobs and economic activity statewide, enhancing California’s position as the leading location for all forms of media content creation nationally and globally.
The business of film and television is serious business
The theme of the summit is Digital Consumption, Distribution and Disruption: Implications for Film and TV Content Business in Nigeria. The Speakers and Partners – Francis Nebot, Jonathan Wolf Moses Babatope Peace Anyiam-Osigwe – MFR Joy Efe Odiete Sören Bauer Opeyemi Ajayi patrick lee Denis Pagnac Benjamin Budd Olivier PASCAL
Venue: EbonyLife Place Victoria Island Lagos.
Ijeoma Onah the CEO of Nigerian International Film & TV Summit with Award winning Film Director Kingsley Omoefe Alhaji Adedayo Thomas Executive Director – NFVCB at NiFS Summit 2021
Nigerian
International Film & TV Summit
Industry Conversation with National Films and Video Censors Board.
He spoke on the role of the Government in Building Structure and Professionalism in the Nigerian Film Industry and the importance of every practitioner belonging to a Guild irrespective of their other affiliations.
From left. Keppy Ekpenyong, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, Victor Okhai, Peace Osigwe & Fred AmataAward winning Film Director Kingsley Omoefe and Hope Obioma Opara (The President / Founder Eko International Film Festival & Universal Movie Awards) Attendees During the Summit From left is Omoefe Kingsley, Paul Igwe, Victor Okpala Hope Opara, and Jerry IsicheiKingsley Omoefe, Hope Opara ,Jerry Isichei and Darlington.Kingsley Omoefe and Joy Efe Odiete – Managing Director/CEO – Blue Pictures Distribution Kingsley Omoefe and Fred Amata former President of Directors Guild of Nigeria.
The
Universal Movie Awards is an important platform through which agencies,
corporate organizations, film industry practitioners, and enthusiasts can
engage with filmmakers all over the world
The mission
of Universal Movie Awards is: “The Celebration of Professional Excellence in
the Global Film/Television Industry
The man Cristiano Ronaldo
CR7…… Legend, world class , REAL GOAT and record breaker for overall goals
on the International level with 111 goals after a brace last night against
Ireland.
This guy has never played
for my team Chelsea but I love him. The most hardworking player that I have ever
known. At 36 years old CR7 has the body of a 21 year old. He will sure give
Manchester United another good 3 years IF he continues to manage his body and
fitness level well. Undoubtedly and unarguably the greatest player of all time
having plied his trade with Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid,
Juventus and now Manchester United again.
This football star isn’t
done yet. At 36 years he has signed for Manchester United for the 2021/22
season. That is ambition. I am so happy to witness the growth of this gentleman
from Lisbon till date. CONGRATULATIONS to CRISTIANO RONALDO DOS SANTOS AVEIRO
!!!!!!……Khallyzo De Centurion is a die hard , unapologetic Chelsea faithful
and proud supporter of Chelsea Nigeria.
HOPE OBIOMA OPARA President/ Founder Universal Movie Awards
The Universal Movie Awards
is an annual international Award based in Nigeria.
The Universal Movie Awards
is geared towards presenting a platform through which the Nigerian film
industry Nollywood will host filmmakers all over the world.
The Primary vision of
UNIMA is to add value and creatively enrich the entertainment industry through
excellent work in film and television.
The mission of Universal
Movie Awards is: “the celebration of professional Excellence in the Global
Film/Television Industry.”
We currently have films
submitted for the award from every continent of the world. and they all have
equal opportunity to compete in every categories of the awards.
UNIMA also house a Movie
Academy for Film, Arts, Culture and talent development. The President/Founder
Mr. Hope Obioma Opara stated that Universal Movie Awards (UNIMA) Art Academy known as “ UNIVERSAL MOVIE ACADEMY” is for the
development of contemporary motion picture environment whereby talents among youthful bracket in the aspect
of motion picture – catering to script writing, acting, filmmaking,
cinematography, Directing etc.
Arts can save lives. Arts
can turn around troubled teenagers; get young men and women off the streets
into creative and constructive pursuits. Art can change attitude, build
self-esteem and redirect the path of the wayward. Art can also prevent despair.
Art can add color and brighten the world.
The workshops will engage
young men and women into more meaningful ways to look inside themselves to
rediscover their potentials.
We look forward to Donations
/Sponsorship and partnerships with the
government and corporate organization to enable us achieve, drive, enhance this
edition to be hosted in Nigeria.
UNIMA inaugural edition
will be held in September 25, 2021, in Nigeria
For the first time in the Nigerian Awards space, Universal Movie Awards has introduced “the Best TV Commercial Awards” to celebrate Commercial producers in Nigeria during the award event slated to hold on September 25, 2021.
Production companies have
the opportunity to submit their TV Commercials to win the following awards
under this category
– Best
Telecom Commercial award
– Best
Financial Institution commercial award
– Best
Food & Beverages Commercial Award
–
Best Animated Commercial Award
– Best
Soundtrack Commercial award
– Best Overall TV Commercial Award
– Best
Commercial Producer Award
– Best
Commercial Director Award
– Best Production Company Award
(The Advert: Not later than 2 years – Duration: Maximum of 2 minutes )
Click this link to submit for Best TV Commercial Awards (Nigeria)