Film & Television

AFRIFF Lists Henshaw, Elliot, Netflix top producer, others on 2023 Jury

  • Names Orah as opening night film

The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) has unveiled its jury members for the 12th edition. This year, AFRIFF has received over 2,000 films from more than 100 countries across five continents during its call for submission.

From the entries, the jury has selected over 100 films. Among these is a crime thriller Orah, which has been selected as the opening night film.

The film festival is scheduled for November 5 to 11 in Lagos at the Landmark Centre on Victoria Island.

AFRIFF’s Founder & Festival Director, Chioma Ude, described Orah as a bold step to drive home the Festival’s theme: “Indigenous 2.0 Global.”

Orah, written and directed by acclaimed Nigerian/Canadian filmmaker Lonzo Nzekwe (Anchor Baby), was shot in Canada and Nigeria in late 2022.

The jury is now tasked with issuing their choice of finalists for the AFRIFF Globe Awards.

In a statement, the Head of PR & Media for AFRIFF 2023, Latasha Ngwube said the jury includes Stephen ‘Dr.’ Love, producer of one of Netflix’s most viewed movies of the year, “They Cloned Tyrone.’

Emmy-nominated Nigerian-British writer-producer, Abby Ajayi joins him.

Others are Nigerian film producer Greg Otudayo; Zimbabwean award-winning author and winner of the 2023 African Peace Prize, Tsitsi Dangarembga; and Lebanese-French actress and director Wafa’a Céline Halawi.

Also on the jury are entertainment and technology expert and SVP of Scripted Development at Dentsu, Geneva Wasserman; the Japanese media juggernaut, Cuban-American film producer, Ranada Shepard; and renowned Hollywood producer and Head of Inventions Studios, Nicholas Weinstock.

Others are film acquisition expert and Head of content at MultiChoice, Busola Tejumola; Nollywood veteran actress Kate Henshaw, and actor, filmmaker and lawmaker Desmond Elliott.

The international jury will award 14 Globe Awards to the most outstanding artistry and maestro in visual storytelling.

​AFRIFF, conceived by Ms. Chioma Ude, is a world-class showcase celebrating Cinema and filmmaking talent from Africa and the diaspora.

It consistently delivers a rich programme to foster invaluable exchanges of ideas, production connections, and business relationships.

Creating an energetic and exciting hub for entertainment industry professionals, AFRIFF is geared towards rewarding connections having gained a reputation for delivering Africa’s most vibrant film festival experience.

Its objectives are to develop the film industry to a level where the products compete favourably with their contemporaries all over the world; provide a growth opportunity for these film industry professionals to eventually export their products to the world; facilitate access to investors, equipment, technical and skill acquisition through Festival organised fora and several capacity development workshops.

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