Olamide Babatunde
The ninth edition of the annual iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival, which kicked off yesterday at Freedom Park, Lagos, with Opening Cocktail at the amphitheatre, will climax on Sunday, March 24, 2019 at the same venue.
During the opening ceremony last night, the spirits of some of the recently deceased members of the Art and culture community were literally recalled for honour. They included the film historian and critic, Professor Frank Ukadike; visual artists, Bisi Silva and Professor Okwui Enwezor; the professor of African Studies at Carleton University, Ottawa, Pius Adesanmi, and the theatre artiste and prolific TV drama scriptwriter, Paul Emema. While Nwachukwu Ukadike died last year, the rest died this year.
According to the Festival Directorate, “They were very important contributors to the building and sustenance of our creative community, but, who had, regrettably, moved on to higher services; we wish to celebrate their life and career in our own little way as a means of keeping them fresh and evergreen in our memory.”
The programmes lined up for the three-day festival include Beginners Course in Storytelling, paper presentations, workshop and training, film screening and panel discussions. Though the festival is conceptually framed around the iREP generic theme of “Africa in Self-conversation”, the theme for this year is “Storylines,” and it will explore the various dynamics of storytelling with a view to tracing the importance of stories to human and social developments, especially as it concerns nation-building in Africa, said thee organisers.
Over 50 films collected from 22 countries, and three continents – Africa, Europe and the Americas –are expected to feature in the festival. Also eight presentations and panel discussions on various dimensions of the theme have been designed to elucidate on the theme, while the various filmmakers in attendance will also interface with the audience on the content, form and techniques of realising their work in an educational exchange manner.
Besides, Bolande Austen Peters was, also, honoured this year, because, according to the organisers, “essentially she represents the spirit of progress and possibilities in our culture producing community, a major inspiration to many young people; more so, because at the inception of the festival, she was the first supporter we had.”
Guests and resource persons of the festival include Professor Niyi Cooker, Prof. Awam, former Senior Lecturer of Drama and Television at King Alfred’s University College, Amkpa; Theo Lawson, Dr Paul Igor, Assistant Professor, Illinois State University; and Professor Linus Abraham, Greenkeeper School of Communication, Iowa State University, USA.