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With the unveiling of its On-Screen magazine, all is now set for the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) maiden international festival in the United States of America.
Speaking at a pre-event cocktail party held at Westwood Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos last week, the Guild’s National President, Dr. Ejezie Emeka Rollas, disclosed that the AGN International Festival is being organised to promote Nigerian actors and expose them to casting agencies abroad.
According to him, the festival will hold from November 16-18, 2023 at Double Tree by Hilton, Miami Airport Convention Center, 711 NW 72nd Avenue, Miami Fl 33126 USA.
While admitting that, with the festival, Nigerian actors will gain access to well renumerated jobs with international actors, film directors and producers, the AGN president said it would also provide an opportunity to engage casting directors, members of Script Actors Guild of America in different workshops, with a focus on Artificial intelligence (AI).
“The only way the movie industry will improve the welfare of its members, in terms of good renumeration, is when they are involved in productions with massive budget. So, we need to go and sell ourselves out there. This will create cross cultural relationships between Nigerian actors and their foreign counterparts,” he noted.
Emeka Rollas added that the festival would continue to hold until the AGN is able to gain strength and see actors engage in bigger projects outside Nigeria.
A major highlight of the pre-event cockail party was the unveiling of the Guild’s online magazine, On-Screen, by Ms Chioma Ude, president, African International Film Festival (AFRIFF).
Rollas stated: “The On-Screen magazine is for actors. We have just unveiled the cover page, we have the intention of unveiling the main magazine at the festival in Miami. It will be an online quarterly publication that will educate the public on roles actors play in the industry.
“We are trying to create visual awareness for actors. We know that in recent times, a lot of actors have worked so well but there is nothing to show for it because we have not been able to work on branding and rebranding of our craft nationally and internationally. I don’t want the Nollywood industry to look like that of Nigerian football.”
Activities lined up for the festival include red carpet moments, gala and awards, film screening, panel discussions, city tours, workshops and seminars.
Actors and celebrities that graced the cocktail party included Steve Eboh, Victor Osiagwu, Chinedu Ikedieze, Osita Iheme, Ronnie Diko, Jennifer Eliogu, and Kate Henshaw.
Others were Julie McKay, Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate in Lagos and her husband, Emma Ogugua, Abu Abubakar, Alex Okoroji, Segun Arinze, Ufoma Okeke, and Bovi Ugboma.
