Organisers of the Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) have announced the nominees for the 2020 edition.
In its seventeenth year, this edition, tagged ‘The New Normal’ is slated to hold from October 26 to 30, 2020.
A statement signed by the Festival’s founder, Fidelis Duker, said the opening and closing ceremonies would be virtual and attendance will be strictly by invitation.
“It is important to mention that during this COVID-19 pandemic which has become a global emergency where some countries are shutting down in the face of a second wave of COVID-19, more than ever, Abuja International Film Festival recognizes its purpose to celebrate quality screen content and bring our community together but we must consider the safety of our participants. This regrettably will prevent the presence of several of our international delegates due to stringent international travel conditions. Therefore, as agreed by the organizing committee, this year’s festival will be both a Virtual and Physical film festival in observance of public health measures,” the statement partly reads.
It added that all other participants can join the festival online from Monday 26th to Friday 30th October through the AIFF stream.
The screening committee has selected an array of over 68 films in different genres (shorts, features, documentaries, student and experimental film) with some of them targeting the COVID-19 with 24 films and filmmakers nominated in 13 different categories.
According to the statement, the International Film market and Exhibition has been cancelled this year but Organisers are hopeful it will return next year.
17th Abuja International Film Festival Nominees
OUTSTANDING EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Resilience – USA
Weinerland – AUSTRIA
Social Comment – NIGERIA
Call Me Neguiho – CAPE VERDE
What When Wrong – NIGERIA
OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM (NIGERIA)
The Session – BALARABE OGBEHA
Last Tango In Abuja – EMIL GARUBA
Waterloo – ODIANOSEN IYOMON
Dark – MOSES IPADEOLA
Justus – PATRICIA IREFE
LYT – OLADIPO O’FRESH
OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM (FOREIGN)
The Last Pizza – CHINA
1999 – ANGOLA
400 Petals – PUERTO RICO
Define Delphine – BRAZIL
Michiko – JAPAN
In – SOUTH KOREA
Ashmina – UNITED KINGDOM
OUTSTANDING FEATURE FILM (NIGERIA)
Mr Executioner – CHUCKS MORDI
Gbarada (Modifier) – MUYIWA ADEMOLA
Lockdown – LANCELOT IMASUEN
Drawing Strength – DIMBO ATIYA
Haram – ANDY BOYO
Last Request – JAMES ABINIBI
Muddled – BEST OKODUWA
The Sessions – JUDITH AUDU
OUTSTANDING FEATURE FILM (FOREIGN)
The Second Audition – NERTHERLAND
The Longest Night – EQUADOR
Mad House – GHANA
Damali Tagc – UGANDA
SAVING Mbango
The Wood
Until The Truth Comes – COTE’ D VOIRE
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY FILM
Abraum – GERMANY
Mother Nature Manifestation – KENYA
Eye Of An Artist – NIGERIA
Twoub Mantal – HAITI
Bamboo Ballads – INDIA
Women Hold Up The Sky Africa – KENYA
The Alexandre The Fool – CANADA
OUTSTANDING STUDENT FILM
A Thousand Night – EGYPT
The Honorable – NIGERIA
Ho Ha – NIGERIA
OUTSTANDING MALE ACT
JULIUS TEKO – Until Truth Comes Out – COTE’D VOIRE
FREDRICK LEORNARD – Vendetta – NIGERIA
GODIZZ FONGWA – Saving Mbango – CAMEROON
CHRIS OKAGBUE – Drawing Strength – NIGERIA
JIDE KOSOKO – Too Old For This – NIGERIA
NANA YAA AGYARE – The King With No Culture – GHANA
MUYIWA ADEMOLA – Gbarada (The Modifier) – NIGERIA
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACT
INEM PETER – Too Old For This – NIGERIA
JOANITA BIRINGI – Damali Tagc – UGANDA
NOELLLE SCHONWAND – The Longest Night – EQUADOR
SOPHIE ALAKIJA – Drawing Strength – NIGERIA
ROOPA VARKADY – Triple Talaq – INDIA
EMPRESS NJAMA – Lockdown – NIGERIA
CHEN RUYI – The Wood – CHINA
OUTSTANDING FILM IN DIRECTING
DIMBO ATIYA – Drawing Strength – NIGERIA
GABRIEL CALVACHE – The Longest Night – EQUADOR
LU HUATIAN – The Wood – CHINA
NKANYA NKWAI – Saving Mbango – CAMEROON
MUYIWA ADEMOLA – Gbarada (The Modifier) – NIGERIA
POZSGAI ZSOLT – The Devoted – HUNGARY
YAKUB KHADER GULVADY – Triple Talaq – INDIA
OUTSTANDING FILM IN MUSIC SCORE
The Devoted – HUNGARY
The Actor (Osere) – NIGERIA
The Second Audition – NETHERLAND
Shibil – BULGARIA
Too Old For This – NIGERIA
Mad House – GHANA
Gbarada (The Modifier) – NIGERIA
AIFF GOLDEN JURY PRIZE
The Wood – CHINA
Drawing Strength – NIGERIA
The Longest Night – EQUADOR
Gbarada (The Modifier) – NIGERIA
The Devoted – HUNGARY
Triple Talaq – INDIA
Saving Mbango – CAMEROON
