From Freedom Park on Broad Street, to the classy Terra Kulture Arena in Victoria Island and Segun Adefila’s Art Factory in Bariga, the city of Lagos is in an exciting mood.
There is celebration in the city, courtesy of the I Represent (irep) International Documentary Festival which commenced its 12th edition yesterday, Thursday Match 17.
More than 60 films will be screened across the multiple venues in four days with the theme Unfiltered: African Stories, Stories of Africa.
This is a Festival in which the organisers have left no stone unturned to ensure a successful outing.
The opening film, Camilla Nielsson’s “President”, which focused on Zimbabwe’s presidential election of 2018 wowed the audience with its top quality and exceptional production values.
The screening was precedeed by awards of recognition to industry veterans like the legendary actor, Olu Jacobs, Tam Fiofori and celebrated director and tutor, Deji Adesanya, who clocks 70 this year.
Earlier at the opening session, iRep’s Chief Organiser, Femi Odugbemi, said “we have to decolonise African stories, we have to decolonise African screens,” in a courageous attempt to speak to the theme of this year’s festival.
“We don’t need an eldorado of Africa’s Stories, but we must come to the point where both sides of the stories are told,” he stated.
Speakers at this year’s festival include Moky Makura, Executive Director, Africa No Filter; Cheryl Uys-Allie, documentary filmmaker and Steven Markovitz, co-founder, Encounter Documentary Festival.
The festival will run till Sunday March 20 across the three venues and will come to a climax with the closing film, Night Nurse, directed by Moumouni Sanou who incidentaly trained under Deji Adesanya in Lagos a few years ago.
