Co-founder/director of the iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival, Femi Odugbemi has revealed that this year’s edition of the Film Festival will be dedicated to commemorate the 90th birthday of a true titan of citizen activism Professor Wole Soyinka.
Odugbemi made this known in his welcome address on Friday, where he reflects the impact of Soyinka to the growth of film production and also his unwavering lifelong commitment to truth and justice in the film industry.
With the theme, “RIGHTING THE FUTURE,”, the four-time Head Judge for the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) and three-time Head Juror of the Uganda Film Festival, Juror of the Johannesburg International Film Festival South Africa, stated that IREPRESENT is not just a film festival; it is a movement—a movement towards a more just, inclusive, and informed future.
“:It is with great honor and excitement that I welcome you to the 14th IREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival here in Lagos. Your presence, once again, graces us with the richness of your experiences and perspectives, as we embark on this 3-day journey of cinematic exploration, introspection and dialogue.
“For 14years, IREPRESENT has served as a catalyst for change, bringing together voices from diverse fields to reimagine the power of documentary filmmaking. Through our theme of ‘Africa in Self-Conversation,’ we strive to shed light on the continent’s cultures and histories, while also addressing the pressing challenges we face.
“This edition of our festival holds special significance. With a theme aptly titled “RIGHTING THE FUTURE,” we aim to confront the misalignment of national purpose that has plagued our recent public discourse. The gulf between generations in understanding important values of citizenship, activism and free speech and the freedom of choice in a democracy has widened, exacerbated by a media landscape marred by misinformation, disinformation and the dark internet. Through this theme, we hope to provoke ideas that bridge this gap towards a deeper dialogue between the young and old, and charting a course towards a more united future.
“It is also our pleasure and honour to dedicate iREP2024 to commemorate the 90th birthday of a true titan of citizen activism Professor Wole Soyinka. Professor Soyinka’s unwavering lifelong commitment to truth and justice and defending human values points the way to how we all must fight to uphold these principles even in the face of adversity. We have many collaborators, institutions and friends who support the iREP vision and we are pleased that many of them are here with us in person and virtually.
“Thank you to you all. I want to thank our special guests, keynote speakers, presenters and panelists for making the time to join us. Thank you especially to the many filmmakers who have trusted us with their work and whose brilliance and artistry deepen our appreciation of the power and purpose of this genre.
Our plenary session is prefaced by keynote events that woukd be addressed by two eminent cultureand media scholars. The first will be by the esteemed Prof Manthia Diawara, writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar, art historian, and distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and Film at the New York University. He is the writer and director of _“Negritude: A Dialogue between Wole Soyinka and Leopold Senghor.”_ He will be speaking on _*Soyinka & His Engagements.*_ as a reflection on Soyinka’s activism. With his vast expertise in cultural theory and filmmaking, Prof Diawara embodies the spirit of cross-disciplinary collaboration that defines our festival.
“The second keynote on the humanistic ideals of Soyinka as reflected in his works will feature *Professor Awam Amkpa*, Dean of Arts and Humanities, & Vice Provost of Arts at the New York University, NYUAD, and Global Network Professor of Drama, Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU New York. He is the director of the soon to be realeased THE MAN DIED, which is inspired by Soyinka’s prison memoir of the same title. Former student of Soyinka at the then University of Ife, and a long-standing collaborator of Soyinka, he would be fielding questions from the audience on the film and the career of the celebrant.
We are.also honoured to have e with us Prof Jean Paul Colleyn, an anthropologist and media scholar from France, as well as Dr Nathalie Hadal, a poet and teacher at the New Yirk University, Abu Dhabi.
“We have a delegation from the University of Waterloo, Canada led Prof Paul Ugor, and including Dr Naila and Dr. Chhis both experts in Black Diaspora Studies, who will be joining conversations in the Plenary.
IREPRESENT is not just a film festival; it is a movement—a movement towards a more just, inclusive, and informed future. Thank you for joining us, and may this festival be a source of inspiration and enlightenment for us all.
Odugbemi made this known in his welcome address on Friday, where he reflects the impact of Soyinka to the growth of film production and also his unwavering lifelong commitment to truth and justice in the film industry.
With the theme, “RIGHTING THE FUTURE,”, the four-time Head Judge for the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) and three-time Head Juror of the Uganda Film Festival, Juror of the Johannesburg International Film Festival South Africa, stated that IREPRESENT is not just a film festival; it is a movement—a movement towards a more just, inclusive, and informed future.
“:It is with great honor and excitement that I welcome you to the 14th IREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival here in Lagos. Your presence, once again, graces us with the richness of your experiences and perspectives, as we embark on this 3-day journey of cinematic exploration, introspection and dialogue.
“For 14years, IREPRESENT has served as a catalyst for change, bringing together voices from diverse fields to reimagine the power of documentary filmmaking. Through our theme of ‘Africa in Self-Conversation,’ we strive to shed light on the continent’s cultures and histories, while also addressing the pressing challenges we face.
“This edition of our festival holds special significance. With a theme aptly titled “RIGHTING THE FUTURE,” we aim to confront the misalignment of national purpose that has plagued our recent public discourse. The gulf between generations in understanding important values of citizenship, activism and free speech and the freedom of choice in a democracy has widened, exacerbated by a media landscape marred by misinformation, disinformation and the dark internet. Through this theme, we hope to provoke ideas that bridge this gap towards a deeper dialogue between the young and old, and charting a course towards a more united future.
“It is also our pleasure and honour to dedicate iREP2024 to commemorate the 90th birthday of a true titan of citizen activism Professor Wole Soyinka. Professor Soyinka’s unwavering lifelong commitment to truth and justice and defending human values points the way to how we all must fight to uphold these principles even in the face of adversity. We have many collaborators, institutions and friends who support the iREP vision and we are pleased that many of them are here with us in person and virtually.
“Thank you to you all. I want to thank our special guests, keynote speakers, presenters and panelists for making the time to join us. Thank you especially to the many filmmakers who have trusted us with their work and whose brilliance and artistry deepen our appreciation of the power and purpose of this genre.
Our plenary session is prefaced by keynote events that woukd be addressed by two eminent cultureand media scholars. The first will be by the esteemed Prof Manthia Diawara, writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar, art historian, and distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and Film at the New York University. He is the writer and director of _“Negritude: A Dialogue between Wole Soyinka and Leopold Senghor.”_ He will be speaking on _*Soyinka & His Engagements.*_ as a reflection on Soyinka’s activism. With his vast expertise in cultural theory and filmmaking, Prof Diawara embodies the spirit of cross-disciplinary collaboration that defines our festival.
“The second keynote on the humanistic ideals of Soyinka as reflected in his works will feature *Professor Awam Amkpa*, Dean of Arts and Humanities, & Vice Provost of Arts at the New York University, NYUAD, and Global Network Professor of Drama, Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU New York. He is the director of the soon to be realeased THE MAN DIED, which is inspired by Soyinka’s prison memoir of the same title. Former student of Soyinka at the then University of Ife, and a long-standing collaborator of Soyinka, he would be fielding questions from the audience on the film and the career of the celebrant.
We are.also honoured to have e with us Prof Jean Paul Colleyn, an anthropologist and media scholar from France, as well as Dr Nathalie Hadal, a poet and teacher at the New Yirk University, Abu Dhabi.
“We have a delegation from the University of Waterloo, Canada led Prof Paul Ugor, and including Dr Naila and Dr. Chhis both experts in Black Diaspora Studies, who will be joining conversations in the Plenary.
IREPRESENT is not just a film festival; it is a movement—a movement towards a more just, inclusive, and informed future. Thank you for joining us, and may this festival be a source of inspiration and enlightenment for us all.
