Advice and thanks to the organizers

The last four days have celebrated the best of screenplays from Nollywood and some non- Nigerian African cinemas. We were treated to an array of fun ranging from serious films to comedies, and a host of others. We gave some of the films standing ovations while others seemed the handiworks of hungry, poor, or amateur producers.

Those works that I doff my hat to and recommend everyone get them include Jeta Amata’s Amazing Grace, Zeb Ejiro’s Domitila, and Tade Ogidan’s Playing Games, all well-researched and professionally acted, directed, and produced. They are indications that Nollywood has potential that could compete favorably with Hollywood.

I should also like to identify a few films that I see as a waste time and advise the production teams to apologize because of the implications they portend for the industry. A good example is Dance Hall. They claim that it is Nollywood’s first dance drama but I believe that should not be an excuse for giving the lovers of dance movies something that is not up to standard. Remember You Got Served? The producers should have taken a cue from that celebrated dance movie to use as a template for their efforts. The real embarrassment of the movie is the dance competition that took a whooping 53 minutes! What colossal time wastage. It also promotes bribery to achieve desired results, an unfortunate presentation of the real spirit of competition where the best wins. I hope the producers are not planning a sequel.

On the overall, the film festival has been an eye opener to the ever-present positive factors and features of Nollywood. It is fast becoming a reference point in the Nigerian movie industry where exhibitors could rub minds and compete for recognition. This year’s edition is quite an improvement over past years. The attendance and number of exhibited films show the festival is becoming increasingly popular.

It is necessary to point out the short comings of the LIFFEST as an avenue for improvement.

Firstly, the festival’s online site www.liffest.com was not updated. It was designed and left without change. For festivals of international repute, the website is the most reliable forum for interaction with participants. Also, out of the four dedicated phone lines, only one was reliable. The organizers need to ensure the website is updated and dedicated phone lines are open at all times. The site should contain details that journalists and others can access without having to call for festival schedules and other information. I expect the organizers will start planning for next year’s improvements.

I commend the impeccable jury panel, chosen from veterans and experts worldwide. They gave professional assessments of the works, and the lectures were in-depth and poised to help Nollywood solve problems that hamper the success of the industry.

We also celebrated our heroes, an action rare in Nigeria. We seem to be heading in the right direction and it was on the faces of all at the unveiling ceremony of the Wall of Fame -- supporters challenged to put their efforts into the industry because of the present wave of recognition blowing in Nollywood.

With a long year to wait ‘till the next edition of LIFFEST, the time would be well-used to plan and utilize for the benefit of the industry. This was my first coverage of a film festival and I really enjoyed myself. I also had a nice stay in Lagos, the commercial nerve center of Nigeria. It has been fun bringing the fiesta to your desktop, and I hope to be with you next time.

I am Adepoju Paul, signing out from the 2007 Lagos International Film Festival, Lagos, Nigeria, |West Africa, Africa, planet earth. Ciao