7th December, 2011
It was all glitz and glamour at the Lagos Oriental Hotel when a week-long AFRIFF International Film Festival came to an end. For the time, Lagosians saw Hollywood-style razzmatazz and stardom on the red-carpet during the closing ceremony.
The best of Nigerian entertainment industry made the day. Some Nollywood sweethearts like Rita Dominic, Genevieve Nnaji, Stephanie Okereke and Kate Henshaw were at the ceremony.
Ben Murray Bruce, Chairman, Silverbird Group, looked fine in his black suit with the beautiful Lynn Whitfield, the Emmy Award winning American actress by his side.
All members of the jury, including Femi Odugbemi, accomplished Nigerian filmmaker, photographer and writer, Eriq Ebouaney, founder of iREP International Documentary Film Festival, Heidi Lobato and others were present.
Other dignitaries include Hope Opara, President of Eko International Film Festival, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, director of the movie Tango With Me, Celine Loader and Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report, who is also the founder of the annual Eko International Film Festival.
The workshops and screenings for the second edition of AFRIFF were held both at the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas and Lagos Oriental Hotel, both in Lekki, Lagos from Wednesday 30 November to Saturday, 3 December.
Chioma Ude, the Founder/Project Director, AFRIFF and Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, Creative Director, appreciated all the filmmakers who submitted over 80 films in different categories of the film festival and also commended members of the organizing committee, partners and sponsors.
The inaugural edition in 2010 was in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.