With the support of the Ford Foundation, the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) has sent 15 undergraduates to train at the film school at Mountain State University in the US.
Comprising 12 Nigerians, two Kenyans and an Ethiopian, the 15 undergraduates are recipients of AFRIFF’s scholarships, which they won by excelling in the competition segment of the festival’s Talent Development Workshops last year.
During the send-off programme for the scholars in Lagos, the Ford Foundation programme officer Prof. Paul Nwulu said, “This scholarship scheme is a one-month intensive hands-on training camp on various aspects of film making, with an emphasis on documentary film production. There will be six days each week of classes which will include an intensive field work and hands-on training. A trip to Hollywood in Los Angeles will crown this trip with interactions billed to happen with American film makers and a tour of certain film studios slated to take place as well.’
AFRIFF’s founder/CEO, Chioma Ude, said that the skills acquisition and youth development initiative was designed to use film making as an authentic vehicle for youth empowerment. “We believe we can use this model for a social revolution that will change the economic horizon of the African film industry, by providing technical knowledge for the abundant talents in our film community,’ she said.
Source: Pulse.ng
