138 films will be screened at 2018 African International FIlm Fetival in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 150 movies will be screened at the eight edition of the African International Film Festival, AFRIFF.In a chat with Pulse at the festival’s programme launch, the founder of AFRIFF, Chioma Ude said 52 of the movies submitted across the African continent, are short films.The festival founder saids for its eighth edition, “The Many Faces of Woman,” is the theme.”The Many Faces of Woman”, is a visual exploration of the portrayal of women in cinema that raises discussions on a central question; ‘What is Woman?’ the statement said.Ude further revealed that Some of the selected films are made by female directors and/or about Women as central characters or protagonists while others are directed by male directors with their gaze on and interpretation of Woman. In his words, AFRIFF’s Artistic Director, – Newton L Aduaka, said “through this exercise, I hope an intersection of Male-Female gaze on Woman can be glimpsed and interrogated.”The programme launch, which took place on November 25, 2018 at Twin Waters, featured the screening of the recently released ‘The Hate U Give’, starring Amandla Stenberg. In his remarks, Jérôme Pasquier, the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, highlighted the immense contribution the French Embassy has given to the film festival, with hopes to continue with the very enriching partnership. Laurent Polonceaux, the Consul General, commented on his enthusiasm with working with the festival whilst Amaechi Okobi emphasised on Access Bank’s devotion to the arts.Opening with the visually arresting epic Western tale “Sew the Winter to My Skin” a tale that follows the myth of a South African bandit in pre-apartheid South Africa, 2018 AFIRFF will close with the highly anticipated “Nigerian Prince”, a Nigerian venture helmed by the capable Faraday Okoro.
