24th February, 2017
“My French Film Festival”, the first French cinema fiesta in Nigeria, on Thursday night opened at the French Cultural Centre (Institute français) in the Federal Capital Territory.
Lea Granados, the Cultural Programme Officer of the Centre, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the festival was designed to offer Nigerians an insight into the diversity of contemporary French cinema.
According to her, “My French Film Festival” initiative is an ‘innovative concept aiming to throw spotlight on new generation of French films and filmmakers’.
“My French Film Festival is an online Film Festival initiative that started primarily in France seven years ago.
“The Festival has selected films already with the 2017 edition, so we decided to screen some of them that we feel are the best for the Nigerian audience.
“The idea is to provide the Nigerian public with a sought of insight into the diverse new comedy films coming from the French film industry “she said.
Granados explained that the Festival is scheduled to hold simultaneously from Feb. 22 to 25 at the Institute français in Abuja and Alliances françaises in Ibadan, PortHarcourt, Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu.
Others include Jos, Ilorin , Owerri and Maiduguri, all to feature public film screenings.
According to her, this is the first time that a cultural event is taking place simultaneously across institutions of the French cultural network in Nigeria.
She noted that beyond the aura and euphoria of entertainment the event would offer nationwide to further boost existing cultural ties and understanding between the two countries.
“This is also very good because the French cultural network is very strong in Nigeria.
“French cinema is already well represented in most of the Alliances françaises in the country, who organises regular film screenings followed by discussions, for the general public or for their students.
“In Abuja, the Institut français also has a regular cinema programme and has organised large-scale cinema events that showcased the diversity and richness of French culture and artistes, “she noted.
She explained that the films to be screened include feature films, short films and animated films.
“They are suitable for all ages and are subtitled in English.”
NAN reports that French Nationals and that of other Francophone countries, students and entertainment stakeholders were present at the event.