Organisers of the annual Coal City Film Festival have announced that the 2023 edition will be held from the 23rd to the 25th of March.
With the theme ‘Film Meets Tech’, founder and Executive Director of the Coal City Film Festival, Uche Agbo, said the festival’s vision is to open the doors of South-east Nigeria to the rest of the world using film.
The film festival, he said, had its maiden edition in March 2021, and it has successfully hosted two editions.
Among the events slated for this year’s festival is Old Skool Fashion Night, South East Entertainment as well as a Media Night.
The festival will also celebrate and honour key industry stakeholders while learning how to improve their arts and business knowledge.
This year’s edition has 46 official films selected for screening from a pool of films submitted to the festival. The categories include feature films, short films, documentaries and student/experimental films.
Film meets tech
Speaking further, Agbo explained the theme for this third festival edition, ‘Film Meets Tech’.
He said it would help industry experts to expand their horizons and include conversations around technology, food, fashion, finance, health and culture, and how film can be used to improve these sectors.
“Last edition was successful as we had over three thousand physical participants and over 4.5 million combined online views.
In this third edition, we want to expand the visibility of the festival as well as increase the physical and online participation,” he said.
Agbo said that, like the previous editions, this year’s should be having free film screenings, free master classes, panel discussions, palm wine and bush meat round table, a city tour award/gala night and a party.
This year’s edition has 46 official films selected for screening from a pool of films submitted to the festival. The categories range from feature films, short films, documentaries and student or experimental films.
UK-based Nigerian Obi Emelonye chairs the jury. Other jury members include veteran film journalist Shaibu Hussein, astute filmmaker Mildred Okwor, Nigerian-Uk-based filmmaker Emem Isong, Professor Mohan Das, an Indian Filmmaker and Judith Audu, a vibrant and young Nigerian Producer/Director.
Attendance is 100% free and is open to the general public.
Coal City Film Festival
According to its organisers, the Festival is an annual event celebrating African cinema at the heart of South-east Nigeria – Enugu State. It allows local and international delegates to delegate universe and bubbly film, tourism and hospitality experiences at the historical coal city state.
READ ALSO: Of glass houses, stones and Glasgow, By Alex Otti
The vision is to open the doors of South-east Nigeria to the rest of the world using the instrument of film. The Film festival had its maiden edition in March 2021 and has successfully hosted two editions.
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
TEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999