TIPTOPSTARS

Anxiety has grown ten folds in Africa, four weeks to the maiden edition of the Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF). The Central African nation, usually described as Africa in miniature, for its enviable cultural heritage and physical/geographical landscape, will become the film capital of Africa from 25-30 April, 2016.

Observers hold that CAMIFF will be one of the biggest things that will happen in the now fast-growing Cameroonian film sector, at least within the past couple of years. “We’ve been awake and actively putting things together since we publicly announced this project,” Agbor Gilbert Ebot, fondly known as AGE, the founder of CAMIFF, told TIPTOPSTARS. Also speaking from Buea, Cameroon, AGE gladly announced that the final selection of films submitted was out and his team was ready for the festival.

According to the list sent to our newsroom, 10 Cameroonian films, produced in Cameroon and directed by Cameroonians were retained from the shortlist. The films are W.A.K.A, directed by Francoise Ellong, Smokescreen and Tchanga and Inoma by Musing Derick, Nightfall by Anurin Nwunenbom, Hum! by Nabe Deone, Christa Eka’s Alma, Rostand Wandja’s G&M and Time by Herve Moukoko. Amongst these, there are two films directed by Cameroonians in the diaspora – Rejected by Kang Quintus and Ben & Ara by Constance Ejuma. Both films are shot and produced in the USA.

From final list of CAMIFF selected films, there are 20 productions retained in the Best Feature Film category while 17 films emerged from the scrutiny to occupy the best short film category. In the Best Documentary Film category, 11 productions will be vying for the prize while 10 films contest in the Best Animated Film category.

Also amongst the short films retained is Damaru, an award-winning story that won a converted prize at the 2015 Pan African Film Festival, FESPACO in Burkina Faso.

According to organizers, the Cameroon International Film Festival aims at expanding the scope of the growing film industry in Cameroon by putting it in partnership with corporate brands that could showcase participants in the sector including actors, directors, scriptwriters, editors, equipment manufacturers, the media and film students.

Ahead of the festival proper, a nomination party has already taken place. Hosted by Cameroonian Solange Yijika and her Nollywood counterpart Ramsey Nouah, the CAMIFF inaugural event that took place at the Djeuga palace Hotel in Yaounde in January was a crowd puller. “Once again, I felt proud of my country’s film industry when I attended the CAMIFF nomination party,” Madine, a Yaounde resident told TIPTOPSTARS. To Fidele, another lover of movies and keen observer of the evolution of the Cameroonian film industry, it was a great moment and she couldn’t just wait for April. “My anxiety keeps rising as April draws near. CAMIFF is a welcomed initiative and I must laud the efforts of AGE and team,” she said.

CAMIFF I takes place from 25-30 April at the Mountain Hotel in Buea, Cameroon. Activities to mark the week will include film projects, workshops and trainings.

It should be noted the CAMIFF’s founder, Agbor Gilbert Ebot is a frontline Cameroonian movie producer with a huge travelling experience. He is the producer of the famous Before The Sunrise (2005), The Blues Kingdom (2007), Land of Shadows (2009), Pink Poison (2012) and FAR (2014).