AFRIFF OPENS WITH A BANG

The 6^th Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) opened Sunday night at the newly commissioned Filmhouse-IMAX theatres in Lekki, Lagos. Filmmakers, guests, the media as well as dignitaries from all walks of life turned out for the festival’s opening presentation, the acclaimed Hollywood film, Birth of a Nation, written, directed by and starring Nate Parker, himself a previous AFRIFF participant.

The screening was preceded by a red carpet and open night party. AFRIFF ambassador Rita Dominic, Kate Henshaw, Richard Mofe-Damijo, OC Ukeje, Hilda Dokubo and Mary Remy Njoku were some of the stars spotted in their glam on the red carpet. Business/media executives Jason Njoku, Obi Asika and Adebola Williams also partied in the mix.

Showtime began with a welcome message from AFRIFF patron Herbert Wigwe. The Access Bank CEO pledged a continuous support for the film industry through the bank’s different interventions in the creative sector. He noted the importance of preserving Africa’s legacies via film and urged everyone to get involved in their own different ways.

Actress Lala Akindoju who served as the MC for the evening introduced the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who gave a crisp address, reiterating government’s interest and support for Nollywood. Mohammed noted that as the nation weans itself off its dependence on oil, it has to look inwards for industries that have the potential of putting Nigeria on the business map, and the entertainment industry has been identified as such. He assured that government would do all in its power to make the business environment friendlier for the practitioners.

CEO of Filmhouse Cinemas/Film One Distribution, Kene Mkparu, introduced the opening film, Birth of a Nation, as an African story which every African should see because of its timeliness and relevance. He gave a brief account of Birth of a Nation’s journey from Las Vegas to Lagos and introduced Chike Okonkwo, a Nigerian actor who had an onscreen role in the film. Okonkwo gave a brief welcome message from director, Nate Parker, who expressed his excitement and gratitude for all the support the film has received so far from Africa.

AFRIFF is a week-long programme that runs from November 13 to 19, showcasing about 155 world-standard feature, short and documentary films. Its schedule also encompasses talent development classes, industry workshops and creative discussions.

2016 HEADIES GETS ON THE WAY WITH NOMINEES LIST RELEASED

One of the most anticipated award event in Nigeria #Headies2016 has released its list of Nominees and sure it is an interesting one to look out for.. Below are the list of nominees for the 2016 edition of the #headies  list of nominees has been released and the countdown has begun!

Check out the list of nominees below;

(Year In Review: July 2015 – June 2016)

Best Recording Of The Year:
A Non-Voting Category For The Best Single Recording By An Artiste Or Group In The Year Under Review.

Emergency – D’banj
Pray For Me – Darey Feat. Soweto Choir
Love Don’t Care – Simi
Orente – Adekunle Gold
Something Good Is Happening – Brymo

Producer Of The Year
An Individual Responsible For Producing The Most Acclaimed Song Or Album In The Year Under Review.

DJ Coublon ‘Good Time & Raba’
Pheels – ‘Pick Up & Lagos Boys’ – Olamide
Legendury Beats – ‘Final – Baba Nla’ Wizkid
Young John – ‘Mama’ – Kiss Daniel
Mastakraft – ‘Fada Fada’, ‘Connect’ – Phyno
Oscar Herman-Ackah – ‘Pray For Me’ – Darey

Best Music Video
A Voting Category For The Best Conceptualist, Best Directed And Most Exciting Video In The Year Under Review. This Award Goes To The Video Director.

Emergency (D’banj) – Unlimited La
Mary (Seyi Shay) – Meji Alabi
Soldier (Falz Tha Bad Guy) – Clarence Peters
Made For You – Banky W
Bad – Tiwa Savage Feat. Wizkid – Sesan

Best R&B/Pop Album
A Category For The Best R&B/Pop Album In The Year Under Review (By Single Individual Or Group).

New Era – Kiss Daniel
Wanted – Wande Coal
Klitoris – Brymo
Nak3d – Darey
Seyi Or Shay – Seyi Shay

Best R&B Single
A Category For The Best R&B Single In The Year Under Review (By A Single Individual Or Group).

Love Don’t Care – Simi
Made For You – Banky W
Super Woman – Wande Coal
Pray For Me – Darey
Aduke – Tjan
Smile – Shaydee

Best Pop Single
A Category For The Best Pop Single In Year Under Review (By Single Individual Or Group)

Mama – Kiss Daniel
Final (Baba Nla) – Wizkid
Pick Up – Adekunle Gold
Osinachi – Humblesmith Feat. Davido
Reggae Blues – Harrysong Feat. Orezi, Iyanya, Olamide, Kcee
Emergency – D’banj
Fada Fada – Phyno Feat. Olamide
Money – Timaya Feat. Flavour

Best Reggae/Dancehall Single
A Category For The Best Reggae/Dancehall Single In The Year Under Review (By Single Individual Or Group).

No Kissing’ – Patoranking Ft Sarkodie
Body Hot – Praiz Ft. Jesse Jagz & Stone Bwoy
Jaga Love – Jesse Jagz
Olowo – Cynthia Morgan
Pam Pam – Ketchup
Timaya – I Like The Way

Best Rap Album
A Non-Voting Category For The Best Album By A Rap Artiste Or Group In Year Under Review.

Eyan Mayweather – Olamide
Powerful – Ill Bliss
Stories That Touch – Falz
Lil’ Kesh – Yagi

Best Collabo
A Voting Category For The Best R&B, Pop Or Hip-Hop Collaborative Track (Including Cameos).

Soldier – Falz Feat. Simi
Reggae Blues – Harrysong Feat. Orezi, Iyanya, Olamide, Kcee
Osinachi – Humblesmith Feat. Davido
Wait – Solidstar Feat. Tiwa Savage
No Kissing – Patoranking Feat. Sarkodie
Money – Timaya Feat. Flavour

Best Rap Single
A Voting Category For A Single (Released On-Air) Recording Of A Rap.

Eyan Mayweather – Olamide
Asamalekun – Reminisce
Jagaban – Ycee
Chukwu Agozi Gogi – Ill Bliss
Agu Ji Ndi Men – A-Q
Show You Something – Boogey

Best Vocal Performance (Male)
A Non-Voting Category For The Single Male Artiste With The Most Outstanding Vocal Performance On A Single Song Or Album.

Brymo – Something Good Is Happening
Darey Feat. Soweto Choir – Pray For Me
Shaydee – Smile
Wande Coal – Super Woman
Ric Hassani – Gentleman

Best Vocal Performance (Female)
A Non-Voting Category For The Single Female Artiste With Most Outstanding Vocal Performances On A Single Song Or Album.

Simi – Love Don’t Care
Seyi Shay – Right Now
Aramide Feat. Adekunle Gold – Love Me
Omawumi Feat. Angelie Kidjo – Play Na Play

Next Rated
This Category Is A Voting Category For The Most Promising Upcoming Act In The Year Under Review.

Ycee
Tekno
Mr. Eazi
Humblesmith
Aramide

Hip Hop World Revelation
A Voting Category For The Best New Artiste In The Year Under Review.

Kiss Daniel – New Era
Seyi Shay – Seyi Or Shay
Lil’ Kesh – Yagi
Runtown – Ghetto University

Lyricist On The Roll
A Non-Voting Category For The Rap Artiste With The Best Lyrical Depth And Performance On A Single Song Or Album.

Ill Bliss – Chukwu Agozi Gogi
Reminsce – Asalamaleku
Ycee – Jagaban
Boogey – Show You Something
A-Q – Agu Ji Ndi Men’
Modenine – No Matter What

Best Street-Hop Artiste
A Voting Category For The Artiste Whose Songs Are Inspired By The Streets. Such Song Should Captain Lingua, Which May Also Be Originated By The Artiste And Popular On The Street.

Olamide – Who You Epp
Ajebutter Feat. Falz – Bad Gang
Koker – Ko Le Werk
Ycee – Jagaban
Small Dokta – Gbera
2t Boys – Customer Dada Ni

Best ‘Alternative’ Song
A Voting Category For The Artiste Whose Songs Reflect Any Form Or Style Of Music Which Falls Outside The Mainstream Of Recent Or Past Popular Musical Trends.

Pick Up – Adekunle Gold
Something Good Is Happening – Brymo
You Suppose Know – Bez
Wait For Me – Johnny Drille
Gentleman – Ric Hassani

Album Of The Year
A Voting Category For The Best Album (Solo Or Group) In Year Under Review, That Meets Judges Requirements Of Excellence (Songwriting, Production, Rendition And Promotion) And Acceptability (Sales And Popularity).

Stories That Touch – Falz
New Era – Kiss Daniel
Wanted – Wande Coal
Seyi Or Shay – Seyi Shay

Artiste Of The Year
Most Critically And Commercially Adjudged Artiste In The Year Under Review. Overall Most Successful Artiste For The Year Under Review.

Wizkid
Tiwa Savage
Falz
Yemi Alade
Olamide

Song Of The Year
A Voting Category For The Most Popular Song In The Year Under Review.

Final (Baba Nla) – Wizkid
Osinachi – Humblesmith Feat. Davido
Pick Up – Adekunle Gold
Reggae Blues – Harrysong Feat. Olamide, Orezi & Kcee
Fada Fada – Phyno Feat. Olamide

African Artiste
A Non-Nigerian Award Category For An Individual African Artiste Or Group With The Most Outstanding Achievement, Impact And Infiltration Into The Nigerian Music Scene In The Year Under Review.

Sauti Sol
Casper Nyovest
DJ Maphorisa
Stonebwoy
Sarkodie