The Founder and Executive Director of Coal City Film Festival, Mr. Uche Agbo announced that this year’s festival will now hold from 13th to 15th April, 2023 with the theme FILM MEETS TECH.
Coal City Film Festival is an annual international film festival dedicated to celebrating African cinema at the heart of South East Nigeria – Enugu State, whilst giving local and international delegates an opportunity to savor the diverse, bubbling film, tourism and hospitality experiences at the historical coal city state. 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 it has successfully hosted two editions.
The theme for this 3rd edition of the festival FILM MEETS TECH will help us to expand the horizon and include conversations around technology, food, fashion, finance, health and culture, and how film can be used to improve these sectors. Last edition was a huge success as we had over three thousand physical participation and over 4.5million 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.
Like the previous editions, we shall be having free film screenings, free master classes, panel discussions, palm wine and bush meat round table, city tour award/gala night and party.
As part of our goal to encourage local industry players’ participation during the 3-days event, we have introduced Old Skool Fashion Night and South East Entertainment and Media Night. A great opportunity to celebrate and honour key industry stakeholders while learning how to improve their arts and business knowledge. This is a day dedicated for leisure and business focusing on key industry players in South East, which is the host region. Though, an International film festival, the Coal City Film Festival management have always sort for a means to promote and encourage the local industry in the Eastern Nigeria. Our vision is to have 75% local participation and 25% International participation.
There will also be an opportunity for small and medium enterprises to sell their goods and services during the event. This is to encourage vendors to take advantage of the large crowd that often attend the festival and market their goods.
This year edition has forty six (46) official films selected for screening from pool of films submitted to the festival. The categories ranges from feature films, short films, documentary and students/experimental films.
The jury is chaired by Nigerian-UK based Obi Emelonye, and other members of the jury include, veteran film journalist, Shaibu Hussein, astute filmmaker, Mildred Okwor, Nigerian-Uk based filmmaker, Emem Isong, as well as 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. This foremost and most attended film festival in South East affords every film lover, practicing and aspiring actors, filmmakers, investors, International community, government agencies and sponsors to be a critical part of history, once again.
To attend the festival all you have to do is to register free on our website www.coalcityfilmfestival.com/registration
For more information, inquires, sponsorship or partnership you can contact our hotlines: 07081301400 OR 0803686016 OR 08110239903 OR email us [email protected]