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Female Nigerian filmmakers chart new course in expanding frontiers

Edosio explained that men would support anyone whom they have tested and confirmed to be competent and willing to learn.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, seven Nigerian female filmmakers gathered in Lagos to chart a new course in expanding the frontiers for women filmmakers in Nigeria.

Organised by Niran Adedokun, author of the book Ladies Calling the Shots,  the Pencil Film and Television Institute (PEFTI) and Temitope Duker, a panel of female filmmakers had the seven filmmakers taking turns in narrating their experience and story in the Nigerian movie industry.

The panel comprising six female film directors, namely, veteran Remi Vaughan- Richards, Ema Edosio, Adeola Osunkojo, Grace Edwin-Okon, Belinda Yanga-Agedah and Vanessa Nzediegwu were  backed by veteran actor and President of the Guild of Directors in Nigeria, Fred Amata.

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In the same vein, Tope Oshin shared a video where she discussed the topic: “Secrets for the journey: withstanding the storm.”

Writer, Cinematographer, Director and Editor, whose debut self-produced movie, Kasala is due for release, Ema Edosio, spoke about how she has continued to reinvent herself and the fact that a woman cannot excel in isolation.

Edosio explained that men would support anyone whom they have tested and confirmed to be competent and willing to learn, so she advised young women to aim to be the best as she concluded by saying “I did not get to where I am because I am a woman but because I am one of the best.”

Remi Vaughan-Richards, director of the documentary Faaji Agba and a series of other work focused on social change spoke about how she transited from an artist on the set of production into a multitasking practitioner who can write, direct, film and edit her work.

Vaughan-Richards further spoke about the importance of learning on the job and continuous training for would be practitioners.

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On her part, Belinda Yanga Agedah, director of the popular Romance is Overrated advised that the path to making authentic movies as a director is telling stories that come from the soul.

Agedah maintained that unless a director really feels the story, it would be impossible to tell it in any convincing way and ultimately find an identifiable voice.

For Adeola Osunkojo, known for the Diary of a Nigeria Couple and a number of other productions, it is paramount that aspiring practitioners start out wherever they are and with whatever they have.

Given the advantage of social media, she encouraged talented people to shoot their stories with their phones and put out on the various platform from where they get noticed. She spoke about the need to be honest in their relationship with family, friends and would be spouses on the demands of the job and never give up on the prospects that exist.

Grace Edwin-Okon, director of the wave making Pepper Soup, spoke about the importance of mentorship giving the difficulties she experienced at the beginning of her career.

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Grace assured the students of her willingness to support the production of any outstanding story after same might have been subjected to proper scrutiny.

To gain the support of family, especially spouses, Edwin-Okon said “being the best at what you do and proving to those around you that you can pull it through with hard work is essential to winning the support of even the most hardliners.”

Finally Vanessa Nzediegwu, who won Best Director at the 2017 Best of Nollywood Awards for her What lies within, reiterated the need for determination and not allow discouragement from people.

Nzediegwu also told the younger ones about the importance of identifying their specific desires and pursuing same with doggedness by doing everything legitimately possible to actualise it.

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