AFRIFF founder Chioma Ude says the next chapter of film belongs to women and technology, and the 15th Africa International Film Festival, opening in Lagos on Nov. 1, is built to prove it.
Ude made the case at a media briefing at Mikano International’s showroom on Victoria Island, where organizers unveiled a lineup of 135 films, including 23 features. She said 85% of the selected films were directed by women, produced by women or centered on women’s stories, and that the share emerged naturally during selection. She called the edition a “milestone” and said “the film of the future is women and technology.”
The festival runs Nov. 1 to 7 under the theme “Frames of the Future: Capturing What’s Next, Today.” The neo-noir “Lady,” about a young taxi driver who ferries sex workers on their nightly rounds, opens the program. Actor Hakeem Kae-Kazim’s directorial debut, “It’s the Blackness,” closes it, and the AFRIFF Globe Awards wrap up the final night.
Technology sits at the center of the schedule. Ude said artificial intelligence should be seen as a creative tool and not only a threat to jobs. “AI is not going to take anyone’s job, but rather the person who knows how to use AI will replace those who don’t,” she said. A hands-on AI film and content creation lab with TikTok is set for Nov. 6, covering tools for pre-production, content creation and micro-drama production.
Business is a big part of the week as well. The Africa Film & Content Market, which runs alongside the festival, connects African producers with international buyers and distributors. Ude said a delegation of 10 from Oman will arrive with scripts to meet Nigerian producers, while South Africa has signed a three-year agreement that includes a residency and co-production program.
Government officials used the briefing to promise policy support. Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa was represented by Shaibu Husseini, director-general of the National Film and Video Censors Board. Husseini said the government is reshaping policy on technology, distribution and infrastructure, and described AFRIFF as a “monument to African storytelling.” He pledged what he called “unalloyed partnership and institutional support.”
Distribution has long limited how much African filmmakers can earn from their work, and organizers say financing and distribution talks will feature in this year’s sessions. Husseini also credited Ude with training thousands of young creatives through the AFRIFF Academy since she founded the festival in 2010.
Ude urged filmmakers to “go into the world more,” a nod to the festival’s push for co-productions and cross-border partnerships as it marks 15 years.
