By Benjamin Njoku

The organizers of Coal City Film Festival have announced the official selection of forty-one (41) films for the 4th edition of the festival billed to hold from 21st through 23, in the beautiful city of Enugu State.

The films were selected from over one hundred movies submitted from across thirty-three (33) countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, South and Northern America and Middle East.

Popular Writer/Director, Jude Idada is the head of jury for this year’s edition. Other members of the 5-man jury include; Chichi Nwaorah, Producer/Executive Producer and famous with her movie ‘Shanty Town,’ and Theo Ukpaa, filmmaker/director, who’;s also Chief Operating Officer of AFRIFF, Dr. Charles Okwuowulu, a senior lecturer and immediate past Head of Department, Theatre Arts, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, a filmmaker and researcher and Prof. Atul Marewad, a filmmaker and scholar from India.

CCIFF is an annual international film festival dedicated to celebrating African cinema at the heart of South East Nigeria-Enugu, whilst allowing local and international delegates to savor the diverse, bubbling film, tourism, and hospitality experiences in the historical coal city.

The Film Festival had its maiden edition in March 2021 and it has successfully hosted three editions.

According to the Founder and Executive Director of festival, who’s also the Chairman of the Nigerian Film Festivals Association, the umbrella body housing all film festivals in Nigeria, Mr. Uche Agbo ”the vision of Coal City Film Festival is to open the doors of South East Nigeria to the rest of the world through film”

The 4th edition of the festival will tentatively take place at the popular serene environment of Nike Lake Resort and Hotel from 21st to 23rd March 2024.

Speaking further, Agbo said this year’s theme, “Cultural Renaissance”, will focus on how to utilize the powerful medium of film to rekindle a sense of pride in our heritage, rejuvenate and invigorate Nigeria’s cultural landscape while encouraging innovative expressions of our diverse traditions and customs and including conversations around technology, fashion, finance, health and culture, and how film can be used to improve these sectors.

Among the programmes lined up to make the 3-days event a memorable one for attendees are discussions, networking sessions, pitching sessions to potential sponsors, parties, Gala Night and Awards ceremony. Others are Palmwine and Bush meat  roundtable as well as South East Entertainment and Media Night, designed to encourage local entertainers and creativity. There will also be 72-hours Script to Screen Marathon workshops for rookie filmmakers and actors, where they are expected to make short films within 72-hours. The best short film will receive a prize from the sponsors, Master Classes, Panel .This year’s Coal City Film Festival promises to be engaging and fun.