By Ezra Ukanwa, Abuja

The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, Nollywood actor, Francis Duru, and other industry stakeholders have been honored at the 2024 Inside Nollywood International Film Festival & Awards (INIFFAA).

They received awards at the closing ceremony of the festival on Saturday night at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center in Abuja.

Specifically, Rollas, won the ‘Outstanding Guild Leader of the Year Award’, while Francis Duru clinched the Best Actor award for his role in the Nollywood hit, ’Lami’, a film directed by Sam Idiagbonya.

Other winners included veteran filmmaker, Lancelot Imasuen, who lifted the award of ‘the Most Stylish Filmmaker’; Emeka Duru, Best Production Manager and Alex Okonkwo for Best Sound Recordist.

The iconic film, ’Lami’ was named the Best Film, while the Best Short Film award was clinched by ‘Dazed’, among others.

The organizers also gave Special Recognition Awards to individuals and organizations for their contributions to the film industry and INIFFAA.

Obinna Muoma, ace filmmaker and founder of Inside Nollywood said the 2024 edition of INIFFAA marked a decade of the brand’s contribution to the Nigerian film industry.

According to him, the award night was a flagship component of the festival dedicated to celebrating the creativity, hard work, and support of stakeholders in the film industry.

He added: “The award night was a flagship component of the festival dedicated to celebrating the creativity, hard work, and support of stakeholders in the film industry.
“I take this opportunity as the founder of Inside Nollywood International Film Festival & Awards, to reflect on the incredible journey in the past 10 years.

“INIFFAA 2024 is a testimony to the growth and creativity of Nollywood, how Inside Nollywood gives birth to evolved, and how Nollywood has shaped our society.”

In a goodwill message, the AGN president expressed delight for the honor and described the INIFFAA as a veritable platform for showcasing Nollywood.

“On behalf of the AGN, I want to thank and congratulate Inside Nollywood for this impactful journey in the last 10 years,” he said.

Vanguard reports that the event is an annual film fiesta dedicated to recognising the achievements of African creative minds in the entertainment industry.

The festival aims to foster collaboration, celebrate cultural diversity, and promote the advancement of African cinema on the global stage.