Toronto-Based Nigerian Creates Nollywood Travel Film Festival, Meets Nominees In Ikoyi Lagos

Jun 29, 2017 5:41 AM

June 29, 2017 – Toronto-Based Nigerian Mykel Parish Ajaere Creates Nollywood Travel Film Festival, Unveils Nominees Ahead Of TIFF 2017

Mykel Parish Ajaere Meets Nollywood Travel Film Festival Nominees In Ikoyi Lagos

Nollywood Travel Film Festival will debut this year during the annual Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF in Canada .

The maiden edition of the NTFF is scheduled to hold from September 12 to 16 in Toronto.

The need to situate works of Nigerian motion picture practitioners within the prestigious TIFF was conceived last year, when eight Nollywood films were showcased in the city-to-city focus section of the North American film festival.

Founder of Nollywood Travel Film Festival, Mykel Parish said the unprecedented acceptance of Nigerian films by non-Africans at the 2016 edition of TIFF, was an evidence of breath of fresh air for the movie lovers, hence the need to feed the thirst of other continents with Nollywood contents.

As part of the build-up to the TIFF sub-festival this September, organisers of ‘Nollywood Travel Festival’ held a Meet & Greet event on June 23, 2017 at The Waterside, Ikoyi, Lagos, where nominees where officially unveiled and celebrated with pomp.

Hosted by veteran Nollywood actor Richard Mofe-Damijo, celebrities at the event include Osas Ighodaro Ajibade, IK Ogbonna, Alexx Ekubo, Tope Oshin, Mykel Parish, Zakky Adze, Pretty Okafor, Andy Boyo, Sound Sultan, Oghenekaro Itene and Kingsley Omoefe among others.

Nominated short films to be screened at the film festival include The Encounter by Tolulope Ajayi; Ireti by Tope Oshin;Meet My Parents by Lonzo Nzekwe; Silence by Tolulope Ajayi and No Good Turn by Udoka Oyeka.

The feature length films are Kada River, 10 Days in Sun City, Catch.er, Lotanna, Lost in London, Excess Luggage,Esohe, Mansoor, Oloibi ri, Unveil, Slow Country, and Alter Ego.

Unveiling the nominees at the glamorous event, Parish said he and his team are excited and proud to showcase Nollywood films to the world.

He said although the festival is making debut in Toronto, other host cities include New York, London, Helsinki, Dubai, Tokyo, and Dublin.

Since TIFF’s city-to-city programme has been rested after Nollywood’s outing in Toronto last year, Nollywood Travel Film Festival is a suitable alternative.

The founder Mykel Ajaere is the President of African Film Consortium (AFC).