Djimon Hounsou joined Rita Dominic, Wale Ojo and Osas Ighodaro in Lagos on Sunday, 1 November, as the Africa International Film Festival opened its fifteenth edition. Festival founder Chioma Ude also attended. For Lagos residents hoping to see the films themselves, the opening gala marks the beginning of a week of screenings across Victoria Island and Lekki.
Dominic’s part in the festival extends beyond opening night. The selection includes The Spectacular Death of Prisca, a project she has been promoting. Hounsou is the guest of honour. The festival programme also includes a presentation of his short film Calabash. His presence at the gala is confirmed, while the announcement of a presentation alone does not establish that a particular screening has taken place.
The week brings two different audiences into the same festival. Someone who wants to watch films can use the public Festival Access pass. The organisers say students and other film lovers can register without professional credentials. Their instructions call for a further step after obtaining the pass: select the screening and reserve a seat.
People hoping to meet buyers or distributors should look at the Africa Film and Content Market instead. Its venue is Twinwaters in Lekki. Industry badges give access to the market floor and industry sessions. The organisers list market badges separately from screening passes, so having one kind of access is no assurance of entry to the other.
There is a third route for people interested in learning a craft. AFRIFF advertises its masterclasses as free with registration. Even market badge holders can register for those classes. An announcement that a class is free tells a visitor about the fee, but says nothing about how many places are still available.
What it means for you: pick the film or class before setting out, check the venue and time on AFRIFF’s programme, and follow the booking instructions for that event. The organisers have scheduled the Globe Awards for Saturday, 7 November, at the end of the festival. The opening-night guest list does not identify who will receive those awards.