The Abuja International Film Festival’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) has named a new film, “Rule No 1,” as the festival’s 2022 winner.
The committee, chaired by actor Francis Duru, made the announcement at the conclusion of the 19th Abuja International Festival and Award Night on Friday night.
The festival’s theme was “Global Challenges and Prospects of the Digital Streaming Revolution.”
Duru stated that Rule No 1 was chosen as the overall winning film out of over 600 film entries screened by the committee.
He attributes this to the film’s message of hygiene and cleanliness in order to provide a safe and healthy nation.
“The second place went to a film called ‘Dirty Space,’ while the third place went to a film called ‘My Juju.’
“The winner, first runner-up, and second runner-up each received N500,000, N300,000, and N200,000,” Duru explained.
Fidelis Duker, the festival’s founder, stated in his remarks that the emergence of “Rule No. 1” highlighted the importance of people practicing hygiene and cleanliness.
“One of the fundamental challenges we faced after COVID-19 was that most people stopped practicing hygiene.”
“During COVID-19, you washed your hands and put on your face mask, but everyone has returned to normal life.”
“The whole point of the project is to see how people can return to that idea of cleanliness in a better way than we are doing now.”
“We should demonstrate the level of hygiene and environmental cleanliness,” said Duker.
In addition, Mr Akintayo Akinseloyin, Brand Manager, Hypo Nigeria, stated that the produced and marketed Hypo brand would aid in providing a safe, secure, and healthy country.
According to Akinseloyin, his company supported the Abuja International Film Festival in order to spread the message of hygiene and cleanliness throughout the country.
“The entire message of cleanliness and hygiene should be at the top of everyone’s priority list.”
“A clean environment prevents illness and ensures healthy people and a prosperous nation,” he explained.
According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), the following films won awards: – Experimental film award by Freetown to Flatbush; Short Film Nigeria by Smart Edikan; Feature Film Nigeria, Enough of the Silence by Andrew Amenechi.
Foreign short film – That day I was 21 by China; outstanding actress – Obsession – Nigeria by Shaffy Bello
Sambasa Nzeribe – Enough of the Silence – Nigeria, Outstanding Actor Identical Justice won Best Foreign Feature Film and Sin City – Nigeria won Best Music Score.
Aminata (Spain) and Once Upon a Perfect Murder are two outstanding student films (Nigeria) Outstanding Documentary about the Igbo civilisation in Nigeria.
Excellent Animation – Larvae Story – Korea, Outstanding Director: Muyiwa Ademola for Sin City, and Audience Choice Award: Obsession for Nigeria.
(NAN)
