COVER STORY
the National Film Institute (NFI). In
December, the school hosted Oscar
Award-winning fi lmmaker Doug Blush
for a two-day masterclass workshop
with fi lm students. In March, NFI
also hosted television screenwriter
Angelina Burnett. Through the
mission’s partnerships with Nigerian
counterparts, visiting U.S. fi lmmakers
have had the pleasure of working with
privately run fi lm academies including
Royal Arts Film Academy, Pencil
and Film Television Institute, and
the Lufodo Academy for Performing
Arts. Students at Plateau State
Polytechnic, Jos and Baze University,
Abuja benefi tted from workshops and
discussions as well.
Abuja Film Club
In December 2017, the Embassy
partnered with The International
Institute for Creative Development
to launch the Abuja Film Club, a
bi-weekly thematic fi lm screening
intended to spark discussion around
topical issues. This year, IICD has
screened ten AFS documentary titles
covering topics on civil society, gender,
technology, and environmental
protection. The fi lm club will continue
to host interactive meet-ups of cinema
lovers.
AFS Documentary Film Workshop
Last summer, U.S. Embassy Abuja
nominated documentary fi lmmaker
Ishaya Bako for the 10-day AFS
documentary fi lm workshop at the
University of Southern California in
Los Angeles, California. Ishaya Bako
had this to say about this experience.
“The AFS Documentary Workshop
at the USC campus in the summer of
2017 was a stimulating and insightful
experience. Being among 11 other
fi lmmakers from across the world,
taught by seasoned professionals in
a city renowned for fi lmmaking was
inspiring and challenging: inspiring
to see how important and relevant
fi lm still is; challenging in making
sure I continue to make fi lms that are
poignant and push boundaries. Alan
Baker and his team were warm,
The AFS
Documentary
Workshop...
was a
stimulating
and
insightful
experience.
- Ishaya Bako
friendly and they made sure we made
the most of the workshop and our stay
in LA.”
CROSSROADS | May/June 2018
9