STIRRING DEEP INTO THE VOID

MEETING WITH THE MANAGING DIRECTOR NAIREGIN FILM CORPORATION

I was home relaxing after have had class, explaining some topics brought by some desperate students for me to elucidate. I was able to do justice to the topics and fortunately, the Rector of the Institute attended and participated with the students and some of my other colleagues.

I received a call from the Rector informing me that the Managing Director (MD) of the Film Institute wants to have an official meeting with me in his office by 1:00 pm. The Film Institute is a department of the Film Corporation. The institute aims at training students and professional bodies in the areas of filmmaking and capacity building.

When I checked the time on my clock, it reveals 10:10 am. I have been frequently observing such a pattern of time and it is beginning to raise my curiosity. I became more curious when the Rector called to inform me that I would be having a meeting with the MD of the Corporation. Several thoughts ran through my mind, trying to figure out the purpose of the meeting.

However, I concluded that it may be for good, but did not know exactly what for. I assumed, the Rector had hinted to the MD about the information I shared with the students, of which he also participated.

I waited until it was 12: 30 noon and left the house for the MD’s office. I got down to the Headquarters at about 12: 55 noon and walked straight to the MD’s secretary, whom I have not seen for a while, because my department is away from the town and I rarely go to the town, except on official purposes.

I greeted the MD’s secretary, “Good afternoon Arze” and he answered, “Afternoon Mr D! Are you still in this world? It is being a while we have seen. Are you still in this country?”

Lolz! Arze, which of the questions do you want me to answer now. Are you still in this world? Yes, I am, else, you would not have seen me. Are you still in this country? Yes, I am, because the country has not left me. We both laughed and shook hands.

Mr D, Arze said to me, “The MD is in the boardroom with some other senior colleagues waiting for you. I envy you serious, you are truly a celebrity and I also celebrate you.”

Thank Arze for these motivating words and I am highly motivated, and I appreciate…

“I will have to usher you into the boardroom now”, Arze said to me, “Can we go?”

Sure! We can!

I followed the MD’s secretary and we walked into the management’s boardroom. When he opened the door, I was surprised to see like six people seating in the boardroom. When I entered and the secretary stepped back and close the door of the boardroom, they all stood up, including the MD. I did not understand why, however, such kind of act indicates, reverence, but why me? Why would my superiors give me such kind of honour?

I saw the Head Human Resource, Head Public Affair, Head Production Unit, Head IT Unit, the Rector and the MD himself. My heart was racing because they are by far superior. I am only level 10 staff and all the people I saw in the boardroom are all above level 15.

The MD welcomed me and did a formal introduction of the senior staff in the boardroom. After he had finished the introduction of the senior staff, he made known the purpose of calling the meeting. He said, “The Management had unanimously agreed to choose you as one of the key speakers in the Nairegin International Film Festival. The world will be glad to hear you again. Nevertheless, I have watched your lecture seminar at Watchdog University and I have gotten very good testimonies of your rare knowledge. Therefore, we want you to share with us your knowledge in the areas of film. After which, some International Innovators and investors would want to sponsor any innovative idea from you.”

When I heard this, I did not know how to place my feelings. However, it came as a shock! I was excited and at the same time frightened, because I have known the Film Festival attracts International leading motion picture industries, the likes of Hollywood and Bollywood.

The MD told me, “You will be discussing subjects like, “Thinking and Writing in the Motion Picture Industries in this Digital Age” and “The Independency of Africa Film Art”. Areas to focus on would be politics, environment, sexuality, family and identity. Therefore, we want you to educate us. You have about one hour thirty minutes to do that. Best of luck!”

When I heard this, I was a little bit nervous and confuse, because I did not plan anything at all. This implies I have to give whatever information by inspiration. The thought of “What can I give within this short period” came playing in my mind. I have one hour thirty minutes. While I was asking myself that question, something prompted and spoke into my heart of heart, “Just relax and worry not. You do not need to worry about what to say. All you need to say will come out as you open your mouth to speak.”

While I was standing in the middle of my very superior colleagues, I realize they were desperate, as I could see it in their eyes, they wants to hear me speak to them. I started by saying, “I greet you all this afternoon. I do not take for granted this great opportunity to share with you some vital information. Nevertheless, I want to primarily the management for offering me this opportunity. I sincerely hope you will at the end be satisfied with the information I will bring.”

All right! Let me begin by saying, “The reality is they deprived of thinking and writing for many years, but they cannot keep us from dreaming.” Our dreams can only find full expression through motion pictures.

Therefore, freedom and freethinking will replace cross-questioning and intimidation.

Since this festival will be the 11th Editions of the Film Festival, The Nairegin Corporation should present a selection of captivating and engaging films about politics, insecurities, sexuality, family and identity. This will reveal our cultural heritage. The films will make Nairegin filmmakers have international gigs and alliances. Through this, the world will get to hear our voices. Nairegin is like a virgin platform for investors in the entertainment industry. Therefore, there should be 10 days window participants for to experience the world at their doorstep. This will broaden their understanding, as they will now see a reason to appreciate each other’s cultures.

The management should collaborate with private investors to build a Centre for Creative Art (COCA) so that throughout the festival, there will be the promotion of African poetry and writers will find a platform to express their gifts and talents. Contrary Ordered Dance Experience (CODE) is also an area that we must harness into our creative space because it emphasizes the importance of freedom of expression as a running theme.

As a film corporation, we are must be involved in creating and developing spaces and platforms for the arts and freedom of expression. This is a fundamental requisite for artists. Nevertheless, this should not be the case for artists only. The same principle applies to society as a whole.

Another reason we need to keep talking about it is that there are threats to the hard-won rights of freedom of expression, both in this country and in others. We need to remain vigilant and vocal to defend the motion picture industry spaces.

In this light, I think, we should think of our friends, the Indian Filmmakers, Jafaru Zardi and Usmaihi Karduja, both of who have visited the Airegin International Film Festival and won prizes here. For planning to make a film “Anti-regime” of this present administration, many filmmakers have faced intimidation from the government with six years jail term consequence, if they make a film anti-regime the administration. Many filmmakers ban from creating movies, travelling or giving consultations for years now. This is only an attempt to silence our dreams. Therefore, we must celebrate the icons of the movie industries from all around the world.

The film at the Nairegin International Film Festival come from divergent voices, genres and cinematic approaches. Film history had revealed a lot to us and we must not forget history. The film raises questions and provides answers to the raised questions.

Sometimes, we refer to films as an escape and maybe this is so, but Nairegin International Film Festival also offers entries into new worlds and new ways of thinking. With that, we must bid people welcome and wish them happy viewing.

I have realized in the short time I have been in this industry that no one can deprive a writer or an artist of seeing the world. They free themselves in the world of their crafts and travel with the arts in a world without any geographic, ethnic and ideological barriers, where people live together freely and peacefully regardless of their beliefs and convictions.

One area the corporation need to look at is the Africa Motion Picture Industries to keep Africa in motion. Therefore, Nairegin International Film Festival will open with the world premiere of the Nairegin film “Sun Rise at Midnight” directed by Bravesome Agaba.

This entertaining film is about the life of experience of a family who experienced series of setbacks, passing through turmoil.

However, amid turmoil, through one of the family members, the statuesque of the family changed with the discovery of oil deposits in the family land.

There should also be a display of stimulating line-up of documentary films giving an insider view on a cross-section of Africa contents. We need to have an overview journey of films revealing the life of Africa filmmakers, choices, challenges and self-discovery in the world of film that will generate our independent creativity.

We need to promote our indigenous contents that go way beyond just creating movies and doing music. We need to project a film that reflects our historical background and the beauty of our country’s diverse culture with the entire natural relief features for tourist attractions.

We need to know who we are and what makes us Africa. Environmental threats and degradation is one challenge we must identify and find a way to solve the problem so that we could take remedial actions before it is too late. Therefore, we need to create content to educate people, especially in the areas of climate change. Through the created content, people can learn how to handle the challenges of global warming.

We must also create contents to expose the corruption going on in the system, especially in the oil companies, financial institutions and government.

We also need to showcase the direction that the world is tending with the digitization agenda and how the world is now sitting on a keg of gunpowder with nuclear weapons. Therefore, content revealing love and peace should be promoted, not contents projecting hate and wars. This will help the fate of the world; else, we are tending toward doom’s day.

We must look into, like pandemic and sensitization on how to curb the spread of any ravaging virus other endemic issues. In addition, child trafficking and child abuse is an issue in our world today that must be thoroughly death with; else, eventually, the world will become a place where our children will hardly have good morals, because of the norm of the system.

The management should run seminars and workshop programmes to contribute significantly to skills transfer and industry developments, especially in Soj. In addition, they should be staging talent hunt shows, for aspiring and upcoming artists.

One aspect of filmmaking we must not forget is animated film production.

Finally, the motion picture industry needs independent industry information, networking and distribution websites.