The Annual Film Mischief (TAFM) festival unveils exciting 2023 lineup

Following an impressive inaugural edition last year, the festival for independent filmmakers returns with an exciting 2023 line-up with 22 selections.

Themed ‘Shoot The Culture’, this year’s edition intends to tell stories that reflect and celebrate our African uniqueness in an innovative and global way.

Describing this year’s edition which is now open to other African countries, Film Rats Founder, Chukwu Martin says, “As Film Rats is dedicated to promoting film education and documentation towards improving filmmaking in Africa, this year, we dared to capture the stories of filmmakers across Africa, spotlighting them and their works. This is very important to us, to activate the spirit of celebrating unique styles and storytellers who go the extra mile to shoot the culture and redefine the narrative of the African experience.”

With thrice the number of submissions from last year, Uche Chika Elumelu, one of TAFM’s Festival Director duo, has this to say about this year’s official selections.

In her words, “What I find particularly exciting is the crop of filmmakers we are showcasing this year. Nothing says _Young & African_ quite like that vibrant push towards global acclaim. TAFM is truly honoured to be a part of that narrative.”

The official selections include documentaries and short films like Kill the Imposter, Gbese, Ogun Ola, The Broken Mask, Samaria and My Mama Na Ashewo.

This year’s edition will judged by a jury headed by Nwakaego Boyo, an award-winning actress and producer who has 30 years of experience in consulting, producing, and financing films and media content.

Ghanaian filmmaker Amartei Armar, Ugandan filmmaker Loukman Ali, Ghanaian film editor Magdalene Morton, and South African cinematographer Kabelo Thathe are also on the jury.

TAFM will continue its virtual day tradition and dedicate one day for virtual screenings and mischief sessions/ discussions with industry professionals on very interesting topics.

The festival will also hold its first annual FilmTech conference, in partnership with Impact Hub Lagos’s Creative Fridays platform.

On the conference tagged “Innovation For Local”, Ojie Imoloame, the Executive Director, says “the one-day conference is for key creators & innovators, startups and other stakeholders in the FilmTech space. We will spotlight the growth of local solutions to local problems in the African film industry. The goal of this conference is to discuss initiatives that will pave the way for a Globally competitive talent pool to effectively compete in the 4th revolution”.

TAFM, a program of The Film Rats Club, is sponsored by Viva Cinemas Nigeria, Impact Hub Lagos, Albantsho, mPharma & Cadbury PLC.

This year’s edition, which is free to all, holds from April 27-30, 2023 with physical screenings in Lagos, Abuja and Accra.