The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has announced a five-member Jury for the 12th edition of ZUMA Film Festival (ZUFF), Nigeria’s foremost and fastest growing film festival.

The festival is scheduled to hold from Dec. 1 to Dec. 7 in Abuja.

The NFC’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr Chidia Maduekwe, announced this in a statement by Mr Brian Etuk, NFC Head of Public Affairs.

Maduekwe said that the Jury would be chaired by a Professor of Media Arts Criticism, University of Abuja, Daniel Omotsola.

He said that the chairman of the Jury had served and participated in various Film Festivals, Film Production development programmes, among others.

Other members of the Jury according to him, include Prof. Alex Chinwuba Asigbo of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Dr. Oluwatosin Kooshima Tume, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.

The Juros, he said, also included Nasiru Bappah Muhammed of Moving Image Film Production Company, Kano and Yinka Oduniyi, President of Independent Television Producers of Nigeria (ITPAN), Lagos.

According to him, the Jury will adjudicate on all entries in the competitive category of the film festival, with the theme: “SHOW THE MONEY”

The theme is to further the conversation on investment opportunities available in digital content creation and exhibition.

“ZUFF 2021 will provide participants with knowledge-based information and networking opportunities.

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“The opportunity that are available within online digital platforms for the development, marketing and distribution of content, at minimal cost, but with huge return on investment,”he said.

Maduekwe reiterated the role of the jury in ensuring a successful film festival in this edition.

“The jury is most critical to the selection of winning entries of ZUFF, which has obviously set the pace in film festival organisation and management, since it was rebranded in 2017 to become an annual event in December every year.

“Composition of the jury, reflects the premium and niche of ZUFF, which has carved for itself among the fastest growing film festivals and market in the world,”he added.

He gave assurance that NFC would deploy its capacity enablement for a successful film festival, which opened for domestic and foreign collaboration and partnership.

NFC boss expressed his strong belief that members of the Jury, who had contributed immensely to the growth of film production in Nigeria, would bring their experience to bear, as the NFC forged ahead to institute a world class film festival for the country.

The statement added that film entry submission which opened on April 2 would close on Oct. 30.

All entries, addressed to the Festival Director, ZUFF could be submitted through the free film way platform www.filmfreeway.com/zumafilmfestiva

Entries can also be addressed to ZUFF Secretariat, NFC Headquarters, Jos, Plateau State, as well as Zonal Offices in Lagos, Asaba, Umuahia, Yola, Kano and Abuja.

ZUFF 2021 awards categories are to based on ‘Best Cinematography’, ‘Best Script’, ‘Best Animation’.

Others are ‘Best Actress’, Best Actor, Best Documentary, ‘Best Foreign Film’, ‘Best Student Film’, ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Indigenous Film’.