Somto Bisina
As feared, the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections slated for Saturday, March 11 have been shifted to Saturday, March 18, which runs smack into the March 16-19 date for the 2023 iREP Documentary Film Festival.
The Board and Programme Directorate of the festival have, however, resolved to PROCEED with the festival as scheduled.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe iREP runs from Thursday through Sunday; as it stands, only the Saturday Programing content will be adversely affected. This means that the scheduled Plenary sessions (all virtual) and Screenings will run as planned, only the screenings on Saturday evening at the various designated centres will be affected.
Festival Highlights:
- Date: March 16-19, 2023
- Theme: Documenting the Underserved: Agenda for Nigeria 2023
- Venues: Freedom Park, Lagos Island
Plus: Satellite Screening Centres in: Bariga. Ajegunle. Ejigbo. Ikorodu.
From Nigeria In Self-Conversation to Nigeria in Self-Conversation
Whereas the generic theme of iREP since its foundation has been Africa in Self-conversation, with dependence on international partners to provide human and material resources for both plenary and screening slots, the 2023 minimised edition, will have as generic theme, NIGERIA IN SELF-CONVERSATION. As self-explanatory, the edition will focus more on films produced by Nigerians, about Nigeria, and for Nigerians; in particular those in the suburb communities of Lagos where public amenities such as schools, health, water, power and hygienic/environmental services etc are usually in short supplies.
READ ALSO:iRep Film Festival 2023: Documenting The Underserved, New Schedule
Why the theme: The theme: Documenting the Underserved: Agenda for Nigeria 2023, has been strategically designed to address cogent issues in the national polity, which essentially is about enthroning a responsible political system that insists on good governance and participatory democracy – two ingredients that have been lacking in Nigeria’s chequered 24-year-old democratic journey which began in 1999. Part of the objectives of the theme is to direct the attention of particularly young people to the power of documentary films in empowering them to be active participants in the discourses in their socio-political, economic and cultural environment.
Specifically, the theme, as would be reflected in the choice of films to be screened and discussions at the minimised plenary, is to spotlight the powerful tool the young people have in their hands through their smartphones and other electronic gadgets, through which they could expose the needs of their communities for the benefit of their elected representatives, who hopefully would be assuming their various offices with the fresh mindset of serving the interest of their people.
