Emem Isong, Jerry Mofokeng set to be honoured at TAFF 2018

Nollywood producer and CEO of Royal Arts Academy, Emem Isong Misodi alongside South African actor, Jerry Mofokeng are bound to be in the spotlight on the 3rd of July, in Dallas, the United States. Organizers of the annual The African Film Festival, TAFF, in Dallas, have announced the distinguished film practitioners as recipients of its 2018 African Film Leadership Awards. The awards will be presented to the duo at this year's festival, opening on June 29, and will run till the 3rd of July, at the Dallas City Performance Hall, Dallas, Texas, United States.

According to TAFF founder, Mr Kelechi Eke, the award will be given to Emem in recognition of her immense contribution towards the development of the African film sector.

A renowned film maker, Emem is the founder of Royal Arts Academy, where she mentors young talents and provides opportunities to rising stars. On his own, Jerry Mofokeng enviable exploits in South African film industry, is inestimable, having starred in several critically acclaimed films, including “ Cry The Beloved Country”; “Lord of War”; “Mandela and de Klerk”; and the 2005 Academy Award-winning film “Tsotsi.”

Speaking on the festival, Kelechi said, the festival which opens on the 29th of June, will climax on July 3rd, with an awards night.

According to him, Richard Mofe Damijo who hosted last year's edition will be teaching the Master Acting class again this year, while popular film director, Lancelot Imasuen will teach a class in directing. The classes, he said will be held at Southern Methodist University, one of the most prestigious universities in Texas, which supports TAFF initiative in promoting African Arts and Culture through motion pictures.

While the festival opening night will be a folklore of storytelling sessions by Eclectic Vanessa Danso from Ghana; Ben Amushie from Nigeria, Dallas Poetry Slam, Juliana Musical Drama from Tanzania, and Ruth Ndulu Maingi from Kenya, the festival director revealed that the Association of Nigerian Physicians in America,ANPA, will be part of this year’s event, as its members will be holding a convention in Dallas ahead of the opening of the festival. ANPA is said to be partnering TAFF to showcase the power of Medicine and Film, as its founder will be delivering a paper at the convention. Notable film makers who are expected to grace this year’s TAFF include: Uche Jombo, Stella Damasus, Charles Billion, Jim Iyke, Kenneth Okolie, Mykel Parish Ajaere, Robert Peters, Dolapo Ajayi, and other US- based Nigerian filmmakers. Also, expected at the event are Cameroonian filmmakers, Kang Quintus, Ruth Nkweti, Terence Limona, Tiana Bibish. Gambian Alhagie Manka; Sierra Leonian Winstina Taylor; Congolese Soleil Marie; Kenyan Hollywood-Based, Benjamin Onyango; and all the practitioners whose work were among the 40 selected films, including Esi Yamoah (Ghana), Molatelo Mainetje (South Africa), Andy Boyo (Nigeria) and Pascale Serra (Central Africa Republic) just to mention a few. According to the organizers, the Five-day event will showcase films made by Africans, as well as a few made by non-Africans about issues important to different regions of the continent.