By Iyabo AINA
President of the Eko International Film Festival, Mr. Hope Opara has announced a new date for the hosting of this year’s edition of the epoch-making festival.
The festival, which will open the floodgate of events for this new season, is coming up between July between 9th and 14th of July, 2011, in Lagos.
Mr. Opara, who is also the Managing Director/CEO of Flonnal Limited and Supple Communications Limited said, this year’s festival will witness a huge participation from film makers from across the world, including
Albania , France ,Spain ,Canada ,Algeria ,Germany ,U.K.,Kenya and Nigeria.
He also noted that unlike other film festivals organised in the country, the Eko Film festival promises to be different in terms of organisation, participation and content.
According to him, Eko filmfest. is yearly organised to appreciate as well promote the nation’s motion picture industry and also the tourism in Lagos State.
As the President of the film festival, Mr. Opara reiterated his commitment towards promoting the sustainable development and advancement of the motion picture industry in Nigeria and the rest of the world.
“I want Nigerian film makers to improve the quality of their movies to world class standards.
I have been to international film festivals such the Festival of three continents, the Cannes Film Festival and already invited and accredited by the International Film Festival Rotterdam and I want us to have a similar world class film festival in Nigeria.”he said.
Meanwhile Opara has revisited the trademark theft of the brand Eko International Film Festival (EKOIFF), vowing to stop at nothing in ensuring that he gets justice at the end of it all. The matter, according to him, is being addressed by the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
It would be recalled, that Eko International Film Festival and the duplication “Amp_Eko International Film Festival” has been in the news for over one year now.
Opara had sent a petition to Ministry of Commerce and Industry over the infringement of the trade mark by actor Paul Obazele’s Royal Pictures registering a trade mark that is of close resemblance; “Amp_Eko International Film Festival.”
The ministry reportedly summoned the two parties on the 15th of November, 2010, for a presentation and hearing and 21st of November was set for a ruling to strike out “Amp-Eko International Film Festival” or allow it to run in line with Eko International Film Festival.