Copyright tribuneonlineng
THE 2025 Zuma International Film Festival (ZIFF) will present new opportunities and experiences for players in the film industry, the Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has said. Musawa spoke in Abuja while flagging off activities for the festival jointly organised by the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The 15th edition of the festival, themed ‘Storytelling for Global Influence: Film as A Soft Power and Economic Force’, will be held from December 1 to 5. Musawa said that the President Bola Tinubu administration will continue to support the development of Nigeria’s creative and film industries, because of its key role in economic growth. She noted that the nation’s film industry, also known as Nollywood, “remains an asset that reflects the richness of our cultural heritage”. Its impact, Musawa added, continues to resonate impressively across the country and beyond, which is why the government supports it. “This explains our deep commitment and resolve to its sustenance, including the introduction and implementation of innovative short, medium and long-term investment interventions, collaborations and partnerships by the Ministry,” she said. The Minister commended the FCTA and NFC for their partnership, especially as Zuma seeks to grow Nigeria’s cinema and strengthen investment opportunities along the film production value chain. Unparalleled resilience, creativity, and determination of Nigeria’s filmmakers, she added, have continued to fuel the nation’s rise in the global creative space. “The film industry’s ability to embrace the quick-paced global and digital transformation as well as innovations has made the power of our storytelling compelling, exciting and accessible to millions worldwide, contributing to the projection of Nigeria’s creative brilliance”. Also speaking, NFC’s Managing Director, Dr Ali Nuhu, said that Zuma Festival has become a “symbol of our creative pride, a celebration of the stories that define us as a nation. Film production and its value chain development in Nigeria, which the Zuma Film Festival seeks to promote, have been our resolve since its debut in 1993. Nigeria’s creative voice must be heard, respected and should secure the needed investment.” Nuhu further said that film has become a soft power, transforming creative economies globally, utilising imaginative and compelling storytelling opportunities that must be appropriately harnessed, supported and promoted. FCTA’s Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, assured of sustainable support for activities, including the film festival, that seek to harness the creative and hospitality potentials of the territory, thereby generating employment and wealth. Mrs Halima Oyelade, festival director, also assured that the Zuma International Film Festival 2025 will deliver on its key objectives and firmly position Nigeria’s film industry globally.
