The first edition of the Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival (ENIFF) Nigeria was held virtually from Wednesday, November 4th, to Saturday, November 7th, 2020.
This maiden edition of the film festival kicked off with an opening ceremony hosted by actor and radio presenter, Lorenzo Menakaya.
According to the Nation, the highlight of the opening ceremony was the breaking of kolanut performed by the veteran actor and broadcaster, Chief Pete Edochie, MON.
3101 films were submitted from 131 countries for this maiden edition according to ENIFF founders and directors, Ujuaku Akukwe-Nwakalor and Chris Odili ; also 40 films from 22 countries screened this year including the American Oscar Award winning film, “Skin”, the South African documentary “A New Country” which was the opening film and Mexican masterpiece “ANYA”, which was the closing film.
There were industry sessions tagged “Ideas @ ENIFF” by Nollywood veteran Pete Edochie, British-Canadian Actor Mark Holden, African film curator Nadia Denton, Serial entrepreneur Obi Asika, digital strategist Yvonne Chioma Mbanefo and South African artist, Bandile Koketso Mbuli.
There were also different categories of awards which were presented at the closing ceremony, as decided by the jury headed by film scholar, Dr. Ezinne Ezepue.
The ENIFF 2020 Award winners are:
Best Animation
Gon, the Little Fox -Japan
Best Documentary Short
Sunset in Makoko -Nigeria
Best Documentary Feature
Bassil’ora – Italy
Best Narrative Short
Skin – United States
Best Nigerian Film
Blue
Best Narrative Feature
Anya – Mexico
Best Female Performance
María Fernanda Tovar (Anya) – Mexico
Best Male Performance
Anish Gosavi (Tak-Tak) – India
Best Director
Mika Johnson (Confessions of a Box Man) – Czech Republic (WINNER)
Best Film
Skin–United States
Special Jury Prize
Two Autumns in Paris – Venezuela
Audience Choice Award
Journey to Kenya – Sudan.
