Africa’s largest retail bank, Access Bank plc, has partnered the continent’s most innovative film festival, the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), to sponsor its 9th edition that kicked off on Sunday, November 10, and will run through to November 16, 2019.
The week-long festival celebrates the diversity of African films, including documentaries and short films while connecting various stakeholders within the African film industry through a cinematic experience.
Group managing director, Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, highlighted the role of the festival in projecting African stories to the world, while acknowledging those who had invested in building a film industry that continued to be celebrated globally.
“Apart from serving as a platform to share the African culture with the world, the industry has launched a value chain for writers, cinematographers, actors, producers, while also contributing to the economy, creating employment opportunities, and promoting investment,” he said.
According to Wigwe, “Through AFRIFF, Access Bank is proud to support millions of creatives in the industry towards achieving their goals while providing economic benefit to them and many others across the world.”
The bank has consistently supported the AFRIFF, and the partnership is built on its commitment to promoting genuine African stories and also creating a platform for film makers to connect, learn, and showcase their projects.
The bank’s partnership with the festival also builds on its mission to promote sustainability, deliver long-term prosperity to Nigerians, and boost the creative economy through initiatives such as ART X Lagos and the Accelerate Filmmaker Project.
