The 6th edition of the annual Eko International Film Festival, EKOIFF opened in Lagos on Monday November 16th at the Silverbird Galleria Victoria Island Lagos and closed on Saturday November 21st. Organised by the Hope Obioma Opara led Supple Communications (founder and President of EKOIFF), the festival featured films from several countries of the world including Tunde Olaoye's Alaaru (The Carrier), La boucle / The Loop from France (Didier Cheneau), Steven Matthews Awakening and several other local and international film. Olaoye's Alaaru was screened on the 18th of November by 11am while Katung Aduwak' Heaven's Hell closed close the festival on Saturday at 6pm and preceded the festival award event. All screenings, apart from the closing event were from 9am to 4pm.



Similarly, the 37th annual Cairo International Film Festival opened in Cairo on Wednesday November 11th and was on until November 20. The festival featured film screenings, panel discussions, workshops and seminars. The Critic week, a major aspect of the festival organized by the Egyptian Film Critics Association and directed by Egyptian filmmaker Ahmed Hassouna opened on Friday with the Polish film Journey to Rome. The Critic week is an independent program, organized with the support of the Cairo FilmFest. Dubbed CIFFW, The critic week is one of the most recent additions to the Cairo international Film Festival. It may have been inspired by the success of similar events in major festivals around the world like Venice and Cannes. However this edition of the CIFF Critic week featured seven films, which are the first or second feature by a young filmmaker. Ahmed Hassouna explained that the critic week, which is in its second edition, aims at ‘providing the opportunity for the discovery of new talents'. Hassouna further explained that the main focus of the week is the ‘novelty of the theme which is technique and visual power'. He added that this year's selection of films for the week features a wide variety of ideas and different cinematic directions. The films on the line up include Tuk-Tuk a documentary by Egyptian filmmaker Romany Saad, the part documentary and part fiction Brazilian film Olmo and the Seagull by Petra Costa and Lea Glob, the film by Singaporean director Green Zengwho titled The Return, the documentary by French director Evangelia Kraniot titled Exotica, Erotica, Etc and Red Spider a film by Polish documentary film director Marcin Koszaka.
Two awards handed out to participants of the critic weeks and the responsibility for deciding winners of the Shadi Abdel Salam prize for the best filmmaker and the Fathy Farang Prize for the best artistic contribution rest on the jury of the critic week led by Foremost Egyptian director Mohammed Khan. The other members of the jury are Nigerian culture journalist, film critic and member of Africiné Shaibu Husseini and the Lebanese film critic Mohammed Rouda.

Shaibu Husseini

Ekoiff 2015 Winners

Feature Film Category Award
1. Best feature film : God forgive us by Michael Bachochin USA
2. Best Nigerian Film: Heavens Hell by Katung Direkta Aduwak Nigeria
3. Best Actor Jeffery Kissoon from the film Ham & The Piper Uk
4. Best Actress Bimbo Akintola from the film Heavens Hell Nigeria
5. Best Supporting Actor Chumani Pan from the film Silverain Ghana
6. Best Supporting Actress Nse Ikpe Etim from the film Heavens Hell Nigeria

Documentary Award Category
Best Documentary Under the Palaver Tree by Claire Savary France

Indigenous Film Award
1.Best Indigenous Film. Bogiri Olanu by Taiwo Samuel Nigeria
2.Best Actor Indigenous Tayo Afolayan from the film Alaaru Nigeria
3.Best Actress Indigenous Fatia Balogun from the film Bogiri Olanu Nigeria

Short Film Category Award
1. Best Short Film Awaiting Lazarus by Duke Orok UK/Nigeria
2. Best Nigeria Short Film Zyra by Douglas Enogieru Nigeria
3. Best Actor Short Film Michael Peters from the film Awaiting Lazarus UK/Nigeria
4. Best Actress Short Film Abigail Ocheiri from the short film Deranged Nigeria

Student Animation Film Award
Best Student Film Animation : Tatiana by Sadiq Sadiq Nigeria
1. Outstanding Young Actor Award Somadina Adinma from the film
Miss Teacher Nigeria
2. Outstanding Young Actress Award Treasure Obasi from the film
Heaven's Hell Nigeria

Cairo International Film Critics Week 2015 Winners
* Shadi Abd El Salam Prize for best film goes to Director: Marcin Koszałka for his debut film "The Red Spider".
* Fathy Farag Prize for best artistic contribution goes to Director of Photography: Evangelia Kranioti for her film "Exotica, Erotica, etc.
* And finally Special Mention (Jury Award) for Directors: Petra Costa and Lea Glob for their film "Olmo & The Seagull"