In 2010, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) convened the first African Women in Film Forum (AWIFF) in partnership with the Lufudo Academy of Performing Arts in Nigeria led by Joke Silva, acclaimed Nollywood actress. This initial AWIFF focused on the theme ‘Nollywood: Women and the Dynamics of Representation’.

Three years later the AWIFF is being convened in Accra, Ghana, with a broad range of partners including Alliance Française (Accra), Brand Woman Africa, Institut Français du Ghana, National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), and the Lufudo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA). The theme for this year is ‘Creating compelling social justice content for film and television’ with an exciting line up of speakers including:

• Ade Solanke, who wrote the screenplay for Nigerian director Tunde Kelani’s forthcoming film, Dazzling Mirage

• Akosua Adoma Owusu, Director of KWAKU ANANSE

• Amaka Igwe who has to her credit production of over 400 hours of TV programming and movies

• Anita Afonu, Director of Perished Diamonds

• Anita Erskine, Host of Making of a Mogul

• Dr Beti Ellerson, Director for the Centre for the Study and Research of African Women in Cinema

• Dr Sionne Neely, Knowledge Management Specialist at AWDF

• Dr Yaba Blay, Assistant Teaching Professor of Africana Studies at Drexel University and Consulting Producer for CNN’s Black in America 5 – Who is Black in America?

• François d’Artemare, Founder of Les Films de l’Après-Midi

• Korkor Amarteifio, Associate Director of the Institute for Music and Development

• Kwaw Ansah, Director of Love Brewed in the African Pot

• Lodi Matsetela, script writer and producer of Society, originally flighted on South African Broadcasting Corporation

• Prof. Linus Abraham, Rector of NAFTI

• Sarah Bouyain, Director of Notre Etrangere/The Place in Between

• Sarah Mukasa, Director of Programmes, AWDF;

• Sefi Atta, playwright and author of Everything Good Will Come

• Stéphanie Soleansky, Cultural Affairs Attaché at Institut Français du Ghana

• Tsitsi Dangarembga, author of Nervous Conditions

• Vicentia Akwetey, Dean of Studies, NAFTI

• Veronica Q-Nai, writer and director behind A Call at Midnight

• Yaba Badoe, Director and Co-Producer of The Witches of Gambaga

The general public in Ghana is invited to interact with speakers and participants of the AWIFF through a 2 day film festival made possible by sponsorship from Brand Woman Africa.

Date: Monday 23^rd September 2013

Film screenings: The Witches of Gambaga by Yaba Badoe and On the Border by Tsitsi Dangarembga

Venue: Alliance Francaise (Accra),

Time: 6pm

Date: Tuesday 24^th September 2013

Film screenings: Perished Diamonds by Anita Afonu and Notre Etrangere/The Place in Between with Sarah Bouyain

Venue: NAFTI

Time: 6pm

Filmmakers based in Ghana who wish to participate in the AWIFF can email specialprograms@africlub.net/awdf for more information

To learn even more about the AWIFF read an interview on the African Women in Cinema Blog with Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, Communications Specialist, AWDF.