Young female graduate takes Nigeria to Europe film festival
Plateau-born documentary filmmaker, Miss Uren Makut has emerged among few Nigerians to make it to 2021 Festival de Cannes, the world’s most prestigious film gathering, according to an official website.
Since inception in July 1938, the acclaimed most widely publicised cultural event often held in Europe, has sought to draw attention to and raise the profile of films, Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate said, “toward boosting the film industry worldwide,” he said in a news conference during the 2021 edition of the festival held in Paris, France last two weeks.
Miss Makut, a mass communication graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, specialized in TV Production, earned a ticket to the event through a 12 minute documentary film she Directed on a 2018 terrorists attack in Daffo village, in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Central Plateau State.
“In your capacity as Director of the film “JUSTICE FOR DAFFO”, we would be very honoured to invite you to the African Pavilion in partnership with Clap Ivoire to accompany the screening of your film and participate in the master class sessions and other activities of the pavilion,” said her invitation letter dated 29 June 2021, signed by Aminata Diop Johnson, Director of the African Cultural Agency and Founder of the African Pavilion at the Cannes festival.
Last year, Uren was crowned Laureate of the UNESCO-Nara artist residency for young African filmmakers. She and one other were the only candidates from Nigeria at the event in Japan. Like the Nara film event, Uren’s film was screened at the Cannes festival, before thousands of global audience.
The young film Director has hinted of plans to start a cinematic training program for young girls, particularly survivors of conflict, as well as produce her maiden feature film, hopefully to be distributed by Netflix, she said.
