*Joelma Oliveira Gonzaga, Audio visual Secretary, Brazilian Ministry of Culture and Dr. Ali Nuhu, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Nigerian Film Corporation.
The recently signed Nigeria – Brazil audio-visual cooperation agreement has been described as a great leap for Nigeria’s continuous inroad into the global creative and content ecosystem as well as a testament of the incredible impact of her transformative storytelling capabilities. Dr. Ali Nuhu, Managing Director, Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), gave this assertion in Abuja, after the significant signing ceremony between both nations at the Presidential Villa, Abuja last week, witnessed by Distinguished Senator Kashim Shettima (GCON) and Mr. Geraldo Alckmin – vice presidents of Nigeria and Brazil respectively, under the Nigeria–Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM).
It is a timely handshake between both countries that portend great opportunities and transformative improvement of audio-visual content development and cross border offerings, given its large black populations. Nigeria and Brazil, he said “have rich, similar and deep rooted cultural identities ranging from tourism, painting, music, visual art that resonate beautifully across the world”.
The Audio-Visual Cooperation Agreement, Dr. Nuhu said, provides for reciprocal and co-produced film projects, film content distribution and exhibition, technical manpower and skills exchanges, film financing, audiovisual preservation and archiving, emerging talents development, film festival and market development as well as industry promotion among others. Post signing protocols in line with each country’s domestic legislations are expeditiously being undertaken, including engagements between the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), the competent implementation agency for Nigeria, and its Brazilian counterpart, Agencia Nacional do Cinema (ANCINE) for immediate activation and implementation of the cooperation agreement, as well as the official unveiling of the “Nigeria – Brazil Audio-Visual Cooperation Agreement Procedure and Practice Handbook”.
Stakeholder contributions, particularly Nigerian filmmakers in ensuring that the country continues to dominate global creative economy conversations; and which aligns with the “Nigeria Everywhere” and “Nigeria: Destination 2030” initiatives of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy; including impressive and positive offerings, recognitions, partnership, collaboration and investment opportunities has once more been reciprocated by government with the emplacement of the Nigeria – Brazil Cooperation Agreement, Nuhu further said. “Just like the Nigeria – South Africa Audio-Visual Cooperation Agreement already operational, the NFC will ensure that Nigerian filmmakers and relevant institutions derive the full benefits of the Nigeria – Brazil Cooperation Agreement.
