The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has assured its partners, namely Arsenal Institute for Film & Video Art, Berlin; University of Jos, Goethe University and the Deutsches Filminstitut Filmmuseum, Germany, of its commitment towards the sustainable training and retraining of the staff of the National Film Video and Sound Archive (NFVSA) – a department of the NFC, and also other Nigerians, through the Master Degree Programme in Film Culture & Archiving Studies.
NFC’s Chief Executive, Dr. Ali Nuhu, represented by Mr. Edmund Peters, Director of Production & Industry Support Services, conveyed the assurances at the closing ceremony of the 10 – Day Training Workshop On Archival Practices: Preservation of Audio-Visual Materials, (with specific focus on Film Handling, Film Scanning, Archive Management & Cataloguing). The event took place on Friday, February 2nd, 2024 at the Permanent Site of the National Film Institute in Jos. In recounting NFC’s film archiving journey, he said that the Corporation has always been determined in positioning the NFVSA to enable it deliver on its mandate; and perfectly fit into the nation’s vision for the preservation of its audio-visual heritage. Describing the 10 – day training workshop as timely, given the new thrust and capabilities of audio-visual preservation and archiving in nation building, Mr. Peters, admonished participants to deploy acquired skills in advancing the knowledge base and service delivery capabilities of the NFVSA.
Professor Tanko Ishaya, Vice Chancellor University of Jos, represented by Associate Prof. Nancy King, Head, Department of Theatre and Film Arts, equally expressed the appreciation of the University Management to the Resource Persons and Partners for the several offshore training, including train the trainer programmes in respect of the Master Degree in Film Culture & Archiving Studies. She charged the students who participated in the training workshop “to embrace the knowledge imparted and run with it”, given the importance of audio-visual heritage preservation as well as governments efforts in “helping restore our (Nigeria) history, preserve and hand it over to future generations”. The Master Degree Programme in Film Culture & Archiving Studies is jointly offered by the Nigerian Film Corporation/National Film Institute, University of Jos; Lagos Film Society in collaboration with Arsenal Institute for Film & Video Art, Berlin, Goethe University and the Deutsches Filminstitut Filmmuseum, Germany
Mr. Markus Ruff of Arsenal Institute for Film & Video Art, Berlin and lead resource person for the training workshop, expressed the satisfaction of the members of the foreign resource group, for a successful workshop, which had participants drawn from the NFVSA, National Film Institute, and the University of Jos. Elated Mr Ruff, said he felt fulfilled having to watch participants “entering the archives to avail themselves with the audio-visual heritage of the country (Nigeria). It is gratifying that these materials are now assessable” he further said at the closing ceremony which was attended by principal officers of the NFC, NFI, NFVSA and the University of Jos.
Highpoint of the closing ceremony was the screening of restored and scanned vintage films including reels of Miss Nigeria Pageant of 1977; and certificate presentation to participants of the training workshop.
