Festival Profile

Colours of the Nile International Film Festival

Cinema is a major tool to promote forms of contemporary African cultural expression to Africans and the world. Yet, the moving images projected onto the screen go far beyond entertainment. Cinema is not only a central form of artistic expression, but it is also a fundamental tool for promoting debate of societal issues and challenges. In this sense, cinema is a learning experience, promotes mutual understanding and a peaceful and just development of society. In addition, cinema holds an important potential for economic growth, a factor that so far has not been sufficiently taken into account in Africa.

Film Festivals are very important platform for the development and promotion of cinema. Film festivals have transcended from being events for the mere screening of films to becoming forums for the exchange of experience, learning and marketing for professionals and emerging talents in the cinema world. However, despite the emergence of Nollywood and other local and national film industries in the recent past, Africa still does not feature large among this global festival round. It is a fact that until today, very few recognized international and regional film festivals take place in the African continent. This calls for more platforms to promote African cinema and to inspire emerging African film talents.

This is why the Blue Nile Film and Television Academy and the Ethiopian Filmmakers Association took up the initiative to launch the Colours of the Nile International Film Festival in Addis Ababa. The festival is scheduled to take place on a bi-annual basis and is designed to promote African Cinema and creating space for professional dialogue and exchange among African filmmakers. Furthermore the festival is built up on the conviction that Addis Ababa, as the seat of the African Union and in this sense also as the "capital" of the African continent, lends itself as a showroom for African cultural and cinematic vibrancy.

Festival Objectives
* Promoting African cinema by exposing African audiences and filmmakers to African films and thus popularizing these films in the continent of their origin.
* Expose African filmmakers and audiences to global cinematographic art and thereby enrich African cinematographic culture.
* Facilitate learning, exchange and networking among African filmmakers towards seeking solutions to common challenges and improving the quality and standard of African films.
* Developing the African film market by bringing together filmmakers, writers, local and international film financers, producers, cultural organizations and other industry professionals.

Colours of the Nile International Film Festival is here to give African cinema a vibrant platform and worldwide visibility.


Organizers

The Colours of the Nile International Film Festival is organised by Blue Nile Film and Television Academy and the Ethiopian Filmmakers Association.

Blue Nile Film and Television Academy is a pioneering East African Film training institute based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Academy's mission is to significantly contribute towards improving the quality of African cinema. The academy was founded in 2007 and is managed by award-winning Ethiopian cinematographer Abraham Haile Biru.

The Ethiopian Filmmakers Association was established in 1993 and is therefore one of the first filmmakers' alliances on the African continent. As an independent institution of Ethiopian filmmakers, its primary objective is to promote Ethiopian cinema and to facilitate knowledge and information exchange among film professionals.