Just In: Nigeria’s Most Anticipated Movie, Issakaba ‘The Returns’ Supports ISFF Awards

Ambassador (Dr.) Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen’s latest multimillion naira production, Issakaba ‘The Returns’, has thrown its weight behind the 2024 International Students Films Festival, ISFF, holding at the University of Portharcourt, Rivers State.

Issakaba ‘The Return’; remains the most anticipated movie in the history of Nigeria, and was produced and directed by Africa’s most consistent filmmaker, Dr. Lancelot Imasuen with the support of several notable Nigerians like; Emmanuel Winner Utomi of LIAM Ltd, Prince Paul Agbonlahor of Lahor Group worldwide and ‘Diran Adeyinka
WithinDlens Limited.

The return of this great movie that stairs evergreen actors like; Sam Dede, Iyabo Ojo (Queen Mother), Francis Onwuchie, Chidi Mokeme, Reginal Daniels, Sani Danja, Alex Osifo Omiagbo, Charles Okafor, Nosa Rex, Phyna Otabor of BBN, Itele, Kashimawo who played the great Issakaba Seer and several other notable Nollywood stars; is now one of the greatest support of the Film Festival that will be hosted by University of Portharcourt in Rivers State, from September 16 – 20, 2024.

The Student Film Festival will also be an avenue to honor veteran film and television greats, both living and dead, who made indelible marks on the Nigerian film industry, also known as Nollywood.

With a keen eye to celebrate these all-time veterans of cinema, Edo-born filmmaker, Amb. (Dr.) Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen (aka D’Guvernor), will be using the second edition of International Students’ Film Festival (ISFF), a campus-based travelling film festival, to celebrate the living and late legends where awards will be named after them. Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, hosted the festival’s first edition in 2023.

Nollywood ace screenwriter Emem Isong has Emem Isong Misodi Award for Best Screenplay named after her, just as Iyen Agbonifo has Iyen Agbonifo Award or Best Costume category named after her, Cleopatra Starret has Cleopatra Starrets Award for Best Make-Up named after her and Sir, Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion Award for Best film on Culture also named after him. Also, four fallen heroes of the industry are up for honour with awards dedicated to their names. They are Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi of African Independent Television (AIT) for pioneering a television platform for showcasing films and soap operas, Chico Ejiro for his prodigious output as a filmmaker, Sadiq Daba and Enebeli Elebuwa for their pioneering roles as astute actors and Capt. Hosa Okunbo for his role as film financier and major entertainment supporter.

The students’ films nominated for the nine award categories include Le Kadji, Dazed and Adaeze for Best Screenplay; Budge, Adaeze and Score for Iyen Agbonifo Award for Best Costume; Adeaze, Score and Dazed for Cleopatra Award for Best Make-Up; Obiora (Dominic Nweze as Obiora), Budge (Shedrach Sunday as Zazo) and Solitude (Ibinabo Fortune as Kelvin) for Enebeli Elebuwa Memorial Award for Best Actor (male) while for Female actor category, there are Adaeze (Jane Chidindu as Adaeze), Are You Human? (Ekienabor Sarah) and Score (Trinity Ugonabo as Nelo). Also, there’s Sadiq Daba Memorial Award for Best Short Film that has Dazed, Budge and Solitude, Capt. Hosa Okunbo Memorial Award for Best Feature Film with The Pirates, Praeda and Once Upon a Time at Ruth’s as nominees; Chico Ejiro Memorial Award for Best Director and has Budge, Dazed and Solitude as nominations; Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi Memorial Award for Documentary with 40 Years a Memory, The Rise and Ndito-Ufen as nominated films.

Amb. Imasuen said the motivation for setting up the student-based festival is to lend credence to his passion of empowering young people with skills in the industry where he has made a name for himself. He said he doesn’t want empowerment to be a mere slogan, but something that can be made real in the lives of young people who are willing to learn the rudiments of filmmaking. Secondly, he said the award component of the festival is designed as a celebration of both the living and practitioners who are fallen heroes and heroines of the industry, and to point the minds of young people towards emulating their achievements with a view to surpassing them in their craft.

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