American University names Film Award in Honor of Tunde Kelani

For exceptional African films, the Ken Harrow ASA Film Fund and Sembène-Kelani Film Prize have been announced by the African Studies Association (ASA) at Rutgers University in the United States.

The Ken Harrow ASA Film Fund was established on Saturday, April 20, 2024. The organization’s film prize was renamed the Sembène-Kelani Film Prize in honour of two well-known African film industry figures: Senegalese actor Ousmane Sembène and Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani.

The news emphasizes how Nollywood has become a significant force in the international cinema business.

As a journalist, Kelani began his career in the 1970s, working for Nigerian TV, Reuters, and BBC TV.
After graduating from the London Film School, he co-produced his debut feature film in Nigeria.

Moreover, Kelani was a cinematographer for numerous Nigerian motion pictures.

To concentrate on directing and producing his films, which include Ti Oluwa Nile, Ayo Ni Mo Fe, Koseegbe, Olku, Thunderbolt (Magun), Saworoide, Agogo Eewo, The Campus Queen, Abeni, Narrow Path, Arugba and Miami, he established his own production company, Mainframe Films, in 1991.
His films frequently adapt plays and novels.

The prize, the report says, is about recognizing exceptional African films, fiction or factual.
The fund offers assistance to scholars and scholars who wish to discuss African films.

The study emphasizes the fact that nominations for films may be submitted by April 30 of each year, either by the filmmakers or their distributors.
The prize committee will select the winner, and they will be invited to the annual ASA meeting to see the winning movie.
The prize will consist of $500, conference registration, round-trip travel, and lodging for up to four nights.

The Harrows’ contributions and the collaborations with outstanding organizations like Michigan State University and Université Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis, Senegal, made the fund and prize achievable.

Written by BlastAdminNg