Nigerian Times

Actress Lupita Nyong'om, left, and director Steve McQueen attend InStyle & Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Annual Toronto International Film Festival Party, hosted by Salvatore Ferragamo on Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, held at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto, Canada. 30 September 2013 16:45 Africa/Lagos "12 Years a Slave" Director Steve McQueen, And Actress Lupita Nyong'o To Be Honored At The Hollywood Film Awards HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Carlos de Abreu, founder and executive producer of the 17th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, announced today that Fox Searchlight's "12 Years a Slave" director, Steve McQueen will be honored with the "Hollywood Breakout Director Award," and actress Lupita Nyong'o will receive the "New Hollywood Award" for her great performance. The awards will be bestowed at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony on Monday evening, October 21, 2013 at the Beverly Hilton Hote...

30 September 2013 15:00 Africa/Lagos China's Original 3D Animation 'Kangaroo Baby' to Debut in Cannes SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- China's animation leader Shenzhen Haha Animation Media Technology Co. Ltd ("Haha Animation") will debut its animated short "Kangaroo Baby" at MIPCOM 2013 to be held in Cannes, France on October 7-10. The film can be viewed at Booth# 07.02E1 on sublevel 1 in the China exhibition area. "Kangaroo Baby" is a ​​large original 3D animated feature produced using performance-based frame-by-frame modulation, setting a new standard for Chinese 3D animation. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130930/CN88380) "Kangaroo Baby" is based on the story of a mother kangaroo and her two offspring. The story draws out and develops the curiosity, creativity and imagination of growing children in a variety of ways. The animated feature touches on several themes, encompassing comedy, acti...

Anika Noni Rose, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton at Half of A Yellow Sun Premiere at the Winter Garden Theatre, 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Thandie Newton, the leading actress in the Nigerian civil war drama Half of a Yellow Sun has compared the film to Gone with the Wind , the 1939 epic historical film based on American civil war-era South. The British actress also told Julie Miller in the interview published by Vanity Fair that her role as "Olanna" is the most sophisticated modern woman she has ever played so far. Julie Miller: You’ve described Half of a Yellow Sun as being like Gone with the Wind set in Nigeria. Can you explain what you meant by that? Thandie Newton: Well, this is all happening when the Biafran War [or the Nigerian Civil War] kicks off, and that was really run by the intellectuals and the academics, the world that Olanna has chosen to be in. And even when she has a chance to leave, to get on a flight that costs god knows how...

Miss Philippines Megan Young has been crowned Miss World 2013 on Saturday in Bali, Indonesia. Megan Lynne Young The glamourous ceremony was held under tight security, because the global beauty pageant was threatened by fanatical Muslims who wanted to disrupt the event for violating the Islamic ethics of the world's most populous Muslim country. The radical Islam Defenders Front marched in public protests against holding the pageant in Indonesia and forced the organizers to move the event from a venue outside Jakarta to the predominantly Hindu Island of Nusa Dua in southern Bali. The 23-year-old U.S.-born beauty queen studying digital film was overwhelmed with emotion as she accepted the crown from her predecessor, Wenxia Yu of China and promised to "be the best Miss World ever". Marine Lorphelin, a 20-year-old medical student from France was the first runner-up and Miss Ghana Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter, 23, also a medical student was the second runner-up. ...

Daring and accomplished young Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan was admitted for fatigue at a hospital in Lagos after he completed the shooting of his latest film "October 1st" last week. One of the members of his cast and crew said he is recovering fast and will soon release the official trailer of the historical film set in 1960, against the backdrop of Nigeria's independence on October 1st. The screenplay was written by Tunde Babalola, one of Nigeria's most accomplished screenwriters and winner of several notable awards including; 2004 Screen Nation Awards, (Critical Assignment), 2004 Hollywood Film Festival (Critical Assignment), 2003 Screen Nation Film & Television Award For Scriptwriting (Degsy) and the 1996 Channel 4 Sit-Com Festival (In Exile). October 1st is a psychological thriller detailing the activities of a northern police detective, Dan Waziri who was posted to the western region to unravel the mystery behind a series of female murders in the co...

Last Days To Request Press Passes for the African Film Festival of Cordoba-FCAT Journalists interested in attending the event must fill in the online application form before next Monday 1st of October. Cordoba, 27th October 2013. The African Film Festival of Cordoba-FCAT returns from the 11th to the 19th of October in order to celebrate its 10th anniversary striving for the contribution to a better understanding of the neighbouring continent through the projection of 66 films made in 31 different countries. At this special occasion, we are eager to invite journalists from all over the world to join us to share and celebrate our love for African cinemas under the shape of this unique film festival in Spain. The deadline for the press pass request finishes on the 1st October. The procedure is twofold. On the one hand, journalists will fill an online application form, available at our website (www.fcat.es) until the 1st of October. After submitting the online form, journalists mus...

Julia Roberts at the "August Osage County" 2013 Toronto International Film Festival Premiere on September 9, 2013. The film will be released on December 25, 2013 in the U.S. Her red dress is a $3,325 Dolce & Gabbana Bell Sleeve Lace Detailed Shift Dress. . 25 September 2013 16:45 Africa/Lagos Julia Roberts Of "August: Osage County" To Receive The Hollywood Supporting Actress Award At The Hollywood Film Awards HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Carlos de Abreu, founder and executive producer of the 17th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, announced today that Academy Awards – winning Julia Roberts of The Weinstein Company's "August: Osage County" will be honored with the Hollywood Supporting Actress Award. The honor will be bestowed at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony on Monday evening, October 21 st, 2013 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. "It is a privilege to honor Julia Roberts for her brilliant and pass...

Volunteers at FCAT Cordoba against the sexual exploitation and trafficking of women and children The team of volunteers has organised a Cineforum under this topic in celebration of the International Day Against the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Women and Children Cordoba, 25th September 2013. The African Film Festival of Cordoba counts on an important body of volunteers who have been involved in a wide range of activities since early September. As part of them, there has been a cineforum at the Film Archive of Andalusia on trafficking of women and children, in celebration of the International Day Against the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Women and Children. This initiative has been sponsored by the Women Andalusian Institute (Instituto Andaluz de la Mujer) and NGOD Women in Conflict Zones. From left to right: Isabel Romero, Soledad Perez, Bashira Escudero and Ángel. The event, entitled “In Search of the End” [“En Busca del Fin”] has taken place from 17.30 to ...

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the government and people of Kenya, as the country endures a horrific terrorist attack in a popular shopping mall in Nairobi. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/AJCLOGO) Shabab, a Somali-based Islamist group affiliated with al-Qaeda, has claimed credit for the attack, which began yesterday, and has left at least 59 dead and more than 175 wounded. "Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and our prayers are with the wounded in the hope of their full recovery," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Tragically, the radical Islamist group Shabab has once again demonstrated the limitless depths of its depravity, having targeted innocent men, women and children who had simply set out to shop, dine and enjoy time in the shopping mall." The United States has designated the al-Qaeda-affiliated Shabab a terrorist group. Several terrorists remain ins...

From the 11th to the 19th October The African Film Festival of Cordoba, 10 years breaking stereotypes 66 films by 31 different countries in the programme, along with parallel activities, exhibitions and a space for professionals. Degaucheadroite Moreno Calderon, Mane Cisneros, Jose Antonio Nieto, Isabel Romero et Isidro López. Córdoba, 20th September 2013. The African Film Festival of Cordoba-FCAT returns from the 11th to the 19th of October in order to celebrate its 10th anniversary, striving for the contribution to a better understanding of the neighbouring continent through its film culture. In this tenth edition – the second one in Cordoba after eight years in Tarifa (Cadiz) –, Cordoba cements its place as the only Spanish platform showcasing African and Middle Eastern cinemas. FCAT Cordoba, organised by the NGOD Al Tarab with the sponsorship of the City Council of Cordoba, Magtel Corp. and Instituto Halal, will screen during one week over 66 films from or on Africa...