LAFAAAC, Wazobia Launch Training Programme for Nollywood Screenwriters

By Tolulope Ibukunoluwa

L’Académie Franco-Anglophone des Arts Audiovisuels et du Cinéma (LAFAAAC), a French cinema academy, in partnership with Wazobia FM/TV, has announced plans to launch a training programme for screenwriters in Nollywood.

The programme, which commences in the spring of 2021 and is supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria, offers innovative training courses combining online and classroom trainings, enhanced by partnerships in France and Africa for a comprehensive offer adapted to local needs.

The training programme is a component of the Solidarity Fund of innovative projects by the French Embassy called “Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI), which aims to promote French training contents adapted to the needs of Nigerian audiovisual professionals and preserve and enhance the cultural heritage.

As part of efforts to further enhance the skills of Nigerian storytellers, LAFAAAC will make available a complete training course on the fundamentals of television screenwriting. The training will combine different complementary educational methods: mobile learning, masterclass, animated tutorials, virtual classes and workshops, all developed with well-known experts to develop the best of each tool.
The academy is partnering with La Fémis, the French cinema school, through its “TV Series” department, is, to contribute to its overall educational engineering.

LAFAAAC is also partnering with Wazobia, a leader in radio and television, which will help adapt the offer to the specific needs of Nigeria through its recent initiative Filmlab Nigeria.

Speaking on the development, Olivier PASCAL, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of LAFAAAC, said: “The strength of our project is to combine the best of French educational training and the practices of Nigerian professionals, all accelerated by the power of digital. LAFAAAC is proud to strengthen its partnership with Wazobia through this initiative of the French Embassy, for the benefit of young Nigerian creatives.”

Also speaking, Rafaël Pont, Advisor for Cooperation and Cultural Action at the French Embassy at Nigeria, said: “Our support for LAFAAAC is part of the implementation of the Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects dedicated to the development of Cultural and Creative Industries in Nigeria. It has been entrusted to us for a period of two years (2020-21) and responds to a priority of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. Its objective is to stimulate cultural entrepreneurship in Nigeria, capacity building and governance policies in the audiovisual, interactive media and cultural heritage sectors.”

Tatiana Moussalli Nouri, Co-Founder and CEO of Wazobia, also said: “Nigeria is loaded with fantastic talents and this collaboration will contribute further in the capacity building and continuous learning that Wazobia has been championing through our knowhow and pioneer position in the industry. We are confident that our collaboration with LAFAAAC, a successful startup, and the French Embassy in Nigeria, we will successfully deliver value to the creative industry in Nigeria.”