Emeka Rollas, national president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria(AGN), Nollywood actor Francis Duru and other industry stakeholders were honoured at the 2024 Inside Nollywood International Film Festival & Awards (INIFFAA).

The thespians and other stakeholders received awards at the closing ceremony of the festival on Saturday night at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

Rollas won the ‘Outstanding Guild Leader of the Year Award’, while Francis Duru clinched the ‘Best Actor award’ for his role in the Nollywood hit, ’Lami’, a film directed by Sam Idiagbonya.

Other winners included veteran filmmaker Lancelot Imasuen, who lifted the award of ‘the Most Stylist Filmmaker’; Emeka Duru, ‘Best Production Manager’; and Alex Okonkwo for ‘Best Sound Recordist’.

The iconic film, ’Lami’, was named the ‘Best Film’ while the ‘Best Short Film’ award was clinched by ‘Dazed’, among others.

The organisers also gave special recognition awards to individuals and organisations for their contributions to the film industry and INIFFAA.

Obinna Muoma, ace filmmaker and founder of Inside Nollywood said the 2024 edition of INIFFAA marked a decade of the brand’s contribution to the Nigerian film industry.

According to him, the award night was a flagship component of the festival dedicated to celebrating the creativity, hard work and support of stakeholders in the film industry.

“I take this opportunity, as the founder of Inside Nollywood International Film Festival & Awards, to reflect on the incredible journey in the past 10 years.

“INIFFAA 2024 is a testimony to the growth and creativity of Nollywood, how Inside Nollywood has evolved and how Nollywood has shaped our society,” he said.

In a goodwill message, the AGN president expressed delight at the honour and described the INIFFAA as a veritable platform for showcasing Nollywood.

“On behalf of the AGN, I want to thank and congratulate Inside Nollywood for this impactful journey in the last 10 years,” he said.

The event is an annual film fiesta dedicated to recognising the achievements of African creative minds in the entertainment industry.

The festival aims to foster collaboration, celebrate cultural diversity, and promote the advancement of African cinema on the global stage.

It provides a vibrant space for filmmakers from around the world, particularly those of African descent, to showcase their talent and connect with industry professionals.

The 2024 edition of the annual film fiesta was held from Feb. 15 to 17 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

(NAN)