By Ogova Ondego
Published October 31, 2013
Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) has appointed two actresses as her Goodwill Ambassadors to promote the brand ahead of its 3rd annual festival scheduled for November 10-17, 2013 in Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Those appointed Ambassadors on October 24, 2013 are Nollywood’s Rita Dominic and Lynn Whitfield of Hollywood.
Speaking about the appointment at a media briefing at the AFRIFF offices in Victoria Island, Lagos, Chioma Ude,Founder and Executive Director of AFRIFF, described Rita Dominic as “a consummate actress” and “an African screen Icon” who has “won several awards and nominations throughout her career.”
Among the awards Ude said Dominic has won include Africa’s Best Actress at Africa Movie Academy Awards, Nollywood Movies Award, and Nigeria Entertainment Award and City People’s Face of Nollywood Award.
“With more than 100 films to her credit,” Ude said, “Rita Dominic has played a pivotal role in showcasing Nigerian cinema popularly known as Nollywood.”
As for the Emmy Award-winning Lynn Whitfield, Ude said, “Lynn Whitfield is a natural choice as AFRIFF Goodwill Ambassador not just for her accomplishments in Hollywood, but also because of her passionate support for the AFRIFF project since its inception.”
Whitfield began her acting career in television and theatre, before progressing to supporting roles in film. She won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini-series and a NAACP Image Award for her performance as Josephine Baker in the HBO movie, THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY (1991). She won other NAACP Image awards for her work in TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL (1998), THE PLANET OF JUNIOR BROWN (2000) and REDEMPTION: THE STAN TOOKIE WILLIAMS STORY (2004).
Details about 3rd AFRIFF are available via africafilmfest.org website and social media (@afriff on twitter and Africafilmfest on facebook.com).
