AIFF director urges Nollywood filmmakers to embrace AI to scale up storytelling

AIFF director urges Nollywood filmmakers to embrace AI to scale up storytelling

Temitope Duker, the Director of  Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF), has urged Nigerian filmmakers to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a creative tool to build digital sets, lower production costs and scale up storytelling.

She made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday night at the opening of the festival’s 23rd edition at the Silverbird Cinemas in Abuja.

The 2026 edition of the annual fiesta is holding from Oct. 20 to 24 with the theme “Frames without Boarders: AI, Ethics, and the Future of Filmmaking”.

According to the festival director, AI is a vital creative tool  in the digital age to  scale up storytelling without erasing the its essence.

She said AI was increasingly transforming filmmaking, from designing promotional materials to generating realistic characters and voices, making its adoption important for industry practitioners.

“Everything now has gone robotic and AI, even in filmmaking.

“Even the entire design for the festival this year was done by AI.

“In the past, you would have to go to a printer to do the designs and all that. But now with AI, you can actually do a lot, and the same applies to film,” she said.

Duker urged established and emerging filmmakers to explore the technology, stressing that it was becoming an increasingly important part of the industry.

“It is important for us now as filmmakers to begin to embrace AI because whether we like it or not, it has come to stay,” she said.

Duker  said AI could create realistic characters resembling known actors and reproduce their voices, provided the necessary permissions and arrangements were secured.

“Now, if I want to shoot a film, maybe I want to use an actor, for instance, I could create a character that looks like him, and then use his voice and pay him,” she said.

Duker, however acknowledged concerns about AI but described its potential as an opportunity for filmmakers to explore new production possibilities.

“Some see it as a threat, but for me, I think it’s a win-win, eventually,” she said.

She  also highlighted the festival’s evolution, recalling that filmmakers initially submitted entries on VHS tapes before progressing to VCDs, DVDs, and now online platforms.

According to the director, AIFF received hundreds of film entries this year, with 86 making the final selection and more than 30 earning nominations.

She said the organisers deliberately prioritised Nigerian productions in this year’s selection to encourage local filmmakers and align the programme with discussions on AI.

“One of the things we paid attention to this year was that we were more indigenous. We have a lot of Nigerian films in selection,” she said.

Duker said the festival also provided emerging filmmakers with opportunities to screen their works, receive audience feedback and connect with established producers, distributors and other industry stakeholders.

“You don’t have to be one of the biggest studios or the biggest production houses to enter your film at a film festival,” she said.

“If it goes through the screening process, for a young filmmaker, there is nothing as beautiful as when your film is showing on the big screen,” she said.

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Also speaking with NAN on the sideline, a Nollywood  filmmaker Dickson Iroegbu, said the festival’s 23-year journey demonstrated the importance of resilience and consistency in sustaining creative initiatives.

“Fidelis Duker and his crew have shown that what is worth doing is worth doing well, and being consistent is what will announce your eventual victory,” he said.

Iroegbu, who was a winner at the inaugural Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in 2005, called for stronger government support for Nollywood, saying the industry had gained international recognition through practitioners’ efforts.

“Nollywood asserted itself on the global community, but what has not been intentionally harnessed by the government is the potential resident in Nollywood,” he said.

Iroegbu also called for collaborations between the AIFF and major international film festivals to expand opportunities for Nigerian filmmakers.

NAN reports that key industry players, heads of relevant government agencies and members of the diplomatic community, including stakeholders from Chinese film industry were present at the opening.

In his goodwill message, Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/CEO, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), lauded organisers of the festival for remaining steadfast in the past two decades.

He commended AIFF founder Fidelis Duker and his team for their consistency and dedication, calling it one of the longest-running independently organised film festivals in West Africa.

The NFVCB helmsman said the regulatory agency remains   committed to supporting independent creative platforms that actively boost Nigeria’s film industry, stimulate the creative economy, and serve as cultural tourism events for the country.

Also speaking, Olayiwola  Awakan, Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA),  lauded the AIFF for its enduring role as a platform of cultural exchange and  driver of  inbound tourism.

Other agencies of the Federal  Government  that gave their goodwill messages at the event included  Nigerian Film Corporation(NFC), Nigerian Copyright Commission(NCC), among others.

Earlier  in his welcome address, Founder of the AIFF, Fidelis Duker, said the theme of the 23rd edition was to spark conversations  on AI and  filmmaking ethics.

He said the festival remains a  pivotal platform that showcases  films, actors, producers within and outside Nigeria and  to  exchange ideas, foster interactions for co-production, distribution, investments, and create opportunities for emerging talents.