ISSUE 01/2022
Jamezany James
Jamezany James is an international award winning
Nollywood/African film publicist. He is the chairperson
and chief publicist of the Azania Filmmakers Associa-
tion.
By Richard Tentone
T hank you for agreeing to the AFA
Hotseat. May you kindly share
with the Hotseat who Jamezany is?
Jamezany James is an
I have also international award winning
Nollywood/African film publicist,
coordinated
project manager, actor and plug.
a commercial
shoot for
May you kindly take us through
Estridos your film industry experience?
luxury hair
products My film industry experience is a
bringing lengthy one spanning over 10 years.
veteran I have worked with the top and
actress, who relevant Nollywood filmmakers
is also Airtel from actors, producers to directors
Ambassador, such as legendary Nollywood
Ngozi Nwosu Actor Jide Kosoko who acted in my
and TV co-production with Black Image
presenter Theatre Company, a foremost
Clara Okoro theatre company. As an actor I
acted in an award winning comedy
to star in the
film called Innocent Devil’s Slap
commercial.
as Jide Kosoko’s security. I was
responsible for bringing Jide onto
the project. I have also worked
with seasoned comic actors; Hafiz
“Saka” Oyetoro, and TT Temple as
well as Tessy Ijeh and producer
Raymond Best.
Renowned actor Vincent Opurum
was “2013 Actor of the Year” as a
result of my work as his Publicist. I
have been awarded multiple times
as Best Nollywood/African Film
Publicist of the Year. I have also
coordinated a commercial shoot
for Estridos luxury hair products
bringing veteran actress, who
is also Airtel Ambassador, Ngozi
Nwosu and TV presenter Clara
Okoro to star in the commercial.
I have been a part of the
organizers of the prestigious Lagos
International Film Festival founded
by Nollywood pioneer filmmaker
Madu Chikwendu.
Let get to the heart of this
interview, may you kindly explain
to us what is Azania Filmmakers
Association?
Azania Filmmakers Association
(AFA) is a Pan-African filmmakers
association. The association
was established to integrate the
African film industry and eventually
contribute to growing and
developing a successful African
film industry.
Why is it important to bring
Azanian (African) filmmakers under
one umbrella body?
commitment and trust in the
Azanian Filmmakers Association
vision and mission. The Executive
Committee comprises the President
of AFA, C.J. Ndlovu, a filmmaker and
entrepreneur from South Africa
and Vice President Miss Loveline
Khayi, a Cameroonian Actress and
film Administrator. These were duly

The importance of uniting Azanian

filmmakers is a long overdue one.
The African film industry can only
and truly become “one strong
united force” through an umbrella
body like Azania Filmmakers
Association. That way the film
industry of the African continent
can become much more structured
and beneficial for every African
filmmaker; in Africa or the diaspora.

When was AFA formed and

what have you achieved as an
organisation to date?

AFA was initially known as African

Film Movement (AFM). It was formed
on 2 January in 2019. It has not been
an easy journey for AFA. Because
AFA is first of its kind in this era and
it is also an innovative idea, new
to many African filmmakers. To
date, AFA has already successfully
integrated the African film industry.
As a result of the AFA structures,
African filmmakers from various
countries now know each other
closely and follow the film and film elected by fellow AFA members. Jamezany posing
industry related projects of each Overally the Board of trustees for a photo with
other. and the Excom of AFA is filled with Cameroonian
seasoned African filmmakers and Actress and
Producer Celine
Who are the people making up the film industry stakeholders such
Praise. Celine
AFA presidium and what notable as Nigerian Nollywood pioneer is Azanian
project success do they have? Director Frank Vaughan who was Cameroonian
also Vice-president of Directors Country Rep
The AFA board of trustees Guild of Nigeria (DGN). Frank is
and Excom members were AFA Technical Director. We also
chosen carefully based on their have Ghana’s Ghallywood director

2
 Kyei Baffour, Leonard Chibamu,
a Zimbabwean filmmaker and
Financial Analyst. Chibamu is
AFA Financial Secretary. Vice-
chairperson Happiness Mpase, a
South African female filmmaker
who also double as AFA South
African country representative;
Atwine Allen, a Ugandan journalist
and filmmaker is the Secretary
General; I, Jamezany James, am
Jamezany at
Lagos Chamber the chairperson and Chief Publicist.
of Commerce Ajohn, a Nigerian filmmaker and
and Industry accountant is the Treasurer.
receiving "Best Nigerian Media Personality
Nollywood/ Barrister Pink Republic is the legal
African Film advisor while Cameroonian actress
Publicist of the and producer, Celine Praise, is one
year award of the board members. Celine is the
from the Queen Cameroonian AFA country rep. Last
and Women but not least is Foluke Ikhelea, she
Leader of All is the Secretary to the President
Progressive and the Nigerian AFA country rep.
Congress (APC), The African filmmakers who make
ruling party in up the Excom and board of trustees
Nigeria. have achieved success in their film
industry as producers, directors,
actors, project managers, TV
producers, public relations experts
3
or promotions specialists among
others. Infact, they are the very
best of the creative brains from
their countries.
Who can be a member of AFA? And
for how much?
Azania Filmmakers Association
membership is free for now.
Membership is open to any African
filmmakers who believes in the
vision and mission of AFA and want
to see a united African film industry
become strong as ONE to succeed.
Without disclosing much
information, what can members of
AFA and the general public expect
from AFA?
AFA members and the general
public must expect to see the
strength and force of a united
African film industry through
Azania Filmmakers Association. AFA
will take the African film industry to
a higher dimension.
What are the objectives of AFA?
First and foremost, AFA intends to
build a unified African film industry
whereby the industry becomes
stronger and more viable, that is
more valuable for every African
filmmaker and our diaspora film
friends who believe in the African
film industry. Our aim is to create
a network of African filmmakers
to promote collaborations and
partnerships resulting in more
quality films.
As the Azania Filmmakers
Association we want to connect
African filmmakers to film
marketers and distributors across
Africa. This is intended to solve the
African film industry marketing
and distribution problem. We are
not only limited to Africa, we want
to market and distribute African
films beyond. Like highlighted
before, AFA is building a network
of filmmakers and will also provide
training to boost production value.

In your own opinion, being the

Chief Publicist of AFA, what is it
that makes AFA unique over any
other organisation pursuing a
similar goal?

In my own opinion as the Chief

Publicist, what makes AFA unique
is that it is still the only known
Pan-African film association by
Pan-African film legends and Pan-
African film industry stakeholders
who appreciate and respect AFA’s
unique goal of integrating the
African film industry to make it
more viable, valuable and stronger
for African filmmakers and our
diaspora film colleagues. Jamezany with
filmmakers who truly understand Cameroonian
What are your parting words to the essence and strength of unity Actress Juliet
people who would want to know and working together as well as Bih at her
more about AFA’S mission? building structures for the African Simon T Studio
film industry eradicating broken in Douala
Azania Filmmakers Association, the individualistic walls of the African Cameroun.
Pan-African film association has film industry.
been a dream come true for African

What better way to

GROW the African
film industry