Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has highlighted the challenges faced by his KAP Film Village in Igbojaye, Oyo State.
The discussion took place during an interview with QEDNG at the Advanced Filmmaking Masterclass of his KAP Film and Television Academy, in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nigeria.
The event, which culminated in a graduation ceremony on Monday at KAP Hub in Lagos, marked the end of a three-week intensive training programme.
The training, which ran from November 25 to December 16, saw 40 aspiring filmmakers sharpen their skills across various filmmaking disciplines, including screenwriting, directing, cinematography and sound, under the mentorship of industry experts such as Tunde Kelani, Bimbo Akintola, Tunde Babalola and Judith Audu.
Kunle, in his interview, discussed the mission behind his KAP Film Village, which he described as more than just a filmmaking centre.
“The KAP Film Village is not just a centre; it is a centre built to actually help build the country. It is a film village because we have sets where we’ve shot a few films, and it is also where other people can come to shoot.”
“Beyond that, it is also a tourist destination because we have accommodation and all that. In the last three years that we’ve been running things there, we’ve helped to build the economy of that area.”
Speaking on government intervention and partnership he shared, “It hasn’t gone anywhere. I had a meeting with the minister, but she promised to do something. In the last three years, we’ve been running on diesel, and that is not sustainable anymore.”
He highlighted that over sixty acres of land still lack power supply, even though there is a transformer.
“We really will appeal to the government. One, power. And two, the road. The Oyo State government just announced that they are going to rebuild certain portions of the road.”
However, he pointed out that the road leading to the KAP Film Village wasn’t included in the plan, saying, “The road is really bad.”
On the progress of the KAP Academy, he explained, “This very one is a two-week program, but we’ve been running KAP Academy for two years now. We’ve been doing different programs in partnership with different organisations.”
He mentioned organisations such as the American Embassy and German institutions, which have played significant roles in their efforts.
“For me, we are committed to training, empowering, and building capacity and that is what we stand for. I am very proud of the students because, from here, they are starting their own journey and careers. I am really proud of them.”
Speaking on his partnership with the French Embassy he said, “It has really helped because there is no way we would have been able to fund these things.
“We have built the structure. Intervention from all these organisations helps to sort the students’ school fees, for example. A continuation of something like this will help to build a very strong trust and empowerment for young people.”
“My drive is, I believe in Nigeria. I am a Nigerian. I believe in Nigeria. I’m gonna die in Nigeria. Everything I build is tied to Nigeria. I’m not saying the country is doing well, but we all just have to contribute our own quota.
“Some of us have the opportunity and can just decide to leave the country, but our DNA is here.”
The event concluded with a cocktail reception where participants celebrated their achievements alongside industry veterans.
