By Ibrahim S. Bangura
‘Clashofera’, a short film from Sierra Leone has been awarded as ‘Best International Short Film’ at the just concluded Liberia Film Awards 2024.
Among the many other short films which were screened during the award ceremony, ‘Clashofera’ came on top on merits of its storyline and storyline.
The Movie is about a woman in ancient era who finds a modern phone and forces her husband to simulate habits of a couple she finds in the videos on the phone which her husband believes contradicts humanity’s way of life.
The film was written and produced by Zachariah Lloyd Sesay, and it was directed by Mary Grace Fatoma.
It has won many awards, including 2nd position at the Journey Home Film Festival 2024 in Monrovia, Best Film Award at the Begin Film Festival in 2023 and in the Lift-off Film Festival in the USA 2024.
Lloyd Sesay, receiving the award on behalf of his team, thanked the organizers for the awards. He said that the award would serve as an inspiration to them.
He also thanked Sierra Leoneans for supporting their local acts. “I thank you all for making this happens for us. You are all appreciated for your kind support,” he said.
Before the awards ceremony, there was a two-day screening of local and international films, including short and feature films, which took place at the Paynesville City Hall and it was followed by a film workshop at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Liberia.
The festival was attended by many filmmakers, dignitaries and other interested persons, celebrating excellence in filmmaking and honoring outstanding contributions to the industry.
The organizers of the festivals appreciated all the filmmakers for rebranding the film industry and encouraged them to do more to shape it for the younger generation. They also thanked sponsors for supporting the event.
“Liberia Film Awards, with its 24 plus categories, glamorously celebrates the best of the best in filmmaking in Liberia and the African Diaspora through a ceremony that recognizes excellence in a variety of categories as their commitment to supporting Liberian and the African Diaspora cinema. We thank you all for building our film industry to this stage,” Den Tut Rayay, one of the Executive Producers of the festival proudly stated.
The festival was organized by the Journey Home Festival, Providence Preservation Foundation, ASAP Africa, and the Liberia Movie Union in partnership with Razzouk Brothers Inc, Ush Productions, Divine Entertainment, LINTA, and Genesys Communications Consulting.