Virtually all the movers and shakers in the movie industry have converged on Calabar for another film festival, while TINAPA Film Festival which kicks off this weekend. The festival is a pre-event to the much talked-about Nigerian Movie Awards.

TINAPA Film Festival, which is about the fourth, in the number of film festivals in Nigeria, is being presided over by the first lady of the host state, Mrs. Onari Duke, and Mr. Fidelis Duker of the Abuja International Film Festival as event consultant and festival director.

Duker, in a press statement, explained that the festival which will run for three days, shall be an annual event, adding that the maiden edition will premiere and screen exclusively Nigerian movies while subsequent editions will be open to films from other parts of the world. Describing the movies to be showcased as 'the golden age of Nollywood', Duker said most of the movies are old flicks that no doubt will celebrate the Nigerian filmmakers' artistic ingenuity in the genres of features, documentaries, and experimental films shot on Digi-Beta, DVCAM, HD, and MiniDV formats.

The festival runs under the theme 'Film as a Vehicle for Tourism Development' and will entertain panel discussions, workshops alongside film screenings concurrently at the Cultural Centre and at the University of Calabar auditoriums.

To add glamour to the event, the three days will round off, each night with a music concert, featuring Mike Aremu, Freestyle and the Governor himself, Mr. Donald Duke, performing. Other musicians that will grace the festival include Sammie Okposo, Ruggedman, D'banj and international gospel artiste, Cece Winnas.