AFRICAN

Google goes Nigerian with local accent, ‘informal’ transit routes

Published

5 years ago

July 25, 2019

FAB.NG

LAGOS (Reuters) – Commuters making their way through Nigeria can now hear travel advice in a local voice on Google Maps under new features aimed at attracting more users in Africa that were unveiled by the company on Wednesday.
The local accents feature, unveiled at an event in the commercial capital Lagos and also available on Google Assistant, is the first move by the U.S. technology giant to offer such a service in Africa.

Rapidly expanding populations, increased mobile phone penetration and crowded cities that are often poorly signposted have led technology firms to identify African countries as potential growth areas.

They are now offering transport features from detailed maps to motorcycle ride-hailing services. Google’s motorcycle directions will also be available in Benin Republic, Ghana, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda from Wednesday, the company said.
The technology behemoth owned by Alphabet Inc said it is aiming to capture new users and expand its appeal beyond just drivers.
“There are 10 million (motorcycles) in Nigeria, it’s hugely popular,” said Ramesh Nagarajan, Google’s director of product management. “We’re going market by market based on popularity.”

In the coming months, the maps feature will also allow users in Lagos to seek directions on what it calls “informal transit” – such as yellow danfo minibuses that ply virtually every road in Lagos, but about which it is difficult for outsiders or even Lagosians traveling to a new neighborhood to find information.
Google partnered with local startup Road Preppers Technologies Ltd to gather data on the different routes available, and aims to tell users the best options available based on traffic, weather and road conditions.

“What we’re really hoping is for people who might be making a trip to an unfamiliar town, maybe a journey they don’t usually take, to be able to discover the info they need to make that journey,” said Jeff Albertson, a Google senior product manager who worked on the development.
The map will include information on the expected fare, travel time and even photos of the bus stops to help guide commuters. Outside Lagos, Google is expanding street view imagery to Abuja, Benin City, Enugu and Ibadan.
Google has worked hard to expand in West Africa, especially Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country with an estimated 190 million citizens.
Last year it unveiled WiFi hotspots across Lagos, and in 2017 it launched a program to train millions of Africans in tech skills to make them more employable.
Google declined to say what sort of investment it was putting into the new developments.

Up Next

3 Quick Tips For Saving Costs When You Travel

Don't Miss

4 Best Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Black Spots

AFRICAN

Biennale College Cinema Announces Kenyan-Nigerian Project For Next Edition

Published

4 weeks ago

October 11, 2024

Reporter

1 Woman 1 Bra: Kenyan-Nigerian project | fab.ng

Biennale College Cinema in Venice has announced the Kenyan-Nigerian project, “1 Woman 1 Bra“. The director-producer duo, Vincho Nchogu and Josh Olaoluwa worked on the project. It is the only African project selected for the 13th edition of the festival. This marks a significant achievement for African cinema on the global stage.

“1 Woman 1 Bra” is among 12 projects chosen for the 2024/25 Biennale College Cinema.

These projects were unveiled during the 81st Venice International Film Festival. The teams, consisting of a director and a producer, will participate in an initial 10-day workshop in Venice. This workshop will take place from October 8 to 17, 2024.

Nchogu, the Kenyan director, and Olaoluwa, the Nigerian producer, will present their first feature film project at the workshop. Afterwards, four of the 12 projects will be selected to receive up to 200,000 Euros in production funding.

Furthermore, these four films will premiere at the 82nd Venice Film Festival in 2025. This opportunity is another milestone for Nchogu and Olaoluwa. Consequently, they have previously participated in the Red Sea Lodge and Torino Film Lab.

The Biennale College Cinema is an advanced training lab that opens doors for filmmakers worldwide. It provides a platform for emerging voices in cinema and offers valuable resources to bring creative visions to life.

Nine of the twelve projects were selected from the Biennale College Cinema – International competition. Meanwhile, the remaining three came from the Biennale College Cinema – Italy competition.

In addition to “1 Woman 1 Bra”, other notable projects include “Agnus Dei” by Massimiliano Camaiti, a second-time feature director, and producer Giovanna Nicolai. Another selected project, “Badland”, comes from first-time feature director Mounir Derbal and producer Lorenzo Fiuzzi. “Becoming Human” by director Polen Ly and producer Daniel Mattes also made the list.

Further selections include “Last Time, Again” by Chinese director Di Zhang and Canadian producer Beryl Liu, “Orange Peel” by Italian director Anita Rivaroli and producer Marco Mingolla, and “Saving The Day” by Turkish director Serhat Karaaslan and French producer Laura Dahout.

Indian director Nidhi Saxena and producer Vimukthi Jayasundara’s “Secret Of A Mountain Serpent” was also selected, along with “Summer 1999” by Vietnamese director Hang Luong Nguyen and producer Dinh Le Minh Trinh.

Other featured projects include “The Booking” by American director Gabriella Moses and producer Sarah Wharton, “The Family” by Ukrainian director Hanna Jalali and Iranian producer Moeinoddin Jalali, and “Vanishing Bones” by French director Simon Rieth and producer Inès Daïen Dasi.

Check out more updates here.

AFRICAN

S16 Film Festival Returns For 4th Edition In December

Published

3 months ago

August 15, 2024

Reporter

S16 Film Festival Returns For 4th Edition In December | Fab.ng

The S16 Film Festival is coming back for its fourth year. It will start on December 5, 2024. It will end on December 8, 2024. The organizers of the festival shared this news.

This festival happens every year. It shows off African art. The festival brings attention to great filmmakers from Africa. It also highlights independent films from Africa. The event usually has many fun activities for people who love movies.

The festival lasts for four days. During these days, people can watch short films. They can also see longer feature films. There are also panel discussions. In these discussions, well-known filmmakers talk about their work. New filmmakers who are just starting out also join these talks.

The organizers told everyone about the upcoming S16 Film Festival on August 14, 2024. They made an official announcement to share this information.

“TECHNOLOGIC – THE S16 Film Festival returns for its Fourth Edition. Over the course of four days, our community of film lovers will be treated to a series of new wave cinema, an exhibition, panel conversations, and a themed party. Beginning on December 5-8 at Alliance Francais, Lagos.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by XVI (@s16filmfestival)

Dogme 95 music group inspired the S16 Film Festival with this idea.

The Surreal 16 Collective is the bigger group the festival is part of. This group wants to change how movies are made in Nigeria. They want to do things differently from what people are used to.

Three filmmakers started the S16 Film Festival. Their names are CJ Obasi, Abba T. Makama, and Michael Omonua. They held the first festival in 2021. At this first event, they showed 10 short films. They also showed one long film called “Juju Stories”. The three founders made this long film together.

In the second year of the festival, they showed more films. They had 14 films in total. There were 10 short films and 4 long films. Directors from different African countries made these films. The directors came from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Rwanda.

The third festival had a special theme. They called it “To God be the Glory”. They showed unique African films at this event. One of these films was “Banel and Adama”. This was a love story movie made in Senegal in 2023. A filmmaker named Ramata-Toulaye Sy directed this movie.

Check out more music updates here.

AFRICAN

Guguru Studios Awarded ₦135m Grant To Co-Produce Musical On Illegal Mining In Ghana

Published

4 months ago

July 10, 2024

Reporter

A Dream To Die For: Guguru Studios to co-produce musical | fab.ng

Nigerian film production company Guguru Studios has joined forces with three other African studios. They will create a new musical drama film titled “A Dream To Die For.” This exciting collaboration was made possible with a grant of €80,000 (approximately ₦135 million) awarded by the European Union.

This is with additional support from the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP), the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), Creation Africa Ghana (an initiative of the French embassy in Ghana), and others.

The four co-producing studios include Driving Park Limited and AdomiBridge Studios from Ghana, Togo Films from Togo, and Guguru Studios from Nigeria.

This pan-African partnership shows a step forward for the film industry on the continent, as Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, the executive secretary of Ghana’s National Film Authority highlighted. Ms. Asantewa Asante emphasizes the importance of co-productions between African filmmakers. It fosters growth and collaboration within the industry.

“A Dream To Die For,” will tackle the complex issue of illegal small-scale gold mining in Ghana.

This act is known locally as “galamsey” which translates to “gather them and sell.” David Masterwille wrote the film.

The story follows a group of young musicians who become entangled in the dangerous world of galamsey. This collaboration between studios from diverse African nations brings a wealth of experience and perspectives. Also, it offers the potential for a powerful and nuanced exploration of this critical social and environmental issue.

This isn’t the first example of successful African film collaboration. Play Network Studios from Nigeria and Mondjila Studios from Namibia previously teamed up to produce the thriller “The Skeleton Coast.” This demonstrated the growing trend and potential of such partnerships within the African film scene.

The Guguru Studios-led project with “A Dream To Die For” promises to be another exciting addition to this movement. Furthermore, it brings together creative minds from across the continent to tell a story that resonates on a global scale.

The financial backing from the European Union and other organizations paves the way for this ambitious project. It demonstrates a recognition of the burgeoning talent and potential of African filmmakers.

With a strong creative team, a relevant social theme, and the support of international collaboration, “A Dream To Die For” is poised to impact the African and international film landscape significantly.