On Sunday, August 4th, the Los Angeles Nollywood Film Association (LANFA) had their film awards ceremony at the historic Miracle Theater at 226 S Market St in Inglewood. Multi-talented and acclaimed filmmaker, King Bassey, is the founder of this international film festival.
Honoree Isaac C. Singleton Jr.Honoree Kate Linder
Celebrities honorees were Kate Linder (The Young and the Restless), Isaac C. Singleton Jr. (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl), Jasper Cole (The Rookie, Westworld), Laura T. Sharpe (Founder and President of Artists for Trauma), Fashion Designer Lilian Raven, Saul Mejia (President and Founder of the Panorama City Chamber of Commerce, noted actor Kim Sonderholm, media mavens Phil Wheat, Maurice Dwayne Smith, Phil Rodgers as well as awardees such as filmmakers Dustin Ferguson (Nemesis 5: The New Model), Michael S. Rodriguez (Lake of Shadows), Emil Minasyan (The Heist), Actor/Filmmakers Harley Wallen (Betrayed), Kaiti Wallen (Bennett’s Song), Actors Mel Novak (Bruce Lee’s Game of Death), Tino Zamora (Last American Horror Show: Volume II) , Actresses Maria Olsen (I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu), Dawna Lee Heising (Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance), Vida Ghaffari (The Mindy Project), Debra Lamb (Point Break), Geovonna Casanova (Night Mistress), Alana Evans (Moon of the Blood Beast). The event was hosted by Sandra Smith and Thom Michael Mulligan.
Honoree Jasper ColeAwardee Dustin FergusonAwardee Dawna Lee HeisingHonoree Lilian RavenHonoree Laura T SharpeAwardee Vida Ghaffari
Sponsors for this event were: LANFA, Celebrity H20, TTT Veterans Wellness Center, TopLine, DAMA Tequila, the Panorama City Chamber of Commerce and Magic Image Hollywood Magazine.
On Sunday, August 4th, the Los Angeles Nollywood Film Association (LANFA) will have their film awards ceremony at the historic Miracle Theater at 226 S Market St in Inglewood. Multi-talented and acclaimed filmmaker, King Bassey, is the founder of this international film festival.
King and 2017 and legendary actor and nominee Mel Novak. Photo courtesy of Bob Delgadillo/WENNHonoree Isaac C Singleton JrHonoree Kate Linder, star of the Young and the RestlessHonoree Jasper Cole
Celebrities Expected: King Bassey, Founder of the Nollywood Awards and Movie Producer, honorees Kate Linder (The Young and the Restless), Isaac C. Singleton Jr. (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl), Jasper Cole (The Rookie, Westworld), Laura T. Sharpe (Founder and President of Artists for Trauma), Fashion Designer Lilian Raven, Saul Mejia (President and Founder of the Panorama City Chamber of Commerce, noted actor Kim Sonderholm, media mavens Maurice Dwayne Smith, Phil Wheat, Phil Rodgers as well as nominees such as filmmaker Dustin Ferguson (Nemesis 5: The New Model), Michael S. Rodriguez (Lake of Shadows), Actor Tino Zamora (Last American Horror Show: Volume II) , Actresses Maria Olsen (I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu), Dawna Lee Heising (Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance), Vida Ghaffari (The Mindy Project), Debra Lamb (Point Break), Geovonna Casanova (Night Mistress), Alana Evans (Moon of the Blood Beast) as well as presenters Mike Ferguson (Switched at Birth), Katherin Kovin-Pacino (Holy Hollywood), William Lashbrook (Below Ground Zero), celebrity couture designer Vida Craddock, entertainment attorney Nadia Davari and many others. This event is hosted by actors Sandra Smith and Thom Michael Mulligan (Co-Founder and Executive Director of Submissions, New Hope Film Festival).
Event co-host Sandra Smith
Sponsors for this event are: LANFA, Celebrity H20, TTT Veterans Wellness Center, TopLine, Sarah’s Skinny Sweets, DAMA Tequila, the Panorama City Chamber of Commerce and Magic Image Hollywood Magazine.
Event co-host Thom Michael Mulligan
The press check-in 3:45pm, red carpet arrivals 4-5:30pm and awards presentation 6-8pm. There is free street parking and it’s black tie but men are permitted to wear suits
Nominee Dustin Ferguson. Photo courtesy of Bob Delgadillo/WENNNominee Dawna Lee HeisingNominee Harley WallenNominee Kaiti Wallen
MEDIA RSVP: Please RSVP to Joe Williamson at williamsonmgmt@gmail.com
On Saturday, August 26th, the Los Angeles Nollywood Film Awards (LANFA) will have their film awards ceremony and music festival at 8039 S Vermont Ave in Los Angeles and screen an international slate of films.
King Bassey, the founder of the Nollywood Awards
Numerous celebrities and VIPs expected at this event such as LANFA founder King Bassey, Honorees Mel Novak (Bruce Lee’s Game of Death, Check Point) and Dawna Lee Heising (Bladerunner, Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance), Special Guest noted radio host and media personality Mother Love, HPC’s own Vida G. (The Mindy Project, Holy Terror) as a presenter and Co-host Ford Austin (Live By Night, Bosch).
Press Check-in is at 4:30pm, with red carpet arrivals at 5-6:30pm, the much anticipated awards presentation at 6:30pm-9:30pm and the afterparty 9:30pmFree parking in the lot and lots of street parking. The attire will range from cocktail attire to black tie.
LANFA was created by King Bassey, who hails from Akwa Ibom, Nigeria. He has an associates degree in Electronic tech and micro computer from National Technical School and a Bachelors degree in Media Production at Intercontinental University Los Angeles. His concentration was in the area of directing, producing, editing, screenwriting and cinematography. After looking at the negative image and portrayal of Africans on Television, King Bassey became one of the first to start Afrikan Network Television on UHF channel in the early 90s, bringing programs from Africa to educate people about Africa, it was even featured in LA Times. After many years the station could not make it because of funding, King Bassey did not give up, he embarked on a song writing career. He has released about three albums, the most recent one, David Dance, and started organization called the Los Angeles Nollywood Film Association (LANFA). Lanfa’s goal is to provide a platform for our creative artists to produce and showcase the unique artistic abilities, increase the level of awareness in the community, promote the brand, strengthen and grow the credibility of the group. To also foster the creation of successful working partnerships, empower networking, raise visibility, and strengthen distribution and marketing channels. Every year, the festival screens Afrikan and other international films in August 24th -26th. He won several awards, best African singer and writer from the City of Los Angeles, Award for best Video Programming, Educational & Documentary, Media award for best photographer. He directed and produced his first films called Johno the Fake Producer, in 2007, his second film Undisciplined, about the way Parents raise their Children, and in 2010, he directed Queen In LA. Movie, About Human Trafficking. His latest film in the making now is called A Woman In A Man’s World, Multicultural Film creating awareness on Global Fight for violence against Women in work, Home and Church. starting campaign call LET’S GET OUR WOMEN BACK.
On Saturday, September 12th at 1pm, Kelechi Eke, who was bestowed the Movie Achievement Award fron LANFA (Los Angeles Nollywood Film Awards), will be premiering his award-winning films, “The Other Tribes” and “Weeping Ashes,” as the ACME Studios in North Hollywood.
Award-winning filmmaker Kelechi Eke with his award
“The Other Tribes” explores the biases tribes have towards each other and “Weeping Ashes is based on true events that primarily took place in Uganda.
Posters for Eke’s “The Other Tribes” and “Weeping Ashes”
LANFA’s goal is to promote actors, actresses, directors and producers in Nollywood to Hollywood, and to develop a technique that will enable them to work together in producing quality films. This goal gives greater media exposure, increases awareness, visibility, and opportunities to those who need to promote their projects. This esteemed organization also wants to eventually build a healthcare center in Africa to give the best medical help for those in the film industries and others who can’t afford to do so. Another goal of LANFA is to construct a state-of-the-art studio in Los Angeles for the production of technologically advanced film, TV, and theatre projects. King Bassey is the founder and CEO of LANFA.
I had the honor of being a presenter to my good friend, noted fashion designer Eugene Sidney, who received an award from this wonderful organization. I also really enjoyed learning more about Nigerian films and that creative community. More info at http://www.lanfaa.com/
