Nollywood actress and producer Genevieve Nnaji has been named as an ambassador for the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
The TIFF invites 50 celebrated filmmakers and actors as ambassadors every year. The ‘Lion’s Heart’ producer has now joined 49 other persons invited by TIFF to be ambassadors.
The invitees include Priyanka Chopra, Tatiana Maslany, and Shamier Anderson, American actors Brie Larson, Kasi Lemmons, Zachary Quinto and Olivia Wilde; Israeli-American actor Natalie Portman; British actor Carey Mulligan; French actor Julie Delpy; Italian actor Isabella Rossellini, Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal; and Chinese actor Donnie Yen.
Others are; Hiam Abbass, Haifaa Al-Mansour, Darren Aronofsky, Olivier Assayas, Derek Cianfrance, Mark Cousins, Barry Jenkins, Jia Zhang-ke, Barbara Kopple, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Alanis Obomsawin, Albert Serra, Wim Wenders, Riz Ahmed, Tantoo Cardinal, Alfonso Cuarón, Claire Denis and Ava DuVernay.
Atom Egoyan, Sarah Gadon, Isabelle Huppert, Rian Johnson, Anurag Kashyap, Nicole Kidman, Nadine Labaki, Viggo Mortensen, David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Jason Reitman, Martin Scorsese, Denis Villeneuve, Taika Waititi, Lulu Wang and Zhang Ziyi are also 2020 TIFF ambassadors.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TIFF 2020 slated for September 10 to 19 will be opting for digital screenings and virtual red carpets this year.
In a statement made by TIFF, the ambassadors will be engaged with the audiences via interactive digital experiences. These will include events like dialogue sessions and TIFF Rising Stars program.
For instance, filmmaker, producer and screenwriter Cianfrance will lead a Dialogues session and actor-producer Oyelowo will be a guest speaker as part of the TIFF Rising Stars program.
Talking about the festival, Geoff Macnaughton, Senior Director of Industry & Theatrical, TIFF, said;
In a time of disruption, professionals from around the world still look for occasions to come together, share innovative ideas, buy and sell content, and find creative ways to collectively forge ahead towards a safer, healthier, and inclusive future.
This year, delegates can expect to find community, connection, inspiration, and talent — the foundation that will serve as the way forward.
Read Also: Filmmakers Genevieve Nnaji, Akin Omotoso Join The Academy’s 819 Membership Invitees
Nnaji’s appointment comes about a month after the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences, released its list of new members, with 819 invitees, including the talented actress, Nnaji.
