The inaugural French Lumière Summit has brought together more than 200 global leaders to discuss the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), media literacy and emerging economic models in the film and digital media industries.
This was contained in a statement signed on Wednesday by Ms Djanamé Daubelcour, Political and Press Counsellor at the French Embassy in Abuja.
The summit, held in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, was co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
According to the statement, the Lumière Summit focused on the future of cinema and moving images, bringing together political leaders, industry stakeholders and creative talents to address challenges facing the sector.
It said more than 200 high-level participants from over 55 countries attended the strategic forum, including Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa.
French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, co-hosts of the French Lumière Summit, and Nigeria’s Minister for Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and others in a photo.
The statement said discussions centred on three key areas: the impact of AI on creative industries; the need to promote media literacy from an early age; and evolving economic models for film, television, animation and video games.
Daubelcour said the summit provided a platform for participants to initiate concrete actions and forge new alliances in cinema and moving images.
She said leaders and decision-makers from the film, audiovisual and video game industries attended the summit alongside political figures and creative talents.
The summit also highlighted France’s continued influence in cinema, television series, animation and video games, while underscoring its commitment to developing visual and electronic arts globally, including in Nigeria.
According to the statement, France currently collaborates with Nigeria’s film and audiovisual sector through several initiatives.
“These include support for the annual Nollywood Week in Paris, a festival showcasing Nigerian movies and documentaries, and a partnership with Storymi Academy to strengthen the skills of young documentary filmmakers.
“Nigerian animators also participate in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with French support.
“In the video game space, France is partnering with Nigeria through Lagos Games Week, where experts from companies such as Ubisoft and Virtuos train local developers, conduct workshops and serve on pitching panels.
“Other collaborations include support for pan-African esports tournaments and digital skills bootcamps with local game studios.
“France also supports Nigerian game studios to participate in international festivals such as the Gamers Assembly in France and Gamescom in Germany,” it stated.
Daubelcour said the Lumière Summit was expected to lead to follow-up actions aimed at shaping policies and industry practices for the next generation of cinema and digital storytelling.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Emmanuel Yashim