It will be more than lights, camera and action as the 64th Cannes Film Festival takes place between the 11th and 22nd of May, 2011. For Faruk Lasaki, a film producer and the CEO of Ark Resources Entertainment, this will be his fourth time attending.
"The first Cannes Film Festival I attended was in 2007 when I was invited by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pitch for my first film, ‘Changing Faces'," Faruk says.
The film went on to be nominated in the non-competition category of the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, and was shown to the world for the first time at the Sud de Pavilion in Cannes. However, that was not the only success the film recorded. "In 2009, ‘Changing Faces' was nominated for the official competition of the Cairo International Film Festival and entered for the non-competition in FESPACO (Burkina Faso) 2009. ‘Changing Faces' was screened at the African in Diaspora International Film Festival, New York, and also at Noire Ecran Cameroon," he adds.
Take one
Although he is a native of Ogun State, Faruk was born in Kano. He had always had the desire to be involved in the arts.
"Initially, I wanted to be a musician, so I formed a band of five in 1987. Our plan was to go to England to play music. But my parents persuaded me to finish my education and afterwards pursue music. I also loved acting, with a strong eye for pictures. I always wanted to make pictures look better."
Looking back at his days in school, he recalls how, as the president of the literary and debating society, he and his schoolmates would go to different schools to debate and perform. "I remember in 1986, we performed ‘Casanova, Rumour and Basketball' at St. Louis College, Ibadan."
At the Obafemi Awolowo University, where he studied dramatic arts, he joined a dance and music club called Rock Force.
Apart from his degree in dramatic arts, Faruk also holds a higher diploma in film production from the New York Film Academy.
Take two
Explaining that art is the way you see it and express it, Faruk finds it hard to name any director who has been influential in his career as a film producer. "I don't really fancy any director, so I can't think of any now except Ali Mansour, a documentary filmmaker from North Africa. I saw some of his works in the early ‘90s, and they inspired me to become a documentary filmmaker. His works motivated me to produce and direct my first video documentary, ‘Scars'."
He goes on to add that applying Mansour's approach to documentary filming in ‘Scars' earned him a nomination at the It's All True Film Festival in Sao Paolo, Brazil in 1996. The film won the award for best informative showcase video.
In reel time
Perhaps it is his emphasis on quality and content in film production, or his attention to detail and aggressive approach to work that are responsible for the success of Faruk's productions.
He also believes that in order for the movie industry to experience positive change and development, it is the duty of "every filmmaker to contribute their quota, in a quality way."
In the year 2000, he produced and directed ‘The Future Is Ours', a photo documentary on youth empowerment. The photography was done by Ty Bello. This film won the Best Film award at the Togo International Film Festival.
Faruk has presented his works in ten different international film festivals in places like New York, France, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Senegal, Brazil, Togo and Nigeria.
"Each time, I stand to speak to a crowd at these film festivals after the preview of my works, it gives me joy," he says.
Speaking further on the utmost satisfaction about being a filmmaker, he says, "a tribute on Nigerian film industry focusing on me, by Canal France International on its website, CFI Focus Online, shows that I am being acknowledged. ‘Changing Faces', the first Nigerian film to be officially dubbed to a foreign language, French, was screened in English and French at the same time in 26 countries worldwide by CFI. This makes me know that my work is being appreciated. Nothing is more rewarding than these gestures."
To add to his repertoire, Faruk has produced and co-produced over 300 television commercials for various corporate, multinational and local companies.
Scripting family and film
Faruk has been married for eight years and has two daughters. His tale of courtship and marriage might come across a tad unusual as he says he met his wife at a friend's party, proposed to her there and married her seven months later. In spite of his many travels and work schedules, he says he maintains a healthy balance between work and family. "There is time for work and there is time to play. Believe me, I work and I do play."
Relaxation for Faruk involves traveling alone or with his family. "I go on holiday, alone mostly to Europe, Middle East and a few African countries of my choice. My travels have taken me to 29 countries worldwide."
In the can at Cannes
"I will be pitching my new film, an EU-funded project, with a working title ‘Wahala' at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival."
Final Four
1-If you had to name the one thing that most frightens you about poverty, what would it be? What scares me about poverty is seeing children wallowing in poverty and there is no solution in sight for them.
2-If you could name the most loving and compassionate words anyone could say to you, what would they be? I have no idea.
3-If you could suddenly find out that one work of fiction was actually true, what book or film would you select? NEXT starring Nicholas Cage
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