The foremost film festival in South East Nigeria has appointed Kainebi Francis Onwochei as the Head, Industry Relations for her second edition billed to take place from 24th to 26th March, 2022.
Speaking to our reporter, the Founder and Executive Director of Coal City Film Festival, Mr. Uche Agbo explained that the appointment will add significantly to bolstering the festival’s image among key industry stakeholders. Mr. Agbo added that “Francis Onwochei is an enigma, respected within Nollywood industry greatly with a lot of experience in festival planning and execution, as well as international contacts that could help to design a program that will benefit industry delegates and the larger film community immensely in the coming edition”.
Kainebi Francis Onwochei fta simply referred to as Francis Onwochei in the industry started his career in the creative industry as an actor in 1985 at the National Theater Lagos. He grew in skill and experience performing several plays with Anansa Playhouse then with Prof Bayo Oduneye led National Troupe of Nigeria and Prof J P Clerk‘s Pec Repertory Theater Onikan Lagos.
Onwochei studied Cartography at the Federal School of Surveying in Nigeria with post-graduate studies in Film Aesthetics at London International film school, Project Management at DW Television Training College in Berlin, and Directing at New York Film School. He is an alumnus of Havard Law school where he focused on International copyright administration.
Kainebi F Onwochei has produced and directed several films in Nigeria prominent amongst which is Raging Storm 1997, Saving Alero 2000, Claws of the Lion 2004, Glitterati 2017, Drop Zone 2018 Isoroti 2021.
Since 2015 he has focused on consulting for high-end films for cinema and TV projects for National broadcast.
Currently working as Project Consultant for Incubator, Producers of OASIS TV Series which runs by 5 pm every Saturday on Dstv family& NTA National.
Member of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria and Directors Guild of Nigeria.
Kainebi Onwochei is a proud recipient of the Nollywood Distinguished Veterans Award.
As a distinguished thespian also awarded the highest honour of Fellow of The Arts in 2018 by NANTAP
Born 4th June 1965 in Lagos, Onwochei is married with 4 children
