By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Call him Gilfort Ful, but in the Cameroon Film Industry, he is better known as Giddis. Many in the industry might not know him but he is progressively keeping an indelible mark. His passion from childhood is gradually been transformed into reality.
The man Gilfort is a film director who hails from Kumbo in Bui Division of the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Giddis holds firm that for Cameroon to become an emerging nation as the movie industry is concern, film makers in Cameroon need to avoid copying and pasting.
With a vast cultural diversity in the country, Giddis thinks that if better exploited, Cameroon can become a giant nation in Africa and a point of reference for some that have emerged and others that are trying to keep a mark in film making.
“Being a Film Director has always been my passion right from childhood and I am happy that today my dream is coming to reality. There is nothing in the life that makes you happy than when you follow your dreams. I think I am a fulfilled man and I am learning. Each day I learn and one day I believed God will help me,” Gilfort Ful said.
He added that, “Our film industry still has a long way to go because it is like we are doing copying and pasting. We need to avoid doing that and start being creative. Creativity is the only way that can make us to be different. We cannot progress with this mentality. We have a lot in this country and if we can exploit the potential that we have, I believe that we can be at the top of the world. We have talented actors and actresses who can make this happen if we are serious.”
Gilfort Ful, however indicated that a lot of film directors in and out of the country have taught him a lot.
“I have learned a lot from film directors in and out of the country. I have come to understand that directors are integral part to the success of any film project. In other to contribute to all the creative elements of production, I have developed a strong creative vision and the ability to communicate ideas in a variety of ways during the production process,” he added.
Going by him, doing more than ‘action’ and ‘cut’ behind the scenes makes him to visualize how a story can be brought to life. “With challenges along the way, I believe that with constant learning, the best will be given.”
Gilfort Ful has directed movies such as “Regrets”, and “When She Is In Love,” among others. He is not only a movie director but also a producer. He is also the CEO of Giddis Media Production, GMP, a movie production house that is turning dreams into reality.
With government support and investment into the sector, Gilfort foresees a booming Cameroon film industry in the near future. To him, we need to change our mind sets towards the way we look at things.