Royal Cocoa International Film Festivals and UN Supported Group in Consultative Status to ECOSOC award TV series “And They Occupy Me”
Talking World Media House Productions “And They Occupy Me,” directed by Surinder Singh and Malkiat Singh Meet was awarded “Best Television Series,” for “Social Justice,” during Royal Cocoa International Film Festivals (RCIFF) and a partnership with New Generation In Action’s AFI World Peace Initiative(NGIA-AFIWPI).
RCIFF hosted a variety of films ranging from Climate Action, Social Justice, Animation, to films on practices on cocoa plantations from April 7-11, 2022. There were over 15 awards including Oscar winner Jeff Bridges (Living In the Future’s Past), David Morse (12th Hour) for their contribution to narration, and Son of the South, Executive Produced by Spike Lee and directed by Two Time Oscar nominee Barry Alexander Brown.
“And They Occupy Me,” is now an award-winning television series about June1984 when a tragic incident for Punjab and Sikhs took place and is based on true events that took place in Darbar Sahib Amritsar.
In the absence of the films cast and crew due to slow return of normalcy and travel uncertainty due toCOVID-19, Co-Founder of RCIFF, His Majesty the Oloni of Eti-Oni, Oba (King) Dokun Thompson Gureje IV presented the award, in representation, to his wife and Co-Founder, Her Royal Majesty Queen Angelique Monet who is also Founder of New Generation In Action’s Artisan Festival International (NGIA-AFIWPI). NGIA-AFIWPI is a United Nations approved organization that holds “Consultative Status,” through ECOSOC and focuses on global and year round initiatives utilizing film and arts for world peace.
“This award goes out for stories that are historical, help with social justice, and all the voices that often go unheard and unseen. The RCIFF Honorary Host Committee and the partnership with New Generation In Action’s AFI World Peace Initiative, a non government organization that has a long-standing presence utilizing films to promote world peace are proud of the cast and crew of “And They Occupy Me,” stated HRM Queen Angelique-Monét of Eti-Oni.
The Royal Cocoa International Film Festivals (RCIFF) was founded by Their Royal Majesties of Eti-Oni, Oba (King) Dokun Thompson Gureje IV, the Oloni of Eti-Oni and Queen Angelique-Monet of Eti-Oni and is the first film festivals Founded by a Monarch, hosting two film festivals in Nigeria celebrating cocoa farmers and farmers worldwide. The Kingdom of Eti-Oni, Osun State, Nigeria (Sub-Sahara Africa) is the oldest cocoa plantation in the country and is ruled by a Monarch bearing the title His Majesty, the Oloni of Eti-Oni. The current ruler is HRM Oba (King) Dokun Thompson GUREJE IV. RCIFF aims to help deepen the cocoa culture and create an understanding of its value to transform cocoa producing regions by bringing positive cultural messages together to a broader international audience while celebrating stories whose voices are often not heard in the global marketplace as well as promote just, equity and ethical social practices in the world of cocoa production to rectify an industry where worker-abusive practices and child labour with lack of basic social and physical infrastructure have been the norm in cocoa producing regions since the abolition of slavery.
The next edition will take place at the Kingdom of Eti-Oni, Osun State Nigeria from November 23 – 27, 2022 during the annual and 9th edition of The Cocoa Festival. RCIFF mission is to celebrate cocoa farmers and farmers world-wide by the medium of film and entertainment. RCIFF will also participate in New Generation In Action’s AFI World Peace Initiative’s 10 year Anniversary at Cannes Film Festival in May 2022. NGIA-AFIWPI has hosted Signature events whilst supporting films of purpose and supporting filmmakers of African descent, Indigenous, Asian, and Middle East/Jewish relations.
