Desire Begro, the director of Operations at the National Office of Film under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Ivory Coast on Monday extended an invitation to The Gambia to take part in the forthcoming CLAP IVOIRE scheduled for September 2012 in Ivory Coast.

The festival is meant to develop creativity and identify talents of young filmmakers who have the passion to promote and further the career of filmmaking as well as encourage new techniques of broadcasting by creating a framework for exchange and meeting professionals.

Begro explained that the festival will also serve as a uniting spot for Ecowas member states in the art of filmmaking, acting and production. He said an invitation has been extended to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, urging them to process and send representing documentaries and features for the country, adding that this year’s scheduled date for the finals of the films produced at the festival is from the 3rd to the 9th September.

Begro also revealed that the festival has been taking place for 12 years in Ivory Coast and that eight countries including Senegal, Benin, Niger, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso have been participating. He also explained that the festival is a competition of two main categories, namely, features and documentaries. He added that the produced film should not be more than 13minutes with information well presented to the public.