Nolly silver screen Issue 06 July

Nolly Silver Screen

LINDA EJIOFORTinsel’s sweetheart on living the dream...

ISSUE 06JULY 2014

OjujuBehind the scenes pictures

The business of cinema

Figurine returns in book form

Torn out on DVD

INTERVIEWS- IRETIOLA DOYLE- O.C. UKEJE- ADEJOKE LAOYE- SERGE NOUKOUE- DEYEMI OKANLAWON

10 Brands supporting Nollywood

5Film Festivals in Nigeria

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Nolly Silver Screen CONTENTSFEATURES8 Top 10 brands that havesupported Nollywood through the years11 The business of cinema 16 Emem Isong on distribu-tion and other challenges of a film producer27A Day in the life of...Bayray McNwizu30 Funke Akindele: Promot-ing values through film30 Don’t be mere copycats32 5 film festivals in Nigeria36 Kunle Afolayan’s Figu-rine returns in book form

INTERVIEWS14 On the cover: Linda Ejiofor22 Q & A with Adejoke Laoye23 Up close and personal with Iretiola Doyle26 Talent on the rise: Deyemi Okanlawon27 O.C. Ukeje on Dowry,marriage and the World Cup31 Serge Noukoue on Nollywood Week Paris film festival

REGULARS4 Editor’s Note 5 Readers’ Corner6 Contributors’ Bio9 Vox Pop10 Nolly Toons10 Celebrations this month12 On Set19 News20 Photo News23 Nolly Pop Quiz24 Reviews28 Red carpet33 Festival News34 Listings35 Events37 Award News

ISSUE 06 JULY 2014

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Editor’s Note

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4This edition’s theme is on the business of cinema. Wilfred Okiche gets approaches the topic by look-ing at the life cycle of a Nollywood movie (p. 11). What is the most expensive Nollywood movie? Take a wild guess and find out what others think in our Vox Pop section (p. 9). Our new cartoon strip – Nolly Toons is about the Economics of a Naija Date (p. 10).

Things get smoking hot on the red carpet of Mbong Amata’s DVD launch (p. 24 ) and Ivie Okujaiye’s movie premiere (p. 25). It is great to see these women make their debut as producers.

Nolly Silver Screen was proud to partner with the Nollywood Studies Centre of the Pan Atlantic Universi-ty during their annual international conference. Check out pictures from the event (p. 20).

You probably know her as Bimpe in Tinsel, our TV sweetheart Linda Ejiofor dishes on her acting journey, her ideal man and Nollywood (p. 14).

Get the scoop on what Nollywood movies will be premiering this month and those that will be released on DVD (p. 34).

For the filmmakers, there are a number of opportunities to submit your works for awards and festivals. Fingers crossed, we just might get one of our movies in next year’s Oscars. Get all the details and see if your film is eligible (p. 37).

I am always proud to see young tal-ents on display – they are the future of Nollywood.This was one of the reasons we started the magazine in the first place. In the homegrown edition of Open Mic Theatre, we were wonderfully entertained and the pictures tell the story (p. 21).

Coming up this July is the book launch of Autering Nollywood: Crit-ical perspectives on The Figurine by Adesina Afolayan (p. 36 ).

Enjoy!

Isabella Akinseye@iakinseye

CHANGE IS CONSTANT.

This rings so true for us here at Nolly Silver Screen. We have had new additions to the team, added more pages to the magazine and welcomed new advertising partners. For our sixth edition, we decided to take our time and come up with a new and improved magazine – from the design to the content. It has been a lot of hard work, constant back and forth and a lot of long hours. Anyone who tells you magazine publishing is glamorous is only telling you half of the story. While the finished product which you are reading today looks like a piece of cake (it does right?), putting it together is no sweet dessert.

So, here is a big shout out to everybody who has stood by us with words of encouragement and advice and has pushed us to come up with nothing but the best. This is for you!

Write to us about what you have

enjoyed in this edition and stand a

chance of winning fabulous prizes.

This month, we will be giving out 2

copies of Murder at Prime Suites DVD.

Also up for grabs are cinema tickets to

see a Nollywood movie in Nigeria and

a gift hamper.

Email: [email protected]

Get in touch via social media

www.facebook.com/nollysilverscreen

www.google.com/+nollysilverscreen

www.twitter.com/nsilverscreen

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Write‘n’win

Readers’ Corner5

You can now read your favourite magazine Nolly

Silver Screen on issuu.com/nollysilverscreen

Great press release and the cover looks awesome :)

Elizabeth Ayoola, Connect Nigeria

This issue of the magazine looks great. I will certainly share the link.

Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, Nollywood Centre, Pan Atlantic University

Nice. Well done!

Joy Isi Bewaji, The Magazine Club

This is great. A must read at www.nollysilverscreen.com

Shaibu Husseini, The Guardian Newspaper

VIA FACEBOOK

VIA EMAIL

Temitayo Amogunla is an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and works in Ibadan, Nigeria as a freelance writer and editor. She is the Creative Director of Wordsmithy Media, a company that brings her passions – writing, edit-ing and public relations – together. She is also an award winning essayist.

She reviews The Meeting (p. 25).

She thinks the amount a Nollywood filmmaker should spend on a movie...will depend on the story.

Akinwande Ayodeji is a self taught digital art-ist, graphic designer and illustrator. He graduat-ed with an MSc Pharm. Chem from UNILAG but creativity is what drives him. He intends to make good use of it. He works for CKDigital as a graph-ics designer.

His cartoon strip Nolly Toons is on The Econom-ics of a Naija Movie Date (p. 10).

He thinks the amount a Nollywood filmmaker should spend on a movie...will depend on the script.

Ikechukwu Obiaya lec-tures at the School of Media and Communica-tion of the Pan-Atlantic University and is the di-rector of the Nollywood Studies Centre. His re-search work is centred on the Nigerian film indus-try.

He writes on the monthly forum organised by the Nollywood Studies Cen-tre (p. 16 and p. 30).

He thinks the amount a Nollywood filmmaker should spend on a movie...will depend on his/her business plan.

CONTRIBUTORS’ bios

Innocent Ekejiuba is an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University. He is the Deputy Editor of Nolly Silver Screen (the website and the maga-zine). He is also an avid blogger and budding graphics designer.

He reviews Artist Hustler and My Delusion (p. 24). Check out his Nolly Pop Quiz (p. 23) and his pro-file of 5 film festivals in Nigeria (p. 32).

He thinks the amount a Nollywood filmmaker should spend on a movie...will depend on the vision and scale of the production.

Wilfred Okiche believes in God, medicine, music and movies. A medical doctor, occasional writer, columnist and profiler.

He compiles a top 10 list of Nigerian brands that have supported Nolly-wood through the years (p. 8) and writes about the business of cinema (p. 11).

He thinks the amount a Nollywood filmmak-er should spend on a movie...will depend on the market and the prof-itability.

Oluwaponmile Orija is studying Food Science and Technology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. She loves writing and has published several works in the newspapers.

She finds out what peo-ple think is the most ex-pensive Nollywood mov-ie for the Vox Pop section (p. 9).

She thinks the amount a Nollywood filmmaker should spend on a mov-ie...should not be less than 10million naira.

NOLLY SILVER SCREENEDITOR

Isabella Akinseye

DEPUTY EDITORInnocent Ekejiuba

GRAPHICS & LAYOUTIsabella Akinseye

ADVERTISINGQuill and Scroll Creatives

EDITORIAL BOARDTemitayo Amogunla

Bola AttaBola AuduToni Kan

CONTRIBUTORSTemitayo AmogunlaAkinwande Ayodeji

Steve AyorindeStronghold EkineIkechukwu Obiaya

Wilfred OkicheOluwaponmile Orija

[email protected]

FACEBOOKnollysilverscreen

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Nolly Silver Screen is a monthly online magazine of www.nollysilverscreen.com. Repro-duction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

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Want to contribute?Send an email to [email protected]

Top 10 Brands that have supported Nollywood through the yearsBY WILFRED OKICHE

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Film business is big business. But with a scarcity of major studios available to bank-roll ambitious projects, Nollywood has had to turn to other means to scrape budgets together. We present the top 10 brands that have held out a helping hand and ensured that the films are steadily churned out.

Lagos state With a lot of movies shot in the Centre of Excel-

lence, almost nothing can be done without the total support of the Fashola-led state govern-ment. Cinematographer/director Tunde Kelani and his Mainframe pro-ductions have benefitted from the state govern-ment’s largesse with his 2011 film Maami as well as the upcoming feature Dazzling Mirage.

DSTV

With the Africa Magic stations, multiple 24 hour channels dedicated to airing Nollywood content back to back, perhaps no other brand has been as visible in its support for growing local televi-sion content. Apart from acquiring copyrights for a fee, DSTV’s parent company Multichoice hosts the annual AMV-CAs which will enter its 3rd season next year and only recently, the compa-ny called for entries for original film ideas.

NEXIM Bank

The Nigerian Export-Im-port Bank has been ac-tively supporting the film industry for a while now, focusing more on the distribution end of movie making. Under its ‘Export of Services’ mandate, the bank has spent over N460 million Naira as seen in the investment in Kene Mkparu’s Filmouse group of cinemas which has outlets in Lagos, Ibadan and Calabar.

Amstel Malta

Amstel Malta backed the reality talent hunt show AMBO Box Office for a couple of years and the show went on to dis-cover fresh talents like Tonto Dikeh, O.C. Ukeje and Ivie Okujaiye. Am-stel Malta is a big spon-sor of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and this year, the brand sponsored the short film/advert, The Search, a mini biopic on the lives of Genevieve Nnaji and footballer Mikel Obi.

iROKOtv

Say what you will about Jason Njoku and his methods of doing busi-ness but none can deny that his iROKOtv has been good for Nolly-wood. From exposing the films to a wider audience, especially in the Diaspora to making them available at the touch of a button, hence bypassing some of the tragic effects of pira-cy, the iROKOtv project is a welcome development.

Silverbird cinemas

What would the ‘New Nollywood’ be without Silverbird cinemas? The Murray-Bruce family en-terprise re-revolutionised the viewing of local mov-ies with the arrival of the Silverbird cinemas. The numerous film premieres hosted at the Silverbird Galleria in recent times is proof that when it comes to supporting Nollywood talent – and profiting from it – nobody does it better.

EcobankThe deal may have gone bust now, but Ecobank

walked the talk and partnered with some top flight producers like Charles Novia and Chico Ejiro in the short lived Project Nollywood. While the productive romance lasted, Ecobank’s part-nership spawned results like Fred Amata’s Letters to a Stranger, Novia’s Caught in the Mid-dle and Fidelis Duker’s Senseless.

MTNThe telecoms giant is quite incapable of play-

ing in the small leagues so when MTN arrived in Nollywood, it was with a splash heard around the world. The unmistak-able yellow colour of the brand was prominent in Mahmood Ali Balogun’s Tango With Me. Steph-anie Linus muttered the most famous line in last year’s Doctor Bello when she promised to get Isaiah Washington’s char-acter an MTN sim card.

GlobacomMike Adenuga’s Globa-com has become one of

the biggest supporters of Nollywood. Globacom has anointed dozens of film stars as ambas-sadors, paying them mouth-watering sums in the process and has supported fully, the film projects of these ambas-sadors. Funke Akindele and Kunle Afolayan are filmmakers who have enjoyed the Globacom touch in their various projects.

Diamond BankDiamond bank has taken a good bite of the Nol-

lywood apple with its obvious presence in the production and promo-tion of Obi Emelonye’s award winning film Last Flight to Abuja. The finance powerhouse also was highly visible in the creation of theatre maven, Bolanle Aus-ten-Peters’ Broadway style musical Saro which premiered last year.

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What is the most expensive Nollywood movie??Oluwaponmile Orija finds out..VOXpop

Half of a Yellow Sun 27 billion Naira Fakomaya Ayomide

Half of a Yellow Sun 8 million Dollars Samuel Tomoloju

Two Brides and A Baby 20 million Naira Lade Taylor

Snare 270 million Naira Kevin Emina

Ije (The Journey) 40 million Naira Tolulope Elemo

Last Flight to Abuja 40 million Naira Segun Aminu

Last Flight to Abuja 20 million Naira Jimi Adesesan

Lekki Wives Millions of Naira Ada Uwalaka

Shuga 9 -15 million Naira Benjamin Edegbai

12Rita

Dominic

17Nonso

Diobi

11Olu

Jacobs

19Kate

Henshaw

16Ramsey

Nouah

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JULY CELEBRATIONS

The business of cinemaThe allure of Nollywood – and Hollywood – has always been the glamour, glitz, red carpets and film premieres. Movie stars that move from photo shoot sets to interview studios. But there is a reason the industry is associated with the word showbusiness. The show and the business; both of them, opposite ends of a spectrum that are not always mutually exclusive.

With the re-emergence of the cinema culture, industry practitioners have had to contemplate newer mays of getting income from their intellectual property. Distribution, which used to be the exclusive rights of the marketers at Idumota and Upper Iweka, opened up to accommodate players like the Silverbird Group, Kene Mkparu’s Filmhouse and the Genesis Deluxe Cinema franchises. New wave as well as old school producers have begun to navigate interesting options to yielding revenue for their moves.

One of the very first steps to a potentially successful film in today’s Nollywood is securing endorsement. Now this may come in the form of telecom companies looking for a shout out in the film or state governments contemplating tourism avenues. In some cases, a windfall of cash is made available up front which the producer is able to plough into actual production. More often than not, such boosts arrive when the shoot is done and are directed to marketing and publicity efforts. In cases where actual cash does not change hands, the filmmaker benefits from the products and services the spon-soring brand has to offer as required in the screenplay and in the process, helping to keep costs low. A-list stars who enjoy endorsement deals and chummy relationships with the major brands are sometimes cast in strategic roles in a film so as to convince these players to invest in their projects. Funke Akin-dele, Kate Henshaw and Kunle Afolayan are some thespians who have benefitted from this arrangement.

When a film is ready to be screened, producers make the cin-ema calls and enter into negotiations with the management of the privately owned picture houses. The type of deal the filmmaker scores varies from one cinema house to the other and is dependent on a number of factors which may include clout, genre of film and proper negotiating skills. Most houses adopt the standard sharing of profits with the filmmaker keeping up to 30% of the film’s revenue. A particular cinema is fond of insisting on the option of hosting the film premiere as part of the deal, thus, forcing producers to add it to their publicity budget.

After the cinema rounds come the DVD/video sales. This could be the make it or mar it stage of the film’s cycle as it is the part most likely to be pirated and made available for a token. Chineze Anyaene who wrote and directed the future classic Ije: The Journey adopt-ed strict precautions during her film’s roll out plan to prevent losing ground to the pirates. Some of them included recording the film in non-rewritable discs and making sure the market was flooded with the reasonably priced original copies of the film nationwide. Other emerging alternatives for film distribution are online and on television where producers give away the rights (at ridiculous prices some-times) to behemoths like DSTV’s Africa Magic and Jason Njoku’s iROKOtv.

While these methods are still being tested, it has become imperative that filmmakers make an effort to research and study about the film business. Structure is as important as talent and to avoid a doomsday scenario where producers sign away their rights to greedy businessmen and mortgage the industry’s future in the process.

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Chioma Akpotha, Ali Nuhu and Funke Akindele unveiled as OMO Brand Ambassadors

PICTURES FROM THE SET OF NOSA IGBINEDION’S OYA: RISE OF ORISHA

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PICTURES FROM THE SET OF C.J. OBASI’S OJUJU

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BY ISABELLA AKINSEYE

How did you start your career in TV?Purely by chance. While waiting for NYSC, I got involved in modeling on a part time basis, and then one fateful day, my friend hits me up telling me about the Tinsel audition. I was reluctant at first but then I gave it a shot and was very surprised that I got a role. That’s how I got cast to play Bimpe. The rest, as they say, is history.

Has it been financially rewarding or do you have a side hustle to foot the bills?I’ve been so blessed being in the Nigerian film industry. Let’s just say I am able to pay my bills. If by side hustle you mean other projects I get involved in, then that would be movies and commercial model-ing.

Tell us about your character in Dowry?Nike is a bully! She is not scared of any-one and is way too opinionated (she just wouldn’t let anyone take her for a fool). I suspect it had something to do with her past which my dear writer-director Victor Sanchez Aghahowa is (frustrating-ly) keeping a secret. Let’s not forget she’s also best friend and self appointed body-guard to the bride.

Was it stretch for you or did you feel right at home playing her?Initially, I had thought it was going to be easy to play Nike but was I wrong! I real-ised that underneath all that hard exterior, Nike really had a soft and vulnerable side which she tried very hard to conceal. That mix made it a really interesting but still very tasking role to play. After numerous conversations with Victor, we were able to build the character and strike the right balance.

What is your secret in remaining consistent in your craft?YouTube! I watch a lot of acting tutorials online and read books on acting. I also watch quite a lot of movies to study my favourite actors.

Who are your role models in the industry? I have so many, if I start I may not finish.

Which do you prefer TV or film and why?Well, for me, working on TV isn’t so much different from being in a movie set. I love both and find them equally tasking but for different reasons. For TV, I have been playing the Bimpe character for years and most of the acting is technical. However, when I am on a film project, I find myself having to go so much deeper artistically to build a character and intensely main-tain that character for the period of the shoot. At the end of the day, whether TV or film, the point is I get to do what I en-joy the most - act!

What next can we expect from you this year? I have set goals for the year that I am

working hard towards. I am scheduled to shoot a few very exciting movies which unfortunately, I am not at liberty to dis-cuss at the moment.

Describe a typical day in your shoes?If I am scheduled to shoot, I usually wake up by 5:30 am, get to work by 7:30 am and I am on set the whole day. During shoot breaks, I try to catch up on some movie/series, play pranks on my col-leagues and catch some sleep. During my off days, I either have strategy meetings with my management and PR team or I simply stay home and watch more movies. My friends know the only thing that can bring me out of the house is a new movie in the cinema (smiles).

Beyond acting, what other areas of filmmaking will you like to try your hands on?I am currently working on co-producing, co-directing and co-acting a short film with Deyemi Okanlawon and will let you know how that goes (fingers crossed). I also plan to go to film school soon.

If you were not acting, what will you be doing?The only thing I’ve ever wanted to do out-side of acting was to be a creative execu-tive in the advertising industry.

What are your hopes for Nigeria’s motion picture industry in the next five years?I can see clearly that with the massive influx of investment, talented filmmakers, writers and actors as well as skilled tech-nicians, the next five years will see Nol-lywood crossing from acceptance by the black race to gaining global acceptance.

What is your favourite Nollywood movie of all time?That would be Violated by the late Amaka Igwe (may her soul rest in peace).

How do you spend your free time?I love my sleep so I’m almost always home or hanging out with friends.

What does family mean to you?Family means the whole world to me, I don’t joke with my family. Love them to the moon and back and I’m forever grate-ful for their support.

Any plans to settle down soon?Of course! Once the Lord sends Mr. Right my way...keep watching this space (laughs).

What qualities does Mr. Right need to possess?He has to have a deep relationship with God and have a clear vision first for his life and then for his family. Should have a great sense of humour, has to smell good, be a good listener and most importantly respect and accept me for me.

In three words, you are?Blunt, funny, and sexy (laughs). Told you I was funny.

What advice do you have for peo-ple wanting to join the industry?Network with other actors so you get information on upcoming auditions. Work on your acting skills. Go see some stage plays, read books and watch a lot of movies, series, reality shows. One day, it shall be you answering these questions (smiles).

“He has to have a deep relationship with God and have a clear vision first for his life and then for his fami-ly. Should have a great sense of humour, has to smell good, be a good listener and most importantly re-spect and accept me for me.”

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16Emem Isong on distribution and other challenges of a film producerBY IKECHUKWU OBIAYA FOR THE NOLLYWOOD STUDIES CENTRE

Online platforms for the distribution of Ni-gerian films are a welcome development.The producer/scriptwriter, Ms. EmemIsong, stated this while speaking at theMay edition of the Filmmakers’ Forumorganised by the Nollywood StudiesCentre of the School of Media andCommunication. Ms. Isong spoke onthe topic, ‘Overcoming the Odds inNollywood: A Producer’s Challenges,Solutions and Successes.’

“I try to let the investor know that this business is quite risky. I’m not going to promise that I’ll give your money back within [a particular fixed peri-od]. I won‘t give you a timeline. I’d rather say, give it at least a year… It could take a year for you to get your money back”Ms. Isong acknowledged that someof her colleagues might not agree withher as to the opportune entrance ofthe online platforms. But she wentahead to state that “It saves me thetrouble I used to have of fighting themarketers in North America and inEurope. I am not selling to those peopleanymore. They used to owe too much.Now, I’d rather just sell my films toIroko or Ibaka that will cater to thepeople in the diaspora.”

The profitability of the platform forthe filmmaker, however, depends,among other things, on his/hernegotiation skills. “It depends on yourbargaining power and how much you can get from these people for your work; how many years you can negotiate for them to have the rights. I usually negotiate for, at the very least, two years.” Ms. Isong added that she always restricted such agreements to just the internet rights since she prefers to handle the other rights herself.

In response to a question on thenature of her overall distributionstrategy, Ms. Isong noted that itdepended on whether the film was astraight-to-DVD film or if it was onemade for the cinema. “A lot of the time,I make straight-to-DVD movies.Sometimes, I try the cinema – with theadvent of the cinema, it’s been quiteencouraging.” Given that the numbersare important in the cinema, a publicitycampaign is carried out to get as manypeople as possible to watch the filmthere. “After going to the cinema, wethen go to the [online platform]. We

release through those ones first beforewe go on DVD, which is the final stage.”Ms. Isong revealed that shedepended on her own distributionnetwork to carry out the work at this final stage. “My own distribution that Ihave [focuses mainly on] DVD. I haveoutlets in Onitsha, Aba, Akwa Ibom,Abuja and mainly Lagos.”

Earlier, Ms. Isong shared with theaudience how she entered the filmindustry. According to her, she got intofilmmaking during “the golden age ofNollywood, when the home videophenomenon was still a phenomenon.The market was crowded; audienceswere insatiable, and people werejumping on the film bandwagon fromother industries…” She resigned fromher job as a banker and entered theindustry. Her first film, Jezebel, was anIgbo language film that she wrote andco-produced with Francis Agu, in 1994.Her first solo effort came in 1996 withBreaking Point, which she funded andproduced. The funding came from herparents in the form of a sixty thousandNaira loan. She also got some assistancefrom Tunde Kelani, who hired outequipment to her on credit.

Ms. Isong recognised that she meetswith various challenges in the course ofher journey through the industry. Thefirst of these, she said, is creative. “Beinga movie producer, our job is to find andtell stories that will stand with the many,many stories released everyday and sellenough to make money so as to makenew stories. Where do we find thesestories?” She went on to add that thesestories had to be mined from one’s lifeand the experiences of others.Funding continues to be a majorchallenge for the filmmaker.

In response to a question as to how she is able to reassure investors of a timely return of their investment if they fund her film, Ms. Isong had this to say: “I am very hesitant when it comes to getting money from in-vestors. If I do, I try to let the investor knowthat this business is quite risky. I’m not going to promise that I’ll give your mon-ey back within [a particular fixed period]. I won‘t give you a timeline. I’d rather say, give it at least a year… It could take a year for you to get your money back, not to even talk of your getting profit.” Making the money back, she stressed, is the climax of the filmmaking process, and this is where the challenges of distribution come in.

The Forum ended with a cocktail during which the members of the audience had further opportunities to interact with Ms. Isong. The Filmmakers’ Forum is a monthly activity of the SMC’s Nollywood Studies Centre.

Read every edition onwww.nollysilverscreen.com

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HALF OF A YELLOW SUN SET TO DEBUT IN NIGERIAN CINEMAS THIS JULYHaving met the conditions set by the

Censors Board, FilmOne Distribution have been given the green light to release Half of a

Yellow Sun in Nigerian cinemas.

The movie has been given an “18” rating and is set for release this July. While no official

date has been chosen, the distributor has hinted that the movie will be

screened between 18th and 25th July.

JUMP AND PASS NOW ON THE BIG SCREEN

Jump and Pass is a new comedy produced by Udu-ak Oguamanam (Desperate House Girls and Okon Goes to School).

Directed by Desmond Elliot, the movie features Ime ‘Bishop’ Umoh, Alexx Ekubo, Belinda Effah, May Owen, Emem Ufot, David Azeez, Whoba Ogo and Odot Eka-nem.

Edem (Bishop Umoh) plagued with diarrhoea leaves his gate unmanned in search of tissue paper. There’s a robbery in the neighbourhood and two strangers run in through the open gate for safety. Ikenna

(Whoba Ogo) is forced to open his door to his neighbours, the strangers and Edem. Jump and Pass is screening at Silverbird cinema, Uyo.

IBINABO PRESENTS THE CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP OF LAND IN ABUJA TO AGNHer Excellency president of AGN, Ms. Ibinabo Fiberesima, once again has demonstrat-ed her penchant for doing the impossible. The fair one that has in less than two years transformed the guild to become the envy of all other guilds. At the event to mark one year in office of the Lagos chapter chairman, Victor Osuagwu, Madam President made a pleasant surprise appearance. At the announcement of her coming, the atmosphere became positively charged in anticipation of the president whose achievement surpasses that of every other president the motion picture industry has ever had.

Ms. Ibinabo Fiberesima left everyone dumbstruck when she announced that the presi-dent of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has once again demonstrated his love for the creative industry as he has delivered the land they asked for when they paid him a courtesy visit earlier this year.In her words she said “When I wanted to be president, they said I am a woman but dem no know say na wom-an sabi make things work pass. I chased this land like a lunatic because I didn’t want to hear that the certificate of ownership did not come when I was president. So today I am so happy to present this certificate to the board of trustees”. At the sight of the certificate of ownership held high in the air by the chairman of the board of trustees Mr. Ifeanyi Dike, her members burst into heavy celebrations and the ladies began singing and dancing in her honor.

Mr. Ifeanyi Dike could not hold his excitement he said “Madam president I thank you for finally giving AGN a home. This is what we had in mind when we formed this guild”. He thanked the president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for making true his promise to them. “Once again our president has shown that he is a man to be trusted. On behalf of AGN I say thank you”. Other notable board of trustee mem-bers and veteran actors present like Sonny Mcdon W, Okey Bakasi, Emma Ogugua and many others also lent their voice to eulogize the exceptional president.

Ms. Ibinabo Fiberesima in a chat with the press to announce that she had finally given in to the calls of the congress and her members nationwide to run for a second term. This they said was due to her monumental achievements and it will be unfair to deprive the guild of such selfless service. Also it will give her the opportunity to consolidate her achievements. Also beneficiaries of the AGN’s benevo-lence fund like Prince James Uche, Maxwell e.t.c. made surprising entrances to share their experience and encouraged other members to register for the health scheme. Prince James Uche said “in 2008 I lost my family and I lost all hope but madam Ibinabo has shown me that I have a bigger family”. Many veterans have benefitted from the benevolence fund. Mr. Larry Williams who the President rented an apartment for and is furnishing is the latest beneficiary. For a long time the veteran actor had been homeless, the matter recently got to the hearing of Madam president and she took swift action.

TEXT AND PHOTOS: COURTESY OF STRONGHOLD EKINE FOR NOLLYTV

2ND ANNUAL NOLLYWOOD STUDIES CENTRE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCEPHOTOS: EMMANUEL PAUL & ISABELLA AKINSEYE

photo N E W S20

Ikechukwu Obiaya Juan Manuel Elegido Gab Onyi Okoye

Alex Enyengho Shaibu Husseini

Winner of the raffle draw, Tony Abulu receiving a Nokia Lumia 1020

Chris Nkwocha

Patricia Bala

Delegates

photo N E W S 21

Deyemi Okanlawon

O.C. Ukeje

Tope Tedela Xclusive Mic Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju

Dakore Akande Linda Ejiofor spotted in the audience

Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju with some of the actors and guests

OPEN MIC THEATRE: THE HOMEGROWN EDITIIONPHOTOS: ISABELLA AKINSEYE

From stage to TV to sitcom, how have you been enjoying your move back to Nigeria?My mantra has been “keep an open mind and don’t take things (including myself) too seriously”. To survive here, you have to be able to roll with the punches and take things as they come without feeling enti-tled. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that I have been given and grateful for the hard work that has begun to pay off.

Tell us about your character in Dowry.I play the character of Lola in Dowry. She is the groom’s younger sister, a free spirit who marches to the beat of her own drummer.

Is this a role you have played before or is totally new for you?Certain elements are new, and certain ele-ments are familiar.

Which do you pre-fer - the stage or the camera and why?They are very differ-ent, but I would have to say I’m a stage girl at heart. There is something about performing live and feeding off of an audi-

ence’s energy that takes me to a different place. On stage, everything happens in that mo-ment and once it’s gone, it’s gone. On stage, I’m bigger than my body, bigger than my voice, bigger than my limitations, big-ger than myself - it’s magical.

Describe your first audition.My first audition wa disastrous! I had just started university and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study so I went to try out for the Musical Theatre pro-gram at my school. I had never auditioned before so I thought I could just show up and razzle dazzle them with my awesomeness. When I got there, it was clear I wasn’t pre-pared, and my nerves got the best of me. It was bad, it was very bad.

What keeps you go-ing as an actress and TV personality?They say “there’s no business like show business” and I total-ly believe that. The entertainment indus-try doesn’t typically function the way other traditional industries do. While it can be very rewarding, it can also be very unpre-dictable. I do what I do because I am talented

and I enjoy it.

What advice do you have for people who want to join the in-dustry?Network a lot. That goes for any industry, not just entertainment. Do your research and find out who the key players are. Try to get to know the people who are doing some-thing similar to what you would like to be doing. Some of them may even become mentors. Above all, be professional and leave a good impression.

Who are some of your role models?I’m inspired by Chima-manda Ngozi-Adichie and Asa because they live according to their own rules. They’re young and fearless and are products of my generation. They use their creative tal-ents to make a differ-ence in their own way.

What is your favour-ite line from a mov-ie? I’m obsessed with Mean Girls and I love when Damian says: “That’s why her hair is so big, it’s full of secrets.”

Beyond acting, what other area of filmmaking are you interested in?I have done a little bit of directing and would love to do that again someday.

If you were not act-ing/presenting, what will you be doing?I’d probably be teach-ing.

What was the last Nollywood movie you watched?Maami by Tunde Ke-lani.

In one word, you are?[A] Dreamer. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ADEJOKE LAOYE

Q and A with Adejoke Laoye


Read every edition onwww.nollysilverscreen.com

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STARRING IN DOWRYThe producer/director Victor Sanchez is a colleague and good friend of mine and had spoken to me a long time ago about working together on a proj-ect.Besides belonging to my friend, the script was re-freshing, different, the dialogue brilliant; an actors dream... Then my character - Jadesola Richards??? I wasn’t likely to pass up the opportunity to play her.

ON JADESOLA RICHARDS...Simply put: she’s a classy bitch who genuinely cares about her own, though she has an odd way of showing it. Plus, she’s not to be trifled with.

CAMERA VS STAGEStage. Nothing beats the instant gratification.

IRETIOLA ON THE TELEYes. At least two more TV productions

DAILY ROUTINEUp by 4 am to get the kids up and ready for school, then I’m usually on set by 8 am. Depending on the day’s schedule, I’m back home at anything between 4 pm and 9 pm.

LOVING NOLLYWOODOur tenacity and ‘can-do’ spirit.

CHANGING THE INDUSTRYI’d make make sure we had stronger and more enduring structures, which are backed by the law. I would also like to see better quality scripts and stronger female characters.

RUNNING SISI OGEThe competition is an offshoot of the fashion show Oge that I produced and presented for a decade. It was another way to strengthen the brand and further appeal to our core fan base which was made up mostly of young people.

ACHIEVEMENTSThere have been several, but the sum total is still being here plying my trade for close to two decades and still being relevant.

IN FIVE WORDS, YOU ARE...Easy-going, passionate,diligent, sexy yet subtle.

INTERVIEW: ISABELLA AKINSEYEPHOTO: COURTESY OF IRETIOLA DOYLE

Up Close and Personal

with IretiolaDoyle

NOLLY POP QUIZBY INNOCENT EKEJIUBA

1. Which movie was first premiered this year?

2. Where was Darima’s Dilemma premiered?

3. How many Silverbird Cinemas do we have in Nigeria?

4. Who is the executive producer of Half of a Yellow Sun?

5. Who directed Mama Africa?

6. Where is FilmHouse Cinemas’ new cinema located?

7. Who directed Make a Move?

8. What edition of the Eko Internationmal Film Festival would be held this year?

9. Where was the last Af-rican International Film Festival Held?

10. On what day did Flower Girl screen at the Toronto Black Film Festival?

R E V I E W STitle: Artist Hustler

Genre: Documentary

Director: Taiwo Badejo

Year: 2012

Artist Hustler takes a deep look into the world of a hustling artist. One not devoid of creativity but opportunity. The documentary is in Yoruba language but subtitled into English and carefully trails the artist from the point where the art is made through the frustrations of trying to sell and finally ends at the point of reflection after a day’s job. The soundtrack chosen for this documen-tary carefully complements the artist’s line of work (sculpting). This particular artist is inadvertently not just telling his story, but the story of art appreciation in Nigeria and also the challenges of surviving.

- INNOCENT EKEJIUBA

Title: Unforgivable

Genre: Trailer

Director: Desmond Elliot

Year: 2013

In the less-than-two-minutes trailer of Unforgivable, what hits you immediately is drama! From the open-ing lines, you get this feeling that things will only get hotter and they do! From the hot steamy kissing scenes to the visible and very audible slap, it is ob-vious that something indeed must have really gone wrong. If you don’t understand Yoruba, I am sorry, because majority of the dialogue is in Yoruba and unfortu-nately, there are no translations. For me, Dayo Amu-sa really has no excuse except of course she wants a very limited audience. How much would it have cost to get a translator for the trailer? Generally, the trailer is well produced save for a scene where the lighting could have been improved. Also, less would have been more and a better selec-tion of more toned down scenes would have made for entertaining viewing. There is far too much kiss-ing, fighting and drama and not enough on the story line. It all seems like bits of interesting pieces all put together to get the maximum effect. The ending of which basically has a character speaking English saying, “I want to discuss with you” has no business being there and does nothing to further help me understand the movie. The biggest strength of this trailer is the stars it fea-tures: Dayo Amusa, Mike Ezuruonye, Bukky Wright, Desmond Elliot, Faithia Balogun, Bimbo Thomas, Iyabo Ojo, Niyi Johnson, Bidemi Kosoko, Lawal Aisha, and Titilayo Shobo. That alone would seal the fate of the movie and would make some people watch it irrespective of the glitches and that list includes me. Verdict – You would enjoy watching Unforgivable if you are a fan of Yoruba movies and do not mind the odd over acting here and there but leave the kids at home.

- ISABELLA AKINSEYE

Title: My Delusion

Genre: Short Film

Director: Okuns Osanyade

Year: 2013

My Delusion says a lot in just 4 minutes. It tells a tale of love, woe and addic-tion. Without dialogue but rather making use of props probably too small for some to notice, the director passes a lot of information to the viewers (for ex-ample, what Charles did for a living and why he was sacked). Further impressive in the tale of love lost due to the delusional interpretation of marital vows is the acting and the scene transition and the musical score. These three features compensated for the writer’s seemingly frail grasp of what the perfect anti-cli-max should be.

- INNOCENT EKEJIUBA

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Title: The Meeting

Genre: Feature Film

Director: Mildred Okwo

Year: 2012

I just saw The Meeting; I am a late bloomer like that. Slow to catch on things when they trend. Maybe that is where The Meeting’s en-during quality lies. For this one, I am about three years late. Howev-er, the movie is as relevant today, as it was three years ago, as it will be for many years to come. Let’s dig in. The film starts in a small place—a man’s attempt to save his com-pany from recession. An appointment with the Minister of Lands: Monday Morning. Monday Evening, he should be back in Lagos. On Friday, the single father of two also has to be at his daughter’s convocation ceremony. There are a couple of bottlenecks. The civil service bot-tleneck. Tough to pry open—with smiles, good man-ners and bribe. Sometimes it takes force. The tightest bottleneck—the Minister’s Secretary. He does not see the Minister until Friday morning. What happened between Mon-day and Friday? That is the movie. With some ques-tions—what can happen in a man’s life in a new city, in

Abuja as he tries to make an appointment? What can happen that can change his life forever? From that small place, the movie gets bigger, spreads like cancer, taking on bigger issues, it begins to hit in, eat into the viewer—corruption, bribery, nepotism, civil service bureaucracy, love are some of the murky issues it delves into. The well-told, well-acted story answers these “mundane” questions in a creative way.The story is one that everyone, that many Nigerians can relate to. The actors are compelling in their execution of the characters. They make the story easier to relate with, they make it easy to picture. The characters are revelatory of us, of the baggage we carry as Nigerians: Makinwa, the hustling worker, refuses to give a bribe (Femi Jacobs); Clara, the frustrated Secretary whose palms must be rubbed to get anything done (Rita Dominic); Ejura, the youth corper unsure of the future, but finds love along the way (Linda Ejiofor); Professor Akpan Udofia, the professor, full of big words, no actions (Basorge Tariah); the elusive Minister, so much protocol for doing so little; Bolarinwa, the runs babe, connected in high places (Nse Ikpe-Etim); Mrs. Ikomi, the citizen who gives in to pressures when integrity no longer works (Kate Henshaw). Each character has a purpose which they live up to. All these characters and more are really striking in their roles. They bring to fore something extra, that makes them memorable, that makes the movie unforgettable. Make-up equally complements characterisation. This is one Ni-gerian movie that makes effective use of make-up. Rita Dominic is transformed into a frustrated civil servant who easily rubs her frustration on others. Make-up lines her face with believable wrin-kles. However, what stands out is how Rita Dominic plays out her frustration—her sheer lack of respect for visitors; the movement of her jaws as she chews the gum that is always in her mouth; the happiness that lights her face when her palm is whet by a visitor.

The more frustrated she was, the worse she looked. The main character had some flashes of good acting, especially to-wards the end of the movie when frustrated, he takes laws into his hands; when frustrated, with no fear of “Code Red” he barges into the Minister’s Office, and into the car park. He eventually is able to make his presentation with the minister on the move. That’s not the whole story, in Abuja, he gets the contract and also finds love. In the arms of a younger girl. The creative way of connecting the main plot and the sub-plot is inventive. The minor characters bringing on their best as well. The scene with the Fantastic Yoghurt drinking woman, sucking on an empty bottle. The sound: an allusion to what is left when a runs-girls finishes sucking on Professor’s account. The sexual imagery, straw in mouth, well served. The comedy: exact, to douse the waiters’ tension. There is comedy in the irritating: a traditional leader’s entourage at the Minister’s Office, complete with drums and dance. The scene where Ejura tricks her ex-boy-friend, Jolomi, a way to lift her curse off his head. The scenes flow into each other easily, the funny and the frustrating, side by side.

There was a throw-in of some tourism angles for Lagos and Abuja there. Abuja being the “peaceful and tranquil” city. Lagos being the city of hustlers. I am Mr. Ma-kinde Esho, from Tech-mas Nige-ria Limited; I have an appointment with the Min-

ister. This line was repeated many times. Repetition with a purpose. If the play were a stage play, one would call it an existential drama. There is a lot of repetition. Of setting, costume, dialogue and ac-tion. The main settings used are the waiting room of the Minister’s Office and the hotel, every other setting was just thrown in here and there. This, minimal use of everything is a stunt that is difficult to pull. Yet, it was well done. Comic relief was thrown in. Romance was thrown in. All these in, you have an exciting meeting in front of the screen watching the movie. The Meeting is one movie that stares you in the face with the big issues about Nigeria yet takes you to new places. Of laughter, at yourself, at the hilarious things you withstand as Nigerians. Of sadness, at how much this country need s good revolution. Of optimism, perhaps there is hope, for you, for Nigeria. Of probing, where do we go as a nation if the several issues raised by this mov-ie are still present? Some things though. Rita Dominic would have been better with some more skills at pronouncing Yoruba names: Ijebu Remo. Also, the frustrated make-up looks as if it would soon peel off her face towards the end. Perhaps it was a way to heighten the frustration. Also, my copy of the CD started scratching after the first watch. Perhaps, the movie is meant to be watched once. Makinde’s wait to see the Minister was worth it in the end: brought him love and his company a contract. My wait for The Meeting was well worth it: it brought me laughter and introspection. The movie did not depreci-ate in value because I didn’t watch it on time; in fact, like fine wine, the longer the wait, the sweeter the taster.

- TEMITAYO AMOGUNLA

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“The Meeting is one movie that stares you in the face with the big issues about Nigeria yet takes you to new places. Of laughter, at

yourself, at the hilarious things you withstand as Nigerians.

Talent on the rise: Deyemi OkanlawonDescribe your education background.I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos, an Acting for Film certificate from the NYFA as well as several work specific training certificates during the course of my eight year sales and marketing career. My most important learning however came from hustling on the streets of Lagos.

What made you go into acting?I’ve always enjoyed stories and since about the age of 5, I’ve enjoyed acting. Growing up I realised two things; acting was the one thing I could possibly be the best in the world at and secondly, that drama and actors have in them power to change lives and cause social change. In the last few undergrad years, I got into a fellowship group, Harvesters company of HICC, and later led Xtreme Reaction, the drama, music and dance youth group of Covenant Christian Centre. I always found ways to express my passion even while I worked full time without it affecting my job. All the hard and mostly free work finally paid off when I posted a few short films I featured in online and they got quite a positive reviews. The calls from producers started coming in after (yes, yes I’m Nollywood’s version of Justin Beiber).

Has it been fulfilling and financially rewarding?Making the career shift from sales and marketing to acting has been my best decision yet. For me the act-ing profession has been immensely fulfiling and much more rewarding than I thought possible.

What are some of the projects you have worked on in the past?I’ve had the opportunity to play roles in some films - ZR7, Journey to Self, A Few Good Men, Kpians Feast of Souls and A New You. I’ve also done some short films such as Blink, In Iredu, 6:30, Dependence, A Grain of Wheat, Lagos Lying Game and Badt Guy. I’ve also appearedn in some TV and web series like Gidi Up, Knock Knock and Kpians Premonition. I’ve also been in theatre productions including Itakun, Clogs and Diagnosis.

How did you hear about Dowry?I had met Victor a couple of times and we had both talked about seeing each other’s work and wanting to work together. So when I got his call for Dowry, the decision was already 80% made.

What made you commit to the production?Victor! The story, and the manner in which it was told was one of the most innovative I had experienced as well as his passion for filmmaking and his skill (caveat - he paid for this promo).

Who are your role models?Acting wise, Richard Mofe Damijo and spiritually Poju Oyemade. I have observed them prove that no mat-ter the obstacles, clarity of purpose with depth of thought as well as determination with a sense of re-sponsibilty will bring results that exceed expectation.

What does family mean to you? A haven to go to when the world goes crazy (even when my family is crazier than the world at least it’s a craziness I am familiar with).

In one word, you are?Intense!

INTERVIEW: ISABELLA AKINSEYEPHOTO: COURTESY OF DEYEMI OKANLAWON

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A day in the life of…Bayray McNwizu A typical day for me is waking up at 5 am. Try to read up on my favourite book – the Bible. Then I set out to jog at 5.30 am. At 6.15 am, my son and adopted daughter leave for school. Then I begin to answer the first batch of mails, speak to my publicist while I eat a light breakfast and then set out to the film studio for work. At about 8 pm I’m kinda done at the studio. I may head to Shoprite for groceries and then head home. I do homework with the kids, jump into the shower and the day is almost gone. We prepare for the next day especially if it’s a week-day, have a couple of jokes, say our prayers and then it’s...bon nuit!

STORY: ISABELLA AKINSEYE

O.C. UKEJE on Dowry, marriage and the World CupBY ISABELLA AKINSEYE

How did you hear about Dowry?Well my good man Victor Aghahowa aka Sanchez has all these projects he’s always buzzing about. All really good scripts. All premium stuff. And he hollered at a brother when this was com-missioned. Alas...

What did you enjoy most about playing your character?I think I enjoyed the banter between my character and Nike as played by Ade Laoye. They were really great scenes together and I loved them. Outside that, just being the centrepiece for all char-acters to draw from in some way was a blast for me. A kind of centre-of-attention scenario.

Any memorable moments on set?I particularly loved a scene Ade Laoye and I had to shoot that was about 8 to 12 pages long. And we weren’t aware we were doing that much of a scene. We were losing daylight. We needed to be offbook asap. Other scenes were pending. I cannot believe the magic we pulled on that scene. It was surreal. Other really amaz-ing moments were when Victor would take a script and rip it apart in a matter of seconds, and he was simply doing this to filter off the unnecessary stuff either because of time or some other con-straint. Pure, unadulterated magic.

In real life, will you be paying a dowry anytime soon?Lol...soon is relative. As the popular song goes, ‘when will you marry, this year, next year, sometime or never...’ It’s one of those.

What next should we expect from you this year?As far as releases go, I know Special Situations or it might be called The Department will be at the end of the year. I have no dates on other projects yet but there are films in August and September to be shot though.

Who do you think will win the world cup?Uhm. I don’t even know the countries that qualified. But I shall go with my supposition that it will be the best team. Lol!!!

PHOTO: COURTESY OF O.C. UKEJE

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ROW 1 L - R) Mbong Amata; Frederick Leonard; Monalisa Chinda; Ikay Ogbonna; Susan Peters.ROW 2 (L -R) Nnamdi Oboli and Emem Isong; Ihuoma Nwigwe, Ikay Ogbonna, Padita Agu, Mbong Amata, Uru Eke and Moses ‘Sneeze’ Inwang.ROW 3 (L - R) Grace Johnson; Belinda Effah; Uche Iwuanyanwu; Bola Aduwo; Uru Eke.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MBONG AMATA

Mbong Amata releases Darima’s Dilemma on DVDMbong Amata offered her producing debut Darima’s Dilemma on DVD to cinephiles celebrities 8 June 2014 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Those in attendance included event was well attended Susan Pe-ters, Agatha Amata, Chico Ejiro, Uru Eke, Elvis Chucks, Ikay Ogbonna, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen and Padita Agu among others. The movie in which she starred in alongside Ghollywood actor Majid Michel was pro-duced under the supervision of Royal Arts Academy’s Emem Isong who also graced the occasion.

Ivie Okujaiye premieres Make A Move at the cinemaAward winning actress and screenwriter now turned producer, Ivie Okujaiye made premiered her debut production Make A Move to a packed audience at the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos on 29 May 2014. The movie which stars two of Nige-ria’s leading musical acts Tuface Idibia and Omawumi Megbele combines music, dance and drama. The star studded movie premiere was graced by Denrele Edun, Ibinabo Fiberisima, Norbert Young, Bimbo Manuel, Uti Nwachukwu, Tope Tedela and Adesu-wa Etomi among others. Members of the cast and crew were also present to interract with fans.

ROW 1 Uti NwachukwuROW 2 (L -R) Ayoola, guest and Denrele Edun; Ayoola, Norbert Young and Bimbo ManuelROW 3 (L - R) Tina Mba, Ibinabo Fiberesima and Ivie Okujaiye; O.C. Ukeje; Adesuwa Etomi and Tope Tedela

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BIG SAM MEDIA

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30BY IKECHUKWU OBIAYA FOR THE NOLLYWOOD CENTRE

The desire to promote good values as well as the need to give back to the society and make a difference are the driving forces for Ms. Funke Akindele. Speaking at the April 2014 edition of the Filmmakers’ Forum of the Nollywood Studies Centre, Ms. Akindele stated, “Be-fore I take up any role, I think about the message I’ll be passing.” She went on to add that her choices of roles as an actress were guided by the framework of the Nigerian culture and its value system. She emphasised the importance of promoting good values, especially with respect to the protection of children. This, in addition to the protection of her personal brand, has sometimes led her to request that certain aspects of a screenplay be toned down in order for her to accept the offered role.Earlier, at the start of the Forum, Ms. Akindele narrated how she began her acting career. She had always wanted to act, she said, and she had the full support of her mother. After obtaining an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Mass Communication from the Ogun State Polytechnic, in 1995, she decided to study Theatre Arts. However, her father insisted on her studying Law, and she got a place in the University of Lagos to do just that. But this did not stop her from attending auditions and seeking an entry point into the film indus-try.

Her first role came in 1997 in Opa Williams’ Naked Wire, and she also got minor roles in a couple of other movies. Her big break, how-ever, came with the television series, I Need to Know, which was directed by Lloyd Weaver and produced by his outfit, Swift Studios. It was a big break in more than one sense because she seized the opportunity to learn the ropes of production. But this still did not open the doors of the English filmmaking sector to her. She had better luck with Yoruba films, which she turned to on the advice of others. Ms. Akindele seized the opportunity to emphasise the importance of determination and self-confidence for the thespian. It will always be a tough struggle, she said, and encouraged budding actors to always hold on to their dreams.In 2004, she decided to bring into play all that she had learnt about production on the set of I Need to Know, and she made her first film, Ojoketala (The Thirteenth Day). Her delving into production, according to Ms. Akindele, was facilitated by her curiosity and interest in learning about the different aspects of filmmaking. “When I make films, I oversee every aspect closely such that a cinematographer once asked me with irritation whether I am a camerawoman.” Ojoketala was followed by other films such as Itanu and Taiwo Taiwo. But the film that has made her well known, and which provided one of her major roles, was Jenifa.The decision to make Jenifa arose from the desire to make an impact by passing a message on moral norms aimed at parents and their daughters. In this case, she was concerned about prostitution on the university campus. However, the realisation that similar stories had already been told in other films underlined the need to tell the story differently so as to make the message register, hence the use of humour.

“Producing Jenifa was difficult,” Ms Akindele noted, due largely to the challenges faced in raising the funds. She had not intended to play the lead role but, after three days of fruitless auditioning, she was forced to take it on. She created the character around the idea of a “wannabe village girl” and imbued her with different mannerisms that she had observed in different persons. “I carried out a lot of research for the character and travelled as far as Oshogbo, Ilorin and Ibadan to get the dialect right.” Her efforts paid off, and the film was very successful. Following another success with the sequel, Jenifa Returns, she now plans to produce a television series based on the same character.

Speaking passionately about the need to give back to society, Ms. Akindele said that the Jenifa Foundation had been set up to achieve this end. The Foundation aims to help people nurture their talent by training them. As such, workshops and other activities are organ-ised on that platform. The areas of training include fashion design, make up, hairdressing, bead making and drama. The Scene One School of Drama has also been set up to contribute towards the needed manpower development in the film industry.The Forum ended with a question and answer session during which Ms. Akindele slipped into the Jenifa character in various moments to the pleasure of the audience.

Funke Akindele: Promoting Values Through Film

BY IKECHUKWU OBIAYA FOR THE NOLLYWOOD CENTRE

Nigerian filmmaking should not be reduced to merely copying foreign styles of shooting and editing. Rather, keeping in mind the cul-tural aspect of films, the Nigerian filmmaker should be able to produce films that are not only technically well-made but also reflect the cultural milieu in which they were made. These ideas were put forward by Mr. Mahmood Ali-Balogun while speaking as the guest at the February 2014 edition of the Filmmakers’ Forum of the GTBank Nollywood Studies Centre. Mr. Ali-Balogun, who spoke on the topic, “En-hancing the Cinematic and Production Values in our Movies,” stressed the importance for the filmmaker of being able to do something that works for his/her people. But, he noted, there is a need to know the rules before attempting to bend them to suit one’s purpose.Mr. Ali-Balogun went on to list what he termed “the fundamentals” that a good film should have. These fundamentals consist of a com-bination of quality technical materials and methods that are used in production. Speaking about the script, which was mentioned as the first critical requirement for a production, he noted that it was not enough to have a good story. The story must also be believable with appropriate casting and location.

Still speaking about the script, he emphasised the importance of the script supervisor’s role. The script supervisor is responsible, above all, for monitoring and ensuring adherence to the script. Unfortunately, he noted, this role is largely neglected in the Nigerian film indus-try, and the consequent glitches are obvious in many films. The script supervisor works closely with the director and the editor, and the presence of such a person on set helps to prevent many mistakes.Mr. Ali-Balogun, the producer/director of Tango With Me, showed the audience clips from his film, which he used to illustrate some of the points he was making. He did not hesitate to draw attention to what he identified as flaws in the film. These were used as learning points from which members of the audience benefitted.

The Tango With Me producer also spoke about the importance of cinematographic values as a prerequisite for getting one’s film accept-ed for exhibition in the cinema. For a film to be accepted in the cinema, he said, it must possess four key values: it must be interesting; it must be profound; it must be sublime; and it must possess visual appeal. Films that lack these qualities are hardly likely to be accepted by cinema owners.

The Filmmakers’ Forum, which ended with a cocktail, was attended by a large audience that included Mr. C.Y. Okonkwo, the veteran documentary film producer.

Don’t be mere copycats

FEATURE

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How and when did your love for Nollywood develop?

SERGE NOUKOUEFounder, Nollywood Paris Week film festival

It started in the early 2000’s. I started watching a lot Nigerian films (though it was not easy to access those films as I was not in Nigeria) and I was also eager to learn more about the dynamics behind that industry. I remember reading about the stories of people who would sell their cars or their houses in order to be able to fund their films for instance. I found those stories to be very inspirational. I quickly developed a personal relationship with Nollywood. I even met my wife while attending a Conference on Nollywood back in 2006.

What has the perception of Nollywood been like in

France?

The perception in France prior to the festival for those that heard of Nollywood was that all films are low quality, low budget and ex-tremely fast productions. Now after two editions of Nollywood Week that perception is changing. But also keep in mind that it is only a small fraction of French people that even know what Nollywood is or where it comes from.

What made you start Nollywood Week Paris?I felt like it was needed due to the lack of awareness and access to quality Nollywood films. Especially in a city like Paris that has cine-ma in its DNA. The most dynamic African country when it comes to cinema had to have a window in the capital of cinema. It just made sense. It also helps change the discourse about African cinema. Until now, mainly films from francophone Africa would enjoy exposure in France and spectators started to believe that was all that was out there.

The challenges are many for whoever wants to start something like this. Funding is probably the most important challenge. But you also have people who will tell you that your project doesn’t make sense or is not needed and you should do something else. If you are not 100% convinced of the importance of what you are doing then all these obstacles will eventually make you give up. In my case, I have been able to continue precisely because of my belief in this project and my will to contribute to the growth of Nollywood.

Get in touch with us via [email protected] We are looking for more partners, more staff as well and we are open to new ideas so do not hesitate to reach out to us.

I watch Nollywood movies all the time but the last one I watched in a cinema was Apaye at the premiere of the film in Lagos.

I wish there was a bit more of collaboration in the industry and mainly among the Directors. I think it would help the industry grow faster.

A passionate cultural entrepreneur.

INTERVIEW: ISABELLA AKINSEYEPHOTO: COURTESY OF SERGE NOUKOUE

Nollywood Week Paris film festival has gathered thousands of peo-ple in Paris to watch Nigerian films in a cinema. That’s the main achievement. It shows that people are interested. It also means that Nigerian filmmakers now have a new market to cater for. Which means potentially more revenue for the filmmakers.

Another important element to the festival is professional network-ing. Thanks to the festival, some of the directors have found collab-orators for their future projects. To help with production needs, this year we partnered with Angenieux, a French company known for making top-of-the-line optic lenses, to lend a lense free of charge to the Director of the winning film of Nollywood Week 2014 for use in their next film. This is a value of about 15,000€.

That’s the kind of added value that Nollywood Week is providing and we hope to do more in the future. This festival was conceived as a tool to contribute to the development of the Nollywood industry.

What were some of the challenges you faced along

How can people get involved in the next year’s

What was the last Nollywood movie you watched?

If you could change anything in Nollywood, what

In three words, you are?

would it be and why?

event?

Tell us about the achievements of Nollywood Week

What next should we expect from you?

the way?

Paris film festival.

We plan to continue growing and have other projects in the pipeline but will speak about them when the time is right.

“This year we partnered with Angenieux to lend a lens free of charge to the director of the winning film of Nollywood Week 2014 for use in their next film. This is a value of about €15,000.”

INTERVIEW

5 NIGERIAN FILM FESTIVALSBY INNOCENT EKEJIUBA

iRep International Documentary Film FestivalThe most unique thing about the iRep Film Festival is that it is de-signed to promote awareness about the power of documentary. It is focused mainly on documentary on the conceptual framework of Af-rica in self-conversation. Obviously iRep is bringing something new to the table. Unlike other film festivals that threat documentaries as just a category, iRep has assumed the responsibility of deepening and shar-ing social and cultural education as well as encouraging participatory democracy in our societies by projecting documentaries.

Eko International Film FestivalEko International Film Festival was founded and established by Supple Communications Limited in 2009 and since then, the jour-ney have been somewhat straight forward and upward for the festival. This year EKOIFF promises to surpass previous editions as it gears up to host the 5th in the commercial heartbeat of Nigeria. You do not need to stray too far to discover what they are doing right. Consistency is the key, and the ability of the organisers to constantly push the bar higher ever year and while their patronage seems low now, there is always room for improvement.

Africa International Film FestivalThe sheer number of participants at the Africa International Film Festival alone is breathtakingly amazing and deserves recognition. Since inception in 2010, AFRIFF has hosted more than 10,000 guests (international and domestic), more than 2000 industry guests, over 500 workshop participants and also, an excess of 500 entries from around the world has been received. This alone puts AFRIFF on top of this list. For a film festival that is barely four years old to pull such a weight, they must be doing something amazingly right. Hav-ing held the first edition in Rivers State and the next in Lagos state, AFRIFF has afforded more cities and persons the opportunity to witness the festival. I guess it is ok to say that they have anchored at Tinapa, Cross River state as the last edition was held there and so would the next edition.

Lights, Camera, Africa Film FestivalThe first edition of Lights, Camera, Africa Film festival was held in 2011 and un-like conventional film festivals, it wasn’t held at a location, but rather across var-ious locations in Lagos. With the standing partnership with 20-year old African film festival New York (AFF), and new partnerships fostered with New Black Lon-don Film Heritage group and Nadia Denton of the United Kingdom it is easy to see how high LCA would soar in 10 years. LCA Film Festival has all the right indi-cators that point to a project of immense passion. The name is unconventional but strategic and the vision as conveyed in their concept note is engaging.

Abuja international Film FestivalIt is not easy to keep a flag flying for a decade, and the organisers of Abuja Inter-national Film Festival has done just that. The mere fact that it was started in 2004 and is still running till now deserves respect and hence earns the festival a place on this list. Over the course of its existence, the Abuja International Film Festi-val has enjoyed good patronage and popularity in the circles of filmmakers and in the industry. But when it comes to recognition outside the industry and circle of filmmakers, the same cannot be said. It raises the legitimate question of who matters the most? The consumers or the in house persons?

32

AWARD WINNNG ACTOR/DIRECTOR FRED AMATA APPOINTED ACTING FESTIVAL DIRECTOR OF THE ABUJA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALThe Board and Management of the 11th Abuja International Film Festival are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Fred Amata, a Nigerian-born film actor and director, media personality, and cultural icon as the acting festival director of the Abuja International Film Festival. Fred Amata is a 1986 graduate of theatre arts from the University of Jos. He was the second director of the longest running TV soap of the eighties Ripples. An award winning actor; for his heart rendering role in the 1996 sensational movie Mortal Inheritance with Omotola Jalade Ekeinde. He has worked with the several TV stations amongst them NTA, Clapperboard TV, and DBN Television.One of the most recognised screen figures in Africa, Fred Amata is a scion of the renowned Amata film dynasty that has produced some of the most recognised and celebrated names in African film.

He made his debut as an actor in the award–winning TV series, Legacy in 1986. In a career spanning almost three decades, Fred has earned directorial, acting and performance credits in over 150 productions spanning almost the entire genre of film, theatre, and cine-ma. He has won the coveted Nigerian Best Actor Award (Mortal Inheritance, 1997), Best Director Award (Light and Darkness, 2002), and several other awards and recognitions including: The Afro-Hollywood Awards for Outstanding Performance, London (1999); Outstand-ing Performance and Contribution to the Nigeria Film Industry, Washington DC (April 2004) and Nollywood Ambassadors Award, Kenya (May 2010).

Fred Amata has consulted for the UNFPA on the use of Nollywood (Film) Content for advocacy and was inducted into the Movie Makers Hall of Fame, USA in October 2009. When off set, Fred is an ardent football, scrabble and chess player who loves music and dancing, travelling and discovering peoples of the world and their culinary delights. He will be receiving the baton of leadership from Mr. Fidel-is Duker who founded the film festival almost 11 years ago and whose role will be advisory capacity cum founder of the film festival. It must be noted that Duker has over the last 11 years developed the Abuja International Film Festival to an enviable height globally as the foremost and longest running independent film festival in West Africa. According to the Head, Media Communications of the Abuja International Film Festival, Mr. Louis Okpoto, Mr. Amata will be leading a team of creative individuals. The 11th edition of the festival is billed for the 23rd to 26th of September 2014 in Abuja.

Source: Abuja International Film Festival website

THE MEETING SHINES AT 2ND NOLLYWOOD WEEK PARIS FILM FESTIVALThe Meeting, directed by Mildred Okwo Meeting and co-produced by actress Rita Dominic, won the Nollywood Week 2014 Audience Award. The other five films in competition were Confusion Na Wa, Flower Girl, Half of a Yellow Sun, Misfit and Journey to Self. The festi-val opened with Omoni Oboli’s directorial debut Being Mrs. Elliot. The festival trophy was awarded to actress/producer Rita Dominic who expressed her surprise and joy at the closing ceremony which was sold out, as was the case for several sessions of this second edition. The winner of the Audience Award will receive material sup-ply from Angénieux ( a leading supplier of high-tech optical products for the audiovisual production industry) that can be used during the shooting of her next film, a special screening at the World Day of African Culture and an acquisition offer from Canal + Africa. The teams of the six selected films will also receive pre-production software published by the company Melusyn. The closing ceremony ended with Andrew Dosumu’s film, Mother of George. The Nigerian film festival brought together over 2000 spectators in Paris over 4 days.

Nollywood Week Paris Film Festival is an annual Nigerian film festival based in France, whose objective is to bring the best of the New Nollywood Cinema to French audiences.

Source: Nollywood Week Paris Film Festival website

11TH ABUJA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CALLS FOR ENTRIESThe festival considers films completed between 2011 and 2013, and there is no charge for entry. All submissions must be entered via the filling of the entry form online at www.abujafilmfestng.org.

The deadline for all entries, including receipt of samples, is 15th of July 2014 for all film entries. Entries are accepted in features, shorts, documentaries and experimental. The extensive seminar, panel discussions and master-class workshop programme featuring local and international filmmakers and industry professionals will hold simultaneously with the daily screening of films. The festival has a Competi-tion and Non Competitive Category. The competitive category has awards for the winners.

For more information visit: www.abujafilmfestng.org or email [email protected] Follow the festival on twitter: @AIFFest

Send 2 DVD copies to: Festival Director, Abuja International Film Festival, 85 St. Finbarrs Road, Akoka, Yaba, P.O. Box 365 Sabo, Yaba, La-gos, Nigeria.

The festival is supported by the Federal Capital Territory Authority Arts & Culture Council, National Film and Video Censors Board, Nige-rian Film Corporation, Nigerian Television Authority, National Broadcasting Commission, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ministry of Information.

Source: Abuja International Film Festival website

33FESTIVAL NEWS

The Number One Fan (4th July 2014)

One Night In Vegas (18th July 2014)

Half of A Yellow Sun (Sometime between 18th of July and 25th of July)

Dead Drop (25th July 2014)

The Moses Inwang production Torn is finally out on DVD. The psychological thriller features Ireti Doyle, Monalisa Chinda, Joseph Benjamin, Bimbo Manuel, Julius Agwu. Torn depicts a psychologi-cal and emotional thriller of two friends Ovu and Nana, who both believe they are married to the same man.

Dayo Amusa has released Unforgivable on DVD. The movie features Dayo Amusa, Mike Ezuruonye, Bukky Wright, Desmond Elliot, Faithia Balogun, Bimbo Thomas, Iyabo Ojo, Niyi Johnson, Bidemi Kosoko, Lawal Aisha and Titilayo Shobo.Unforgiv-able is the story of a woman who sacrifices every-thing to make her home work to the detriment of her health with the hope of pleasing her husband who doesn’t appreciate her love.

The Broken Bride will stages its world pre-miere at the Odeon Cinema Greenwich, London on the 4th of July, 2014. The mul-ticultural Nollywood movie is directed by George Kelly and is produced by Theodora Ibekwe Oyebade. Starring in the movie are Julie Coker, Theodora Ibekwe Oyebade, Olivia Eze, Verona Rose, Preston Toghanro and others.

The much anticipated action drama The Voice produced by Nkiru Slyvanus is set to be premiered. Starring Nkiru, Kenneth Oko-lie, Betty Njoku-Olumowe and others the movie was directed by Afe Olumowe. The film will be premiered at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki Lagos on July 13th, 2014.

34 IN FILMHOUSE CINEMAS THIS JULY

MOVIE PREMIERES

OUT ON DVD

LISTINGS

35

Faces at Gidi Up 2 Private ScreeningNdani TV hosted a private screening of the Gidi Up series yesterday, June 21, 2014. The premiere launch event was held at The Palms, Genesis Deluxe Cinema, Lekki, Lagos.This new season of the hit series Gidi Up, sees a more thrilling adventure centred on friends in pursuit of happiness, success and indepen-dence. It will premiere on Ndani TV’s website, YouTube channel and national television on Monday June 23, 2014.The event featured the casts from the series; OC Ukeje, Titilope Sonuga, Deyemi Okanlawon, Adesua Etomi, Anthony Monjaro, Daniel Ef-fiong and other celebrities made the exclusive screening guest list.

TEXT AND PHOTOS: COURTESY OF RED MEDIA

Adesua Etomi

Daniel Ettim Effiong

Zainab Balogun Toolz and Onos

Folu Ogunkeye Ikechukwu Kemi Lala Akindoju

Anthony Monjaro Osas Ighodaro O.C. Ukeje

EVENTS

36Kunle Afolayan’s Figurine returns in book form…set for launch at MUSON Centre

Kunle Afolayan’s popular film, The Figurine (Arar-omire) is returning to the limelight five years after making waves, winning five awards including the best film category at the prestigious African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) and travelling far and near at Film festival circuits.

The film’s story is now being told in a scholarly book titled Auteuring Nollywood: Critical Perspectives on THE FIGURINE which will be unveiled at a major ceremony on Thursday July 31, 2014 at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

According to a press release from Relentless Me-dia, the outfit coordinating the book unveiling and launching in conjunction with Golden Effects Ser-vices, the ceremony will witness a rich array of Nolly-wood stars, allied film professionals, academics, top government functionaries, captains of industry and members of the diplomatic corps.

“Former Minister of National Planning and a respect-ed patriarch of the arts, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, OFR will chair the ceremony that is designed to be one of Nollywood’s greatest moments outside movie location.”

The book, a collection of scholarly essays, is the first of its kind devoted to the work of a single Nigerian film director. It interrogates the thematic focus and cinematic style employed in The Figurine, while also using that singular work to engage the new trends in the new Nigerian cinema popularly referred to as Nollywood.

Edited by Dr. Adeshina Afolayan of the Department of Philosophy, University of Ibadan, the book’s Fore-word was written by Prof. Jonathan Haynes of the Long Island University, USA and a notably scholar on Nollywood. Contributors to the 455-page book in-clude Dr. Sola Osofisan, Dr. Dele Layiwola, Dr. Chuk-wuma Okoye, Jane Thorburn, Matthew H. Brown, Gideon Tanimonure, A.G.A Bello, Foluke Ogunl-eye and Prof. Hyginus Ekwuazi. An ‘Afterword’ on “Neo-Nollywood and its Other” by the prolific Schol-

ar, Dr. Onookome Okome, is also provided in the book in addition to series of interviews with key actors and technicians that featured in the film. “This is a novelty”, says Kunle Afolayan, who has since shot two other well-acclaimed films – Phone Swap and October 1 (whose premiere is slated for October 1, 2014 in Lagos). “We have always said we should tell our stories. But I believe it goes beyond mere rhet-orics and images on the screen. Releasing one’s movie to scholarly interrogation like this is one of the next levels for our film industry to climb and I’m excited that this is already happening through my film”, he added.

The book has been receiving critical acclaims already. According to Dr. Nduka Otiono, former Secretary General of Association of Nige-rian Authors (ANA) and a lecturer at the Institute of African Studies, Carlton University, Ottawa, Canada “this book is seminal in its inau-guration of a new chapter in the study of Nigeria’s phenomenal contribution to global film culture … it makes a strong case for a more in-depth artistic and critical approach to the study of Nollywood that triangulates around orality”.

Similarly, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, renowned journalist/film Critic and helmsman of Relentless Media, applauds the arrival of Auteuring Nol-lywood “at a time that the Nigerian film industry is opening up to the Academy Awards and is also being duly acknowledged as a major contributor to the Nigerian economy”. The book, he added, fulfils two roles - championing a new and positive development in cinematic and literary studies in Nigeria by focusing exclusively on the work of a single cineaste while also expanding the narrative around a film industry that continues to announce its arrival on the global scene in a spectacular way.

To Dr. Akin Adesokan of the Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, the book is “comprehensive and informed about its subject and in unexpected ways gives solidity to the characterization of Nollywood as ‘telling our own stories’”.

The reviewers that will do justice to the intellectual content in the book are Mr. Emeka Mba, the Director General of the National Broad-casting Commission and Dr. Ikechukwu Obiaya, who is the Director of Nollywood Study Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

TEXT AND PHOTO: COURTESY OF STEVE AYORINDE FOR RELENTLESS MEDIA

FEATURE

The Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee Calls for EntriesThe Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee is delighted to announce that it is now accepting submissions for its inaugural selec-tion edition (from 16th June 2014 – 16th July 2014). In line with our commitment to screening the finest and boldest Nigerian cinema, the committee accepts films of all lengths and genres.

1. ELIGIBILITYa. NOSC accepts motion pictures from Nigerian filmmakers living in Nigeria and Diaspora whose films relate to Nigeria.b. The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly in a language or languages other than English. Please note that Pidgin English is also considered as a foreign language. Accurate English subti-tles are required.c. The motion picture must be first released in Nigeria no earlier than October 1, 2013 and no later than September 30, 2014

2. GUIDELINESa. Films that have previously screened publicly in Nigeria, aired on television prior to the selection, are available for pur-chase on DVD in Nigeria, or are available for continuous online viewing in their entirety are NOT eligible.b. Films must be submitted on DVD and must be clearly watermarked with: Preview Copy. Do not send film prints, master tapes, or other originals.c. Entrant confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry into the Festival and to use all music, images, and content in the entry.d. Entrant will allow usage of clips from the film for promotional use on television, radio, in print, and at live Festival events.e. Works in Progress: While entrants are permitted to submit films that are not fully complete (i.e., without final colour cor-rection and sound mixing), please note that the programming committee will only consider the version submitted; subsequent cuts or replacement copies will only be accepted at the request of the programming committee.f. Only complete entries (including entry form, and preview DVD screener) will be processed.g. Please submit a typed or clearly printed entry form or a copy of the online form receipt along with the submission. The Nigerian Oscar Selection Committee is not responsible for incorrect wording in publications or on awards if the entry form is incorrect or illegible.h. Productions in the following exhibition formats are eligible for screening: 35mm, DCP, HDCAM, DigiBeta, and Blu-ray Disc.

3. DEADLINESEligible entries must reach the office of the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee on or before 16th July, 2014.Submissions can be done by post to the following address:House 2, Block 101, Plot 8,Furo Ezimora Street,Lekki Residential Scheme, Phase 1,Lagos, Nigeria.

4. SELECTION CRITERIAThe Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC) focuses on choosing high quality films from Nigeria. All eligible submissions will be reviewed and selected based on the quality of the film’s narrative and its production values.Please note that, NOSC will only inform you if your film meets the criteria and is among the films in consideration by the com-mittee. The Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC) will endeavour to complete all selection procedures by 1 September, 2014 and Nigeria’s officially selected film for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards will receive be announced on a gala night shortly after.

For more information and enquiries, visit www.nigerianoscarselection.org or e-mail [email protected]

Source: Nigeria Oscars Selection website

37

The 4th Lights, Camera, Africa Calls for Entries Submit films via post to LCA 2014 Film Festival, WSE Nigeria, 59 Ademola Street, Ikoyi, Lagos. Please note that films need to relate to or express the festival’s 2014 theme, LEGACY. The dead-line is July 18th, 2014. You can contact LCA with your questions or inquiries by emailing [email protected] or visiting us at www.lightscamer-aafrica.com or calling us on +234 703 403 0683 or +234 703 417 0400. Source: The Lights, Camera, Africa website

AWARD NEWS

NOLLYWOOD MOVIES AWARDS NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES!The Nollywood Movies Award is now open for entries for the 2014 edition, which will be held on the 18th October 2014 at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The deadline for all films submissions is the 15th July 2014 and nominations will be announced in August 2014. Only English and Nigerian indigenous language movies produced, released or premiered between 1st February 2013 and 31st April 2014 will be eligible for consideration.Submitted movies should not exceed 180 minutes and/or should be in a maximum of four parts. Short movies should not exceed 40 minutes. Final decisions will be at the discretion of the nominations panel.Please ensure that your movies list the full credits to all concerned to enable the panel identify individuals eligible for nominations. reach Nollywood offices, SW1 MEDIA, 18 Esomo Close, Ikeja, Lagos by the deadline of the 15th July 2014. Deliver movies in hard drive or DVDs.

CATEGORY 1: THE BEST OF NOLLYWOODThese awards celebrate Nollywood’s:§ Best Movie§ Best Actress in a Leading Role§ Best Actor in a Leading Role§ Best Actress in a Supporting Role§ Best Actor in a Supporting Role§ Best Diaspora Movie

CATEGORY 2: CULTURE & HERITAGEThese awards recognise the key role of indigenous languages, culture and heritage:§ Best Film in an Indigenous Nigerian Language§ Best Lead Actor in an Indigenous Language§ Best Lead Actress in an Indigenous Language

CATEGORY 3: PROFESSIONAL & INDUSTRYThese awards recognize the professionals that work behind the camera to make the films possible:§ Best Editing§ Best Sound Design§ Best Original Screenplay§ Best Cinematography§ Best Director

CATEGORY 4: POPULAR CHOICEThese are awarded to the Nigerian actor and actress who receive the highest number of votes in a public online poll or the film that makes the biggest box office returns in Nigerian cinemas:§ Most Popular Actress§ Most Popular Actor§ Top Box Office (Nigeria)

CATEGORY 5: ARTISTICThese awards are in recognition of the artistic contribution of creative individuals and artisans within the Nollywood industry:§ Best Make-up Design§ Best Costume Design§ Best Set Design§ Best Music Soundtrack

CATEGORY 6: RISING STARSThese awards are in recognition of emerging new talent in the industry:§ Best Rising Star, Male§ Best Rising Star, Female§ Best Child Actor

CATEGORY 7: SHORT FILMThis single award is in recognition of new filmmakers who have displayed exceptional talent in the production of a short movie. The duration of the movie should be a minimum of 12 minutes and a maximum of 40 minutes.

For full submission instructions visit www.nollywoodmovies.tv

Source: Nollywood Movies Awards Website

38 AWARD NEWS

Documents

Nolly silver screen Issue 06 July