Pages

Monday, March 28, 2022

Will Smith Also Won the Best Slap Oscar!

 


Will Smith won his first Oscar for the Best Actor at the 94th annual Academy Awards Sunday night of March 27, 2022 for his outstanding portrayal of Richard Williams, the father and coach of his famous daughters, the tennis legends, Venus and Serena Williams in "King Richard", the 2021 American biographical sports drama directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin. 

 Smith also won another "Oscar" for the Best Slap when he smacked Chris Rock who came on stage to present the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature and made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith being in “G.I. Jane” because of her shaved head. Smith then took the stage to slap Rock. Although it appeared to be a joke at first, Smith returned to his seat and yelled at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!”

Later Denzel Washington got up to speak to Smith privately. Smith revealed during his best actor speech that Washington said to him, “At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you.”




Sunday, March 27, 2022

The American King Movie T-shirt is Free!

The American King T-shirt is up for grabs for every one who is going to watch the most exciting #Hollywood and #Nollywood #comedy on the Top 20 highest grossing movies at the box office in #NIgeria. 

Watch and win The American King T-shirt with your ticket. 200 T-shirts to be won!


#TheAmericanKing
#boxoffice
#movie
#tshirts
#drama

Thursday, March 24, 2022

WHY NIGERIANS SHOULD KEY INTO ASIWAJU'S 2023 PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION

WHY NIGERIANS SHOULD KEY INTO ASIWAJU'S 2023 PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION

- By Hon Maureen Ashara



EXPERIENCE: Nigeria is a country undergoing economic instability.

At this time and more than ever before, our country needs an experienced, celebral, urbane, suave and detribalised leader with a country- wide appeal and necessary connections to pull it from the doldrums.

Evidently, Asiwsju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that leader. He is the kind of politician who could innovatively strategize ideas and tailor them towards reforming Nigerian's economy.

Asiwaju's experience as a two time Lagos state governor and his ability to transform the State and made it the envy of the world highly recommend him to the exalted office of the presidency of Nigeria.

He has done it before and will do it again, this time around, for Nigeria.

COMPETENCE: Asiwaju has the eyes for the best- best of human resources. As Governor, he assembled a team of best brains to help him give Lagos quality governance.Nigerians today bear witnesses to the elegant result of that foresightedness.

It is no secret that some of such best brains Asiwaju spotted and given leadership and governance responsibilities are today part of the team at the federal level helping President Buhari to fix Nigeria. Talk of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbeshola( Interior Minister),  Babatunde Fashola (SAN) (Works Minister), Lai Muhammed ( Information Minister), Femi Gbajabiamila(Speaker of House of Reps) Ben Akanueze( DG, Budgdet office) etc and you will remember Asiwaju.

If Asiwaju, as Governor can raise the men he has in different cadres, then he can replicate thesame as President.

As President, Asiwaju will  make right choice in choosing people who will be around him to work with him such as ministers and aides.

It's evident that he can't lead alone, it's his ability to surround himself with resounding personnels that will determine his success in the office just as it did as Lagos state Governor. Asiwaju indeed has a way of identifying and harvesting talents.

VISION: Asiwaju is visionary.This played out in his time as the Lagos State Governor and can be gleaned from his ability to visualize the Lagos of today which we are enjoying.

He has the same vision to re-orient Nigeria and give our a new economical, infrastructural, and democratic lease of life.

Emphatically, there's no better, qualified person to lead Nigeria come 2023 than the right man, Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

On your mandate we stand.

Support , Love, Speak, Think, Act and Project Asiwaju 2023.

Hon. Mrs Ashara Maureen Chika ( Ugosimba) is the 

Executive Vice Chairman Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos.


Monday, March 21, 2022

INDIGENOUS FOR GLOBAL! #AFRIFF 2022 CALL FOR ENTRIES

INDIGENOUS FOR GLOBAL! #AFRIFF 2022 CALL FOR ENTRIES

LAGOS – Monday, 21st March 2022

The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), today announced its Call for Entries for its 11th Edition in November 2022. Speaking at today’s briefing, founder and festival director Ms Chioma Ude said “I am delighted to open our Call for Entries for our 11th anniversary edition, following Amazon’s acquisition of films from AFRIFF’s film catalog last year, we are now strategically positioned to help filmmakers distribute their titles with our landmark partnership with Amazon Prime Video. We also had Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios pick up 2 movies from the festival. This year, we are already in talks with a multitude of streaming platforms interested in licensing and acquiring films from the festival  We are proud to present this year’s programme themed INDIGENOUS FOR GLOBAL, dedicated to the incredible opportunities Amazon Prime video and others offer Nigerian filmmakers going forward, enabling us to dream and continue to innovate and create exciting and vibrant experiences for our Audience”.

Submissions for the 2022 edition of AFRIFF are now officially open and will run till July 30th 2022. General entries will be accepted until July 1st with a late entry deadline set for July 30th, 2022. Filmmakers are encouraged to submit entries early with the regular deadline as late entry submissions will be strictly accepted only via waiver code.

Festival selections include fiction and non-fiction films both domestic and international, features and shorts, impact-driven documentaries and Animation with an emphasis on films that have not been premiered on commercial screens. 

ENTRY DETAILS

Early Deadline: July 1st  |  Final Deadline: July 30  |  

Selection Notification Date: September 26th, 2022

Submission linkhttp://filmfreeway.com/AFRIFF
 

CATEGORY STATUS

Features: Film is 60 minutes or more

Shorts & Episodics: Film is less than 45 minutes.

Documentary: Documentaries can be short form or feature length, however short docs are accepted as Short films for AFRIFF’s programme.

Animation/Anime: Accepted as short form or feature length.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Only those films produced after January 1st of 2021 are eligible for competition.

Films produced before 2021 maybe accepted in the programme if their story speaks to the programme theme or AFRIFF programmers think it suits the programme.

Films of any nationality and language can participate. Non English must be subtitled.

Submissions will only be accepted through AFRIFF’s filmfreeway page. 

There are no limits to the number of entries a filmmaker may enter, but these have to be submitted separately.

AFRIFF does not require premiere status; however it will prioritize premiere status for competition and screenings.

Submit Your Film on https://filmfreeway.com/AFRIFF

­The 11th Africa International Film Festival will be a hybrid experience. Follow us on all social media platform @AFRIFF

Save the date November 6 –12, 2022.

ABOUT AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (AFRIFF)

The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) conceived by Ms Chioma Ude is a celebration of Cinema and filmmaking talent from Africa and the diaspora. It consistently delivers a rich programme to foster invaluable exchanges of ideas, production connections, and business relationships. It creates an energetic and exciting hub for entertainment industry professionals to make rewarding connections and has gradually gained a reputation for delivering incredible value. 

The objectives are to develop the local film industry to a level where the products compete favorably with their contemporaries all over the world; providing a growth opportunity for these film industry professionals to eventually export their products and facilitate access to investors, equipment, and technical skill acquisition through several capacity development opportunities.

Africa International Film festival - AFRIFF
Ornife Legacy Place, 8 Professor Gabriel Olusanya Street, 105102, Lekki,
Lagos, Nigeria.

CHATROOM Set for Release on April 15 on Afro Cinema

International award winning music star, Omawumi Megbele, ace broadcaster and publisher, Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Nollywood lover boy, Ibrahim Suleiman, comedian Akpororo, award winning actor, Tony Umez, Canada trained actress, Nengi Adoki and multiple award winning actor Odunlade Adekola are set to headline a new movie titled ‘CHATROOM’ to be released on Good Friday, April 15, 2022 on international digital platform, afrocinema.tv.

The film, premiered to the press and the diplomatic community at the Deputy British High Commissioners residence in March 2020 and is inspired by true life events. A suspense-filled drama, the movie tells an authentic, fun, socially relevant and inspiring story, a must-watch for everyone.

Set in Lagos, Nigeria, it tells the gritty, yet inspiring story of Ebiere (Nengi Adoki), an almost down and out young lady in her mid-20‘s who finds an opportunity to be in a popular,  dance reality TV show as an opening for her to get away from the haunting ghost of her past. The fun filled TV reality show takes an unexpected turn when she is triggered to face her past trauma causing a nationwide turmoil. Laced with comedy, romance and power tussles, it's a story of overcoming and finding one's voice and inspired by true life events.

Written and Directed by award winning film director, Chike Ibekwe, CHATROOM is a contemporary 98mins drama that will take audiences on a roller coaster of emotions and have audiences at the edges of their seats. It is a beautiful mix of comedic thrills with core themes around love, betrayal, stigma, sexual abuse, violence, power and more.

Other casts include multiple award winning actor, Sambasa Nzeribe, international singer, dancer and actress, Ronya Man, award winning actor, Rykardo Agbor, award winning actress and broadcaster, Vivian Anani, Ghanaian actor, Kobby Acheampong, Camerounian actor and dancer, Lea Dibebe, actress and author, Damilare Kuku among many others.

This will be the first time, ace broadcaster and publisher, Adesuwa Onyenokwe will be venturing into the movie industry as she is also the Associate Producer of the movie apart from having an appearance in it.

The movie is produced by Peju Fadirepo Ibekwe, and shot on locations and in studios in Lagos and Onitsha. It can be seen from its global release date of April 15 on www.afrocinema.tv.

It will also have its exclusive official premiere on April 17 at the prestigious Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.


 

Sunday, March 20, 2022

The Biggest Lies on Nollywood and the Nigerian Film Industry in Wikipedia

Gross box office (2014)
Total
US$5 Billion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Nigeria
Fake news 

That the gross box office from Nollywood in 2014 was a total of US$5 Billion as written in the Wikipedia.

Fact

Nollywood has never made even up to US$1 Billion from the box office since 2010 to date.

The biggest film industry in Africa is South Africa and not NIgeria by numbers of cinemas and highest grossing films.

Nigeria is not among the top ten countries with biggest box offices in the world.  Nigeria does not even have one quarter of the number of screens in South Africa and South Africa is not among the top ten film industries in the world.

https://nigerianinfopedia.com.ng/largest-film-industries-in-the-world

Being the second largest producer of movies on video in the world after India does not make NIgeria one of the biggest film industries in the world according to the indices of the economics of the global film industry. 

Nigeria produces hundreds of movies on video annually, but only about ten percent of them are good enough for theatrical release in the cinemas in Nigeria. The rest end up on YouTube channels, cable TV and websites of movie pirates.

No NIgerian movie has made up to US$3million at the box office in the history of the Nigerian film industry.

All these fictitious fables and fake news on Nollywood must stop.

Facts don't lie. 

All liars, including the ignorant self acclaimed experts on Nollywood teaching their so called Masterclasses in America and Europe must stop teaching inaccurate reports on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry. Even Jodie Foster is ignorant of the facts on Nollywood and she is teaching a Masterclass? What does she know about the history of the Yoruba traveling theatre, NIgerian Television Authority (NTA) and Onitsha Market Literature in the development of Nollywood? Does she know about the relationship between Nollywood of the southern region of Nigeria and the Kannywood of the northern region of Nigeria?


- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima 
Publisher/Editor, 
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 
247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter
https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi




Friday, March 18, 2022

Cinemas in Nigeria Are Losing Millions of Dollars Due To Poor Marketing and Publicity


The trailer of "The American King", a new Hollywood and Nollywood comedy showing in selected cinemas in Nigeria.
Popular NIgerian actress, Shan George in front of Genesis Cinemas in Asaba, Delta State, NIgeria.

Cinemas in Nigeria are losing millions of dollars, because of poor marketing and publicity.


Nigerian film distributors and exhibitors don't seem to have any  budget for the marketing and publicity of movies for cinemas in Nigeria rated as the second largest film industry in the world after India for the annual quantity of film productions.
The more marketing promotions for their movies, the more people that will be attracted to watch the movies and increase the population of moviegoers in Nigeria with more sales of tickets.

I have been increasing the attractions of cinemas by having screenings of documentary films for secondary schools at the cinemas since 2013 to date. The secondary school students who were teenagers seven years ago in 2013 are now grown-ups in their 20s and majority of them have graduated from tertiary institutions and gainfully employed with enough disposable incomes to pay for tickets for movies at the cinemas. 
Many of them have commended me for their appreciation of the cinema culture.

Film distributors and exhibitors in the established film industries of Hollywood of the United States of America, Bollywood of India, China, UK and South Africa have  budgets of millions of dollars for marketing and publicity for movies and their movies have been the highest grossing movies in the world which the NIgerian film industry has not achieved with the thousands of movies produced annually in Nollywood and Kannywood.

South Africa does not produce up to a quarter of the movies produced annually by NIgeria, but  has produced the highest grossing movies in Africa with "District 9" grossing US$210.8 million in 200;  followed by "The God's Must Be Crazy" - US$100 million; "Zambezia" - US$34.4 million; "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom" - US$27.3 million; "Khumba )" – $28.42 million (which the producers even reached out to me for the publicity in 2013) and the critically acclaimed "Tsotsi" - $12 million. It was the first African film to win the highly coveted Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (now Best International Feature Film) in 2006.

No NIgerian movie has made up to US$3 million from the box office.
The ready made common reason would be that South Africa has hundreds of cinemas whereas NIgeria has less than 100 cinemas. But the 100 cinemas with about 220 screens can make up to US$3 million monthly with proper marketing and publicity for movies. 
The Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) reported that cinemas in Nigeria made N301.48 million from tickets sold across the country in February, 2022 
National President of CEAN, Mr. Patrick Lee said this was a tremendous increase compared with N224.34 million made from ticket sales in February, 2021. 

UNESCO reported that the African film industry has great potential, but the lack of infrastructure like one cinema screen per 787,402 people makes it a laggard.
According to a new UNESCO report, about 5 million people currently work in the film sector in Africa, which contributes $5 billion to the continent's GDP. 

Film distributors and exhibitors in Nigeria should increase their budgets for marketing and publicity of the movies they have accepted for their cinemas. They have to increase the appreciation for cinemas by millions of people in NIgeria from the lower class to the upper class of the society.

Over 60 million Nigerians spend over N730 billion annually on sports betting and at least two billion naira is generated daily according to a recent data with each one spending more than N3, 000 weekly on betting. So, millions of Nigerians have disposable personal income (DPI) to afford paying for tickets for movies at the cinemas. 


- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor, 
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 
247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter

           The American King is currently the #1 Comedy in NIgeria from March 4-17, 2022 and has attracted thousands of moviegoers to the cinemas.                           


Thursday, March 17, 2022

12th Annual iREP Documentary Film Festival Opens with "President" in Lagos



12th Annual iREP Documentary Film Festival Opens with "President" in Lagos

The 12th annual iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival opened today in Lagos, Africa's largest megacity with more than 80 films from over 28 countries. 
The festival runs from March 17 - 20, 2022 at different locations, including the traditional venue, Freedom Park on Broad Street, Terra Kulture on Victoria Island and the Art Factory Hall of the Crown Troupe of Africa in Bariga on the mainland of Lagos city. 

The festival opened with "President", a 2021 documentary film by Camilla Nielsson on the state of democracy, in Zimbabwe, showing behind-the-scenes at the 2018 election that followed the ousting of President Robert Mugabe and the closing film is "Garderie Nocturne - Night Nursery" directed by Moumouni Sanou. The film won the Best Documentary film grand prize at the 2021 Pan African Film Festival, FESPACO in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 
The 2022 iREP Festival continues with it's conceptual framework of "Africa in Self-Conversation", exploring the theme ‘UNFILTERED: African Stories. Stories from Africa; to examine “how Africa is being represented or otherwise by filmmakers and storytellers who engage her issues.” 

"More satisfying is the fact that many African anglophone and francophone filmmakers converge annually at iREP to attend our Producers Roundtable events. We create the perfect opportunity for collaborations and co-productions through various networking events,” said Femi Odugbemi, Cofounder and Executive Director of iREP.













See the daily updates on https://irepfilmfestival.com


Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Sir Iheaku, the Stockfish Mogul Laid to Rest

By Chief Ingram Osigwe

According to the Holy Bible, there is time for everything- time to be born, time to grow, time to procreate, time to die. The irrepressible Sir (Dr) Godson Nwosu Iheaku (Omenkeahurunnaya 1 of Osina) has completed the cycle and has gone home to be with his maker.

He had seen it all and has, therefore, bowed out, in a blaze of glory and at a glorious age of 85. Sir Iheaku hailed from Osina town, in Ideato North local government area of Imo state.

This quintessential business mogul who brought to the zenith, east of the Niger, the trade in stockfish, popular and revered in Igboland as "Okporoko" was one of Osina's first Eleven- earliest wealthy men, business moguls and captains of Industry who brought the town to the limelight.

Sir Iheaku was Born on the 10th of September, 1936 as the first son of the family of Nze Iheakubiara Agwunobi Nwaebube and Mrs Akuoma Iheaku (nee Umezurike), both of blessed memory. The family belongs to Umuokearukwa kindred in Akpaka-na-Ezeala Village, Idima Autonomous Community (formerly, Of-eke Osina), Ideato North Local Government Council of Imo State, Nigeria.

Growing up, the young Godson was imbued with uncanny intellect. He was a brilliant pupil who dazzled all with electrifying academic performances that stood him on a pedestal for higher educational pursuit.

Had the interplay of factors not collaborated to eventually steer his life trajectory towards trading, Sir Iheaku would have ended up an erudite scholar with loud academic accomplishments. In fact, during his lifetime, Sir Iheaku was often referred to as "the Academic Giant" Osina never had.

However, the laurels and glories that he would have garnered in the academic world, Sir Iheaku got in the arena of trading and merchandising.

Before his demise, Sir Godson Iheaku was the Chairman and Chief Executive of a Mega Group of Limited Liability Companies, including:

*G. N. Iheaku and Co. Ltd 

*Gincolin Associates Ltd 

*United Fish Merchants Ltd

*ICCI International Ltd

*Integrated Fisheries Ltd.

A large-hearted man, Sir Iheaku trained and mentored several young men from different parts of Nigeria in trading. Many of them are today successful businessmen in their rights.

There is hardly a Stockfish trader in Nigeria that does not have a business relationship with him; directly or indirectly.

His impact on the Stockfish business has been so profound that his mentees and business beneficiaries go as far as almost unionising to keep alive his business legacy. His business footsteps will surely remain indelible in the sands of time.

Sir Iheaku was not a slave to wealth. He believed in good living to demonstrate the goodness of God in one's life. This explained why, during his lifetime, he was fashion-conscious. It was not unusual to see him dressed in well-made, trendy traditional wears- Ishiagu, Agbada, Senator etc.

A community leader who was passionate about the development of his community, Osina, Sir Iheaku meritoriously served his beloved home town in different capacities from 1972 till he breathed his last.

Worthy of mention too are his services to the Church. He was a Christian of the Anglican Communion and was equally one of the pillars of St. John's Osina and St. Andrew's Onitsha. His services at both the local church and diocesan levels were subsequently recognized by the then Bishop of Okigwe-Orlu Anglican Diocese, the Rt. Rev. S. C. N- Ebo who, on 5th November 1989, conferred on him the Knight Order of St Christopher.

A consummate family man and a doting husband, father and grandfather, Sir Iheaku got married in 1962 to his heartthrob, then Miss Esther Ugbondu Aghajiuba from Ikpa, Urualla.

The marriage is blessed with several children and grandchildren- all accomplished in various human endavours.

Sir Chineme Iheaku( Okosisi), Omenkeahurunnaya was laid to rest on Friday 18th February 2022 at his Country home, Osina, Ideato North LGA Imo state after 10 am burial mass at St John's Anglican Church Osina.

He was indeed a trailblazer and a good man.

In the words of Sir Tony Ezenna( Ijele Akokwa), Chairman, Orange  Group, "during his eventful life on earth, Sir Iheaku was driven by diligence, patience, and tenacity of purpose, honesty and hard work- rare virtues that greatly endeared him to all who encountered him, including his family,  business partners, associates, friends and indeed the people of Osina, his community, and the ancient kingdom of Ideato as a whole.

"Omenkeahurunnaya was an illustrious son of Osina who gave his all to the community- serving it in various capacities thus contributing immensely to making the modern town it is today"

Apart from Sir Ezenna, other notable personalities that attended the burial include His Excellency, Chief Emeka Ihedioha former Imo state Governor, Hon Jones Onyeriri, Barr Chijioke Nzekwe, Hon ThankGod Ezeani, Chief Sir Fabian Onwuachu,Emeritus President,Peoples Club of Nigeria international, Lolo Lizzy Ezenna,Chief Okey Dike, Chief Laz Vegas Okafor, Chief Ogoo Umeh and Barr Acho Nnodim, Prof Theo Ndubuizu, Sir Chidi Chiege, IKENGA Imo and Party chieftains.