Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Award for history, this "wonderful history of the golden age of the movie moguls" (Chicago Tribune ) is a provocative, original, and richly entertaining group biography of the Jewish immigrants who were the moving forces behind the creation of America's motion picture industry.
Read it on Amazon Books
An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood
Don't View Nollywood with the Rose-Tinted Glasses of Hollywood
I have previewed a new Nigerian drama on the psychological consequences of rape in the life of a teenage girl sexually violated by a Roman Catholic priest at a convent in south- eastern Nigeria.
If you replace the leading roles with the famous Hollywood icons, Nicole Kidman and John Travolta and have the location in America, the crime thriller will be nominated in the next Oscars for Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress in a leading role, because of the accomplishments of the cast and crew in the production of the movie. But many Nigerian and other African movies have been viewed with the rose-tinted glasses of the American film industry, popularly called, Hollywood and in most cases, viewed by White Americans who did not understand the nuances of the peculiarities of Black Africans in dialogues and mannerisms.
Are there racial biases in international film acquisition and distribution with the superiority complex of white curators who esteem white filmmakers highly in comparison to black African filmmakers without comprehensive analysis of the content and context of subject and without the broad-minded considerations for diversity and inclusion in the existential dramas of life on earth?
"Our films are good enough for you, but your movies are not good enough for us. "
Is Hollywood the global standard for the best storytelling on motion picture?
The Economist published a selection called, "The Best Films So Far in 2024" without any consideration for the best movies so far in Bollywood and Nollywood on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Showmax and other streaming platforms, cable TV networks and cinemas.
I have seen many crappy Hollywood movies repeatedly shown on M-NET Movies Channels without any consideration for the viewers who paid for the subscriptions.
Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have paid over 200 percent more for the acquisitions of American and Korean films than what they paid for African films.
Showmax of the MultiChoice Group pays more for South African productions than Nigerian productions.
Are these differences in the valuations based on the quality of the movies or racial bias against black African filmmakers by Western standards? But the French are an exception to the stereotypical views of Africa by Hollywood, because the French have a better understanding of African Cinema than Hollywood and the British which can be seen in their broad-minded Official Selections of the annual Cannes Film Festival where several African filmmakers have won coveted awards, including the most coveted, the Palme d'Or.
"The Black Book", the 2023 Nigerian crime thriller of Editi Effiong, starring Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sam Dede, Shaffy Bello, Femi Branch, Alex Usifo, Ade Laoye and Ireti Doyle, released to Netflix on September 22 was the number one on the global rankings and "Òlòtūré", the 2019 Nigerian crime drama on human trafficking by Kenneth Gyang starring Sharon Ooja, Beverly Osu, Ada Ameh and Blossom Chukwujekwu was on the top rankings in several countries and were better than several American and Korean films in accomplishments in filmmaking, but Netflix paid less for the acquisition.
I have always insisted that a great movie is a great movie no matter the location or race of the filmmaker. The quality of the content should determine the price for the acquisition and not the location or race of the producer.
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AFRIFF 2023 Unveils a Stellar Jury for An exceptional Year in African Storytelling.
AFRIFF 2023 Jury Announcement: Elevating African Storytelling to New Heights! 🎥
They Cloned Tyrone producer Stephen 'Dr.' Love to serve as Jury President.
Lagos, October 30, 2023 -
The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) has announced jury members for its 12th edition, scheduled for November 5 to 11, 2023, in Lagos, Nigeria.
After receiving over 2,000 films from more than 100 countries across 5 continents during its call for submission, the jury has selected over 100 films and is now tasked with issuing their choice of finalists for the AFRIFF Globe Awards. The jury composition, a study in excellence in global filmmaking and expertise in the African film business, is headlined by Stephen Dr Love, producer of one of Netflix's most-viewed movies of the year, They Cloned Tyrone, with Nigerian-British actor John Boyega in the lead, veteran US actor Jamie Foxx (Ray, Django Unchained), Julliard-graduate Teyonah Parish (Chi-Raq, Candyman).
Stephen ‘Dr.’ Love is joined by Emmy-nominated Nigerian-British writer-producer Abby Ajayi (How to Get Away with Murder, Inventing Anna); Nigerian film producer Greg Otudayo; Zimbabwean award-winning author and winner of the 2023 African Peace Prize Tsitsi Dangaremgba; and Lebanese French actress and director Wafa’a Céline Halawi. Others include Geneva Wasserman, entertainment and technology expert and SVP of Scripted Development at Dentsu, the Japanese media juggernaut; Cuban-American film producer and Afro-Latino voices in film mentor Ranada Shepard; renowned Hollywood producer and Head of Inventions Studios, Nicholas Weinstock; multi-talented film acquisition expert and Head of Content at MultiChoice, Busola Temujola; Nollywood royalty and seasoned actress Kate Henshaw; and Nigerian economist and filmmaker Desmond Elliott.
This edition will be significant after the 2022 edition, where Disney’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Amazon’s Nanny, Sundance Grand Jury Prize, opened the festival. Paramount, Amazon, Disney, Netflix, Showmax, Mediawan, DStv, Dentsu, the African Union, Canal Plus, Afreximbank and a host of global industry stakeholders attended to offer further opportunities to sustain the growth of the African creative industry.
The international jury will award 14 Globe Awards to the most outstanding films in the programme.
Signed
AFRIFF
https://www.afriff.com/register
ABOUT AFRIFF
The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is an international film showcase in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos. It presents a complete immersion into the world of filmmaking with participation from all over Africa and the Diaspora. Founded in 2010 by Ms Chioma Ude, an ardent film lover and entrepreneur, the festival is positioned to be the biggest annual appointment for African filmmakers in the region, celebrating the best African films and stories.
Our programming is themed around African films, filmmakers and African cinematic impulses making the rounds in the international film circuit in categories such as feature, shorts, students' shorts, documentary films and animations.
What is a Film City?
Film City means an integrated studio complex spread over a minimum of ten acres area that provides the physical facilities required for film making, including providing the flexibility to use the outdoor spaces for shooting purposes. It may be used as a popular tourist spot, recreation centre featuring many natural & artificial attractions including gardens, landscapes, amusement parks, statues, miniatures, streets, hotels, restaurants, Art Gallery, Museum, Hospital and shopping destinations. It may also include the development of peripheral infrastructure such as hotels, food & beverage establishments and retail areas including merchandise stalls to diversify the revenue composition;(xxxviii) “Food Processing Sector” means a sector comprising enterprises engaged in such manufacturing processes in which raw product of agriculture, animal husbandry or fisheries is transformed to make it edible for human consumption;(xxxix) “Gems & Jewellery Sector” means a sector comprising enterprises engaged in manufacturing of handmade or machine-made jewellery or other articles of gold, silver and other precious or base metal clad with precious metals or precious or semi-precious stones, or combinations of precious metal and precious or semi- precious stones or other materials;(xl) “Government” means Government of Rajasthan (xli) “Green Building Measures” means process or technology adopted to obtain green rating under Indian Green Building Council;(xlii) “Half-Way-Home” means the establishment registered with any Government Department for the purpose and having facilities of temporary stay for patients who have been discharged from a hospital but frequent consultancy of doctor is required for providing the patients with a safe shelter and rehabilitation;(xliii) “Handicraft Sector” means a sector comprising enterprises engaged in such manufacturing of items or products in which products are produced predominantly by hand with or without mechanical or electrical or other assistance and graced with visual appeal in the nature of ornamentation or in-lay work or some similar work lending it an element of artistic improvement. Such ornamentation must be of a substantial nature and not a mere pretence;(xliv) “Hilly Area” means an area which is notified as such by the State Government in the Finance Department by an order;(xlv) “Industrial Gases Sector” means a sector comprising enterprises engaged in manufacturing of gases for use in industries, excluding poisonous"
https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/film-city#:~:text=City%C2%A0means,industries%2C%20excluding%20poisonous
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reiterated that the Lagos State government will build a large scale Africam film city of 100 hectares in Epe at the cost of US$100 million. He told the guests and the news media as he hosted the programme announcement for the 12th annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at the Lagos State House on the Marina.
Ms. Chioma Ude, the Founder and Executive Director of AFRIFF commended the laudable visionary leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu in the capacity development of Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry.
Lagos is the capital of Nollywood and the entertainment industry in Nigeria, the biggest contributor to making Nollywood the largest film industry in Africa and among the fastest growing film industries in the world.
A report from PwC projects that the fast-growing industry will generate $14.8 billion revenue in 2025. The industry revenue is expected to rise from $7.7 billion in 2021 to $9 billion in 2022, $10.7 billion in 2023, $12.6 billion in 2024 and $14.8 billion in 2025. 85% of this revenue will be generated by access to the Internet.
According to PwC’s Global Entertainment and Media Outlook (2020-2024), Nigeria’s media and entertainment industry is one of the fastest growing creative industries in the world. It has the capability to become the country’s greatest export, with projected annual growth rate of 8.6% and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.3% from 2018-2023.
The Multixept Associates Limited is already building a film city in Epe.
US$100 Million Cannot Build a Film City
US$100 Million is a good investment to kickstart the building of a film city in Lagos by the Lagos State government. But that amount cannot even build a film village.
Lagos State government can start with a feasibility study and a budget of $5 Billion.
The best case study is Hollywood. And another good example is the Mumbai Film City; officially Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, an integrated film studio complex situated near Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Goregaon East, Mumbai. It has several recording rooms, gardens, lakes, theatres and grounds that serve as the venue of many Bollywood and Marathi films. It was built in 1977 by the state government to provide facilities and concessions to the film industry.
Lagos State government can call the film city in Epe, EKO FILM CITY.
A film city must have a state of the art high tech film studios, world class hotels and cinemas.
One single world class hotel will cost more than S100 million.
The construction of the main access road will cost more than US$100 million for a 21st century film city.
It must be a smart city with IoT.
Private partnership investors will be required by the Lagos State government.
it is best to have a stakeholders forum with local and international investors in the multibillion dollar Nigerian Entertainment Industry, including banks, insurance companies, construction companies and realtors.
- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series,
the first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry.
#Lagos
#Lagosfilmcity
#Nollywood
#filmcity
#studios
#hotel
#filmvillage
#hotels
#investors
AFRIFF and MTN Join Forces to Empower African Filmmakers and Promote Indigenous Content
AFRIFF, widely recognized as the largest annual film festival in Africa, has been at the forefront of showcasing exceptional African cinema and nurturing emerging talent for over a decade. With an impressive array of films submitted each year, the festival has become a beacon of creativity, diversity, and cultural exchange in the African film landscape.
MTN, with its extensive network and largest aggregation of subscribers, is committed to fostering the growth of the African entertainment industry following the indigenous 2.0 theme. This visionary approach seeks to empower African players in the film industry by providing them with unprecedented opportunities for Global exposure and distribution.
Through this partnership, AFRIFF and MTN aim to bridge the gap between talented African filmmakers and a wider audience. As the streaming landscape is dominated by global streamers. Many deserving films from Africa struggle to find a platform for their voices to be heard. This collaboration will address this critical challenge by offering a dedicated channel where African filmmakers can showcase their work to millions of viewers across the continent.
The benefits of this partnership extend beyond the filmmakers themselves. By amplifying African voices and promoting indigenous content, AFRIFF and MTN will contribute to the preservation and celebration of African culture and stories. This strategic endeavor will create economic opportunities for local talent, boost tourism, and enhance Africa's global reputation as a hub of artistic excellence.
Speaking about the partnership, the Founder of AFRIFF, Chioma Ude expressed her excitement, stating, "We are thrilled to join forces with MTN, a leader in the telecommunications industry. This collaboration will empower African filmmakers, providing them with the means to reach a broader audience and ensuring that their incredible stories are heard. Together, we will redefine the African film landscape and foster the growth of the industry."
Our indigenous 2.0 global aligns perfectly with MTN’s mission, and together, we will unlock the immense potential of African filmmakers. By leveraging our extensive network and resources, we will pave way for a more inclusive and vibrant African content. On her own part, the Chief Digital Officer of MTN, Aisha Umar-Mumuni said:
“Digital entertainment has become an integral part of our day to day lives, and the growth in the use of smartphones and digital services has compelled the need to provide digital solutions and partner with organizations like AFRIFF, to distribute indigenous African content, making them accessible regardless of geographical locations. And we are well-positioned to lead the charge as the biggest ICT operator in Africa, committed to using technology to promote the continent on the global stage.”
As AFRIFF and MTN embark on this groundbreaking partnership, they invite filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts to join them in this exciting new chapter for African cinema. Together, they will champion the power of storytelling and elevate the voices of African filmmakers to new heights.
About AFRIFF:
The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is the largest annual film festival in Africa, dedicated to showcasing exceptional African cinema and nurturing emerging talent. With a diverse range of films from across the continent, AFRIFF provides a platform for cultural exchange and celebrates the rich heritage of African storytelling.
About MTN:
MTN is the largest telecommunications company in Africa, with a wide-reaching network and the largest aggregation of subscribers. Committed to empowering African players in the entertainment industry.
Hollywood Film Distributor, Vision Films Inc Refuses To Pay Commission on "Eagle Wings" To Nigerian Agent
Nollywood Versus Hollywood at the Cinemas in Nigeria
"UNFORGIVABLE" is still on the top 20 box office movies showing at the cinemas in Nigeria. The daring drama on illicit sex, rape and court trial is for adults only.
Kisses n Roses, a Nigerian adult blog is showing the uncensored trailer which is also on YouTube.
There are millions of adults who will rush to watch the movie, but there are not enough cinemas for Nollywood movies in Nigeria.
The film distributors prefer Hollywood movies, because of the popular hype for them.
"Barbie" is over hyped and is the #1 Hollywood film in Nigeria.
"Orisa" is the #1 Nollywood movie. An epic Yoruba drama of mysticism, war and heroism.
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FilmOne Limited has the largest cinemas in Nigeria and shows more of their own Nollywood and Hollywood movies than movies from other distributors that I cannot call competitors, because they cannot compete with FilmOne in film distribution in Nigeria.
With a population of over 200 million people, the cinemas are not up to 400 in about 70 locations in the most populous country in Africa.
There are states without a single cinema!
There should be a cinema in every neighbourhood in Nigeria like viewing centres with affordable tickets from N500 - N1, 000 per seat.
Cinewav of Singapore has offered affordable solutions to make cinemas available in over 2, 000 locations in Nigeria. But the film distributors and exhibitors still want to have cinemas only in enclosures indoors at the upscale shopping malls in middle class locations for only the middle class and upper class people.
Growing Demand for Cinemas in Nigeria - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-48480401
0.4 cinema screens to 100,000 people is very small for millions of movie lovers in Nigeria and the present locations of the few movie theatres are not the most appropriate in terms of demographics, because more thousands of people drive for miles to get to the nearest movie theatres, because they don’t have anyone in their local government areas.
Cinewav can roll out cinemas to the people in their local government areas in Lagos and other conducive and receptive locations in Nigeria. The Ikoyi Club, Ikeja Country Club, Metropolitan Club, Capital Club and other clubs can have Cinewav cinema outdoors and in halls every weekend.
There are more than 50 million people who can afford tickets for $1 per seat in cinemas.
We can have up to 50, 000 cinemas in Nigeria if investors can invest in the installations of low budget affordable cinemas for the majority of Nigerians in every neighbourhood in the country.
Let us bring cinemas closer to the majority of the people.
