Showing posts with label UNESCO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UNESCO. Show all posts

Saturday, June 10, 2023

The Mobile Film Festival Africa unveils its 2023 in Rabat

Sunday Mapya from Tanzania, director of "I Have a Dream Too" and winner of the Grand Prize Africa

(Source: United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) 

PRESS RELEASE

The Mobile Film Festival Africa unveils its 2023 in Rabat

Guests were able to discover all the films in this year's official selection (54 films from 21 African countries)

Access Multimedia Content
https://uclga.africa-newsroom.com/press/media/the-mobile-film-festival-africa-unveils-its-2023-winners-in-rabat?lang=en

RABAT, Morocco, June 9, 2023/ -- The Mobile Film Festival Africa unveiled the winners of its 2023 edition at a prize ceremony held on Thursday June 8 at the Renaissance cinema in Rabat, an event part of the "Rabat, African Capital of Culture" program celebrations.


From left to right, Gad El Maleh, Jury President, Kamal Lougleb, director pf "The Guardian of the Walls" and winner of the Grand Prize Morocco, HEM Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, minister of Youth, Culture and Communication
(Source: United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) 

From left to right, Mr. Morris Mbolela, Deputy Secretary General of UCLG Africa, Bruno Smadja, Founder of the Mobile Film Festival Africa, Gad El Maleh, Comedian and Jury President, HEM Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, minister of Youth, Culture and Communication
(Source: United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa)

Guests were able to discover all the films in this year's official selection (54 films from 21 African countries), as well as the prizes awarded by a jury chaired by Gad Elmaleh and including Samia Akarriou, Sofia Alaoui, Françoise Ellong, Rafiki Fariala and Fibby Kioria.

For its second pan-African edition, organized in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) and the Kingdom of Morocco's Ministry of Youth, Culture  and Communication, the Mobile Film Festival has set up production grants worth a total of $51,000. These grants will enable the winners to make a film with professional resources and support from the Mobile Film Festival. Here are the winners:

Grand Prize Africa ($ 10,000)- I Have a Dream Too by Sunday Mapya - Tanzania

Grand Prize Morocco ($ 10,000)- The Guardian of the Walls by Kamal Lougleb - Morocco

This prize is accompanied by a 10-day screenwriting training residency at ENS Louis-Lumière in Paris, offered by the Institut Français du Maroc.

French Speaking Film Award ($ 5,000)- The Peninsula Dream by Nelly Brun Elvire Behanzin - Benin

This prize, supported by TV5 Monde, is awarded to a film from a country member of the International Organization of Francophonie.

ACP - EU Culture Award (5 000 $)- PAASWAAAD (Password) by Shandra Daisy Apondi - Kenya

This prize is supported by the ACP-EU Culture program.

Best Script Award ($ 5,000)- uççş²Iا دq⁄ زي (Like a Matchstick) by Sami Iskander - Egypt

This prize is supported by Canal +.

African Female Director Award ($ 5,000)- Life in Pink by Vanessa Pellegrin - Morocco

Best Actress Award ($ 500)- Kenza Salahddine in Life in Pink - Morocco

Documentary Film Award ($ 5,000)

Blindness by Bongani Ndaba - South Africa

Best Film from the Democratic Republic of the Congo ($ 5,000)

Nature's Heroes by Gael Bolila - DRC

This prize is supported by Rawbank and illicocash.

Best Actor Award ($ 500)- Yakaru Talibé (A Beggar’s Dream) by Abdoul - Senegal

Best Actor Award ($ 500)

Famille Odiri/Udo in Human Migrant - Morocco

Enthusiasm for this second pan-African edition was evident right from the call for films, with a  huge turnout (886 films from 40 African countries received), and continued throughout the online festival phase, with media coverage across the continent and internationally.

International visibility will be also ensured throughout 2023, with screenings at film festivals, associations and cultural institutions, as well as the 600 cinema screens in 31 African countries showing films from the official selection.

To make them as accessible as possible, the films are offered with subtitles in French, English, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish.

One of the specificities of the Mobile Film Festival is its 100% digital dimension. All the films are available on all our social networks (Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).
 
Please, contact us for all interview requests with the directors, the festival organization and the jury members.

Press Contact:
Claudia Rodríguez Press Relations Africa
WhatsApp : +33 787 14 15 40
Téléphone : +33 140 09 89 65 Email : presse@mobilefilmfestival.com
WhatsApp for your questions: https://apo-opa.info/3N2L8ye

About the Mobile Film Festival:
The Mobile Film Festival is an international short film festival founded in 2005 based on a simple principle: 1 Mobile, 1 Minute, 1 Film. Our goal is to support, expose and mentor the upcoming talented filmmakers from all over the world, through grants and technical support to help the winners shoot a professional short film.

The Mobile Film Festival is also 100% digital, in order to reach the largest possible audience. Since 2015, the Mobile Film Festival has received 6414 films from 157 countries, 134 million views and awarded more than €360,000 in grants to the winners.

CGLU Afrique:
The umbrella organization of local and regional governments in Africa was founded in 2005 in the town  of  Tshwane, South Africa, following the unification of three continental groups local governments, namely the African Union of Local Authorities (AULA); the Union of African Cities (AVU); and the Africa chapter of the União das Cidades e Capitais Lusófonas (UCCLA). UCLG Africa (UCLGA.org) brings  together  51  national  associations  of local and regional governments from all regions of Africa, as well as 2,000 cities and territories of more than 100,000 inhabitants. UCLG Africa represents more than 350 million African citizens. A founding member of the world organization UCLG, it is the regional chapter for Africa. UCLG Africa's headquarters are based in Rabat, capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, where it enjoys diplomatic status as a Pan-African International Organization. UCLG Africa also has five regional offices across the continent: in Cairo, Egypt, for North Africa; in Accra, Ghana,  for Central Africa; in Libreville, Gabon, for Central Africa; in Nairobi, Kenya, for East Africa; and in Pretoria, South Africa, for Southern Africa.

Programme Capitale Africaine de la Culture:
The African Capitals of Culture program is supported by United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa). It aims to make culture the fourth pillar of the sustainable development of local authorities, to promote the definition and implementation of cultural policies at the territorial level, and to develop mutually beneficial partnerships between local authorities and actors and promoters of cultural activities, with a view to developing public and private ecosystems capable of making the most of culture to regenerate self-esteem and citizenship, develop decent jobs, particularly for young people and women, and contribute to the international influence of African and Afro-descendant culture.

UNESCO:
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO programs contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. Among many other activities, UNESCO supports the development of audiovisual production for and by young people and women in particular, especially on the African continent.

Programme ACP-EU Culture:
The ACP-EU Culture Programme is an initiative implemented by the Organisation of  African,  Caribbean  and  Pacific States (OEACP) with the financial support of the European Union (EU). This programme illustrates the   desire to stimulate the potential of the cultural and creative sector and its contribution to the socio-economic development of ACP countries. With a budget of € 40 million covering the period 2019-2026, the programme is focused on: (i) encouraging entrepreneurship and cultural and technological  innovation,  as  well  as  the participation of young people; (ii) creating new jobs and increasing the income of artists and cultural professionals;

(iii) improving the quality of ACP cultural productions; and (iv) enhancing the value of ACP cultural productions and artists on international markets. For more information, visit www.ACP-UE-Culture.EU and follow ACP-EU Culture via Twitter / Instagram / Facebook / LinkedIn.

France Médias Monde Groupe:
Watch and listen to the world. France Médias Monde, the group in charge of French international broadcasting, comprises the news channels France 24 (in French, English, Arabic and Spanish), the international radio station      RFI (in French and 16 other languages) and the Arabic-language radio station Monte  Carlo  Doualiya.  France Médias Monde broadcasts to the world in 21languages. Its journalists and correspondents offer viewers, listeners and Internet users comprehensive coverage of world events, with a focus on cultural diversity and contrasting viewpoints via news bulletins, reports, magazines and debates. 66 nationalities  are  represented  among  the  group’s employees. Every week, RFI, France 24 and Monte Carlo Doualiya attract 244,2million contacts (2021average). Those outlets have a combined 95million followers on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram  and rose to 2.2billion views and streams in 2021. France Médias Monde is the parent company of CFI, the French media cooperation agency and also a shareholder of the French-language general interest TV channel TV5monde.

LAFAAAC:
LAFAAAC is a mobile training app where you can find high quality courses on the jobs of creative and cultural industries (audiovisual, cinema, music, fashion, video games, etc.), accessible without internet, once downloaded. LAFAAAC is a new digital university!

TV5MONDE+:
TV5MONDE, the world's French-speaking channel, is delighted to be a partner of the Mobile film festival, which celebrates the creativity of the continent's young talents. Thanks to the ease offered by digital technology, mobile phones make it possible to tell beautiful stories whose main actors are the women and men of the continent. The TV5MONDE prize will be awarded to the best Francophone film. On our sites and on our social networks, ten of  the fifty films in competition will be proposed to you. Enjoy the festival!

RFI, une chaîne radio de France Médias Monde:
RFI (Radio France Internationale) is a French news and current affairs public radio station that  broadcasts  worldwide in French and in 16other languages*. RFI is broadcast on 152 different FM frequencies, via short wave relays, on 30 different satellite signals throughout the world and also on the internet and dedicated apps. RFI is  also broadcast across the globe via more than 1950 partner radios. It draws on the expertise of its Paris-based editorial teams and a unique global network of 400 correspondents to provide news bulletins and features offering listeners the means to better understand the world. Some 61.4million listeners around the world tune into RFI   every week, and its digital platforms attract an average of 21.2million visits a month (2021 average) while 29.4million followers stay connected via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. *Brazilian, Cambodian, Chinese, English, Fulfuldé, Haitian creole, Hausa, Mandinkan, Persian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swahili,Ukrainian, Vietnamese.

France24, une chaîne de télévision de France Médias Monde:
France 24, the international news channel, broadcasts 24/7 to 481.4million households around the  world  in  French, Arabic, English and Spanish. The four channels have a combined weekly  viewership  of  97.8million  viewers. France 24 gives a French perspective on global affairs through a network of 160 correspondent located    in nearly every country. It is available via cable, satellite, DTT,  ADSL, on mobile phones, tablets and connected   TVs, as well as on YouTube in four languages. Every month, France 24’s digital platforms attract 23.2million visits, 132.8million video views (2021 average) and 59.9million followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MCD, une chaîne radio de France Médias Monde:
Monte Carlo Doualiya is a French radio station that broadcasts in Arabic from Paris to the Middle East, Mauritania, Djibouti, and Sudan, on FM, via satellite and via partner radio stations. It provides news bulletins and magazines, with a strong focus on culture, live broadcasts, conviviality and interaction. Its editorial team and  worldwide network of correspondents provide coverage of world news to 10.4million listeners every week. Monte Carlo Doualiyais a radio station based on the values of universalism and freedom for listeners of all ages.The station is also accessible via its website, which is one of the most modern of all Arabic-language sites, and via its app and through a range of cable and satellite packages. MCD attract 1.9million visits to its digital platforms every month (2021 average) and 4.6million followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jawjab:
Jawjab is a creative studio, a production company and a place for creation of all sorts. This subsidiary of Ali n' Productions was founded by Nabil Ayouch in 2016, and has distinguished itself by the originality of its content, the diversity of its know-how and the values it holds. Through its platforms, the studio aims to promote the values of gender equality, inclusion and freedom of speech, and is committed to opening up  discussion  on  the  issues specific to Moroccan society, with humility and kindness. A desire that crystallized with the launch of JATWJABT     in 2022, the country's first feminist and inclusive media, which highlights topics related to women and minorities rights.Jawjab focuses its efforts on creating strong concepts, driven by the creativity and expertise of its teams, to birth unique productions that contribute to the development of the Moroccan audiovisual field. Jawjab was rewarded in 2019 with the Samir Kassir prize, awarded by the European Union for the best audiovisual production of the year.

HIT RADIO:
HIT RADIO S.A. is an independent Moroccan Media Group that started its activities with the launch in 2006 of a music radio for Moroccan youth. It was the first radio to broadcast news flashes in Darija the moroccan slangs, to expose the new Moroccan music scene and to launch a "Free Antenna" in Morocco. HIT RADIO is actively participating in the improvement of the national media landscape in a innovative and independent spirit.

With a positioning focused on music, entertainment and freedom of expression, HIT RADIO is listened nowadays by more than 3.4 million daily listeners in Morocco and more than 2 millions per month abroad through the digital audio streaming. Since 2012, the HIT RADIO concept was extended to 9 sub-Saharan countries: Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Congo, Togo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Burundi, Chad and Niger.

La Tribune: le média de la transformation et des territoires:
Faced with the acceleration of major digital, ecological and societal transitions, La Tribune is asserting itself in the French media landscape as "the newspaper of the changing world". As a reference media in the economy and finance sector, La Tribune relies on a heritage of 30 years of innovation and sectoral presence in all territories. As a local economic newspaper, its editorial expertise is based on a network of journalists in touch with  the  real economy in the regions and in the major cities.

In a world saturated with information, La Tribune's vocation is to provide a rich and useful expertise. Far from  being exhaustive in its treatment of current events, its editorial staff strives to decipher the subjects at the heart of its editorial line, subjects that are forward-looking and offer solutions in a cross-cutting theme such  as:  the  industry of the future, finance, technological revolutions, entrepreneurship, energy transitions, aeronautics, space and air transport, and the intelligent city in all its components (mobility, commerce, housing, etc.).

CANAL+:
CANAL+ Group is a leading media company and pay-TV operator. CANAL+ Group has a wide  international  footprint with a presence in Europe, Africa and Asia. CANAL+ Group totals 23.7 million subscribers worldwide, including 9 million in mainland France. With STUDIOCANAL, CANAL+ Group is also a European leader in the production, acquisition and distribution of feature films and TV series. It is also a leading player in free-to-air television with a pole of several channels, as well as an ads sales agency. CANAL+ Group is wholly-owned by worldwide integrated content, media and communication group, Vivendi.

SOURCE
United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa)


Monday, April 3, 2023

Why Netflix is the First Choice of Filmmakers in Nigeria

Why Netflix is the First Choice of Filmmakers in Nigeria

At a meeting with one of the biggest film companies in Africa in February, they told me that Netflix is the first choice of Nigerian Filmmakers, because Netflix pays more for their content than Amazon Prime Video and other major competitors in the  streaming industry.
To be on Netflix is the dream of every Nigerian filmmaker for more money, more prestige and more privilege in the global film industry.
I was told that the filmmakers are willing to wait for even a year to be acquired by Netflix instead of being acquired by other streaming platforms within six months.

Netflix has over 230 million subscribers worldwide, including 74.3 million in the United States and Canada; 76.7 million in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 41.7 million in Latin America and 38 million in the Asia-Pacific region.

Filmmakers in Nigeria have improved the quality of their film and TV productions to meet the international criteria for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other leading foreign streaming services.

Nigeria produces over 1, 000 movies annually, but only few of them are acquired by Netflix. 

The Nigerian film industry popularly known as Nollywood has been a sociocultural and economic phenomenon in filmmaking in Africa and according to UNESCO, the  "Nollywood Model' could help unlock 20 million African film jobs.


Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Kulture Wave Beauty by Cardi B Joins Fight Against Skin Bleaching in Africa

PRESS RELEASE
Kulture Wave Beauty by Cardi B Joins Fight Against Skin Bleaching in Africa
In collaboration with UNESCO, Cardi B's Skincare brand is set to mitigate the devastating effects of trends in skin bleaching in the tropical regions of Africa

Access Multimedia Content

LOS ANGELES, California, March 8, 2023/ -- Kulture Wave Beauty by Cardi B, a leading beauty brand, announced today its commitment to fighting against the practice of skin bleaching in Africa. Skin bleaching, also known as skin lightening or whitening, is a dangerous trend that has become prevalent in many African countries, where it is associated with beauty and social status.



Edith F. Gibson



Are you tired of seeing harmful skin-bleaching products advertised and promoted to achieve "beauty" in Africa? The popular rapper has recently announced the projected launch of her own line of skincare products that are designed to celebrate melanin-rich skin and discourage people from using dangerous chemicals on their bodies. In this article, we'll dive deeper into why Cardi B's brand is such a game-changer for African beauty standards and how it can help steer the conversation away from harmful beauty practices.

Kulture Wave Beauty by Cardi B believes that all skin colors are beautiful and aims to promote self-love and confidence through its products. The brand's decision to act against skin bleaching in Africa is part of its larger mission to empower women and promote positive body image. By joining forces with UNESCO alongside Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame. The country has enforced a ban on skin-lightening products with the president stating “these practices are quite unhealthy among other things. Includes use of prohibited chemicals.”

While other administrations such as Ghana followed suit on Rwanda’s efforts the country too has issued its own ban on skin-lightening products. The acting chief executive of the authority, Mimi Darko said “Ghana has banned these types of products, there will be no importing of such harsh and damaging products to this country.”

It is no secret that skin bleaching is a big problem in Africa. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, an estimated 77% of women in Nigeria use skin-lightening products. This number is even higher in other countries like Togo (88%), South Africa (80%), and Senegal (59%).

"I'm proud to be part of a brand that stands for inclusivity and celebrates diversity. Skin bleaching is a harmful practice that perpetuates unrealistic beauty standards and can have severe health consequences," said Cardi B, CEO of Kulture Wave Beauty. "We want to help women embrace their natural beauty and feel confident in their own skin."

Why Kulture Wave Beauty is different.

Cardi B's skincare brand, Kulture Wave Beauty, is partnering with UNESCO to help mitigate the devastating effects of skin bleaching in tropical regions of Africa. Skin bleaching is a dangerous and harmful practice that can lead to serious health problems, including cancer. Kulture Wave Beauty's line of natural and safe skincare products will help to combat the harmful effects of skin bleaching and promote healthy skin practices in Africa. This partnership is an important step in raising awareness about the dangers of skin bleaching and promoting healthy skin care habits in Africa.

Kulture Wave Beauty is a beauty brand founded in partnership with the Grammy-winning artist Cardi B and KWBI Management, LLC. The brand offers a range of high-quality six-phase skincare product line that is designed to celebrate diversity and promote self-love.

Cardi B has launched her beauty line and is using it to combat the harmful practice of skin bleaching in Africa through a partnership with Delight Cosmeceutical Labs (https://apo-opa.info/3mCVkUB), which formulates the products for the skincare brand. The lab's leading esthetician, Edith F. Gibson, has a 5-year contract to work with the UNESCO field office in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to combat the practice of skin bleaching.

The line, called Kulture Wave Beauty, includes a range of products designed to nourish and protect the skin. The products are made with patented scientific technology and natural ingredients which are free from harmful chemicals.

Cardi B is committed to helping women of all colors feel beautiful in their own skin. She hopes that by offering a quality alternative to skin bleaching products, she can help put an end to the dangerous practice.

Kulture Wave Beauty will be available online, and in-store and will be expanding to stores across Africa in the near future. The line is set to be released in Six separate phases.

UNESCO Partnership Objective:

The problem with skin lightening in Africa is that there are several reasons why women bleach their skin. Many believe that it will make them more attractive to men, while others think it will help them get ahead in life. Some simply want to fit in with society's standards of beauty. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that skin bleaching is extremely harmful to your health.

Bleaching agents contain toxic chemicals that can damage your skin and lead to several health problems. These include liver damage, kidney failure, cancer, and even death. In addition, bleaching your skin makes you more susceptible to sun damage and can cause premature aging.

"We believe that by working together, we can create a world where all women feel empowered and beautiful, regardless of their skin color," said Cedric Yengo the Chairman for KWBI Management (www.KWBIManagement.com). "We hope that our commitment to this cause will inspire others to join the fight against skin bleaching in Africa."

If you're considering bleaching your skin, we urge you to think twice about it. There are plenty of other ways to achieve the look you desire without risking your health in the process. This partnership is set to achieve the following.

1. To initiate the creation of networking systems to mitigate the devastating effects of trends in skin bleaching in the tropical regions of Africa.

2. To expose scientific technology and a better approach to tropical skincare for stakeholders in the field while reiterating the need for further research and training of more professionals.

3. To raise awareness of the wealth of biodiversity of tropical regions of Africa and its potential to benefit local communities in and around biospheres.

Kulture Wave Beauty by Cardi B is an inspiring initiative and a huge step forward toward fighting skin bleaching in Africa. The fact that such influential public figures like Cardi B are taking a stand against this issue sends out a powerful message of hope to people all over the world. Kulture Wave Beauty also serves as a reminder that we need to respect each other's differences and embrace our uniqueness, no matter what it may be. It’s important for us to keep talking about this issue so that more people can become aware of its consequences, for only then will the real change begin to happen.
KWBI Management, LLC.

For more information about Kulture Wave Beauty by Cardi B and its commitment to fighting against skin bleaching in Africa, please visit the brand's website at www.KWBIManagement.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KWBI Management,LLC.
 

Disclaimer:
The information contained in this release is as of March 2023. The content is for information purposes and as such, should not be construed as legal, tax investment, financial, or other advice. The release contains forward-looking statements.

Media Contact:
Cedric Yengo
Kulture Wave Beauty by Cardi B
press@kwbimaangement.com
775.260.3119


Sunday, May 29, 2022

"King of Thieves" of Nollywood and the Myth of Second Largest Film Industry in the World

"King of Thieves", the current highest grossing Nigerian movie has not made up to US$1m in 7 weeks of showing in all the cinemas by the largest cinema chain in Nigeria and West Africa.

The current box office report from the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) shows that #Nollywood is not among the top 10 biggest film industries in the world in box office revenues.
The fictitious stats of UNESCO  on Nollywood must have been made up by those who failed to verify the current reports on the Nigerian film industry. They simply made the assumptions from their  laptops in Geneva and New York City and cannot even locate Asaba on the map of Africa. By the way,  Asaba presently produces more movies than Lagos and other cities in Nigeria. An actor can play major roles in ten different movies within one month in Asaba in Delta State. I doubt if any of the foreign news reporters and writers on Nollywood has been to Asaba. Most of their reports have been written in the comfort of the cozy rooms of the big hotels in Lagos and Abuja.
Now you can see why the so called "booming" second largest film industry in the world is full of hungry actors and directors who are still hustling to make ends meet.
Let us pray.

- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series, Lagos, Nigeria.

#film #nigeria #lagos #africa #business #movies #news
#filmindustry #filmmakers #boxoffice #Asaba #unesco #report #geneva #newyorkcity



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.                           


Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Top 20 Emerging Filmmakers Shortlisted For Netflix & UNESCO’s African Folktales, Reimagined Competition


PRESS RELEASE


Top 20 Emerging Filmmakers Shortlisted For Netflix & UNESCO’s African Folktales, Reimagined Competition

The shortlist contains a dynamic group of African creatives from across 13 countries in the region

Access Multimedia Content

https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/media/top-20-emerging-filmmakers-shortlisted-for-netflix-and-unescos-african-folktales-reimagined-competition

LAGOS, Nigeria, February 2, 2022/ -- Shortlisted candidates from 13 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa; six winners will create short films that will premiere on Netflix (www.Netflix.com).

Netflix and UNESCO are excited to announce the 20 shortlisted candidates who will go forward in the exciting short film competition ‘African Folktales, Reimagined’. What’s more - the quality of submissions received resulted in one extra candidate being added to the list, making it 21 filmmakers on the shortlist! The candidates were selected following a rigorous evaluation process by a wide-range of industry professionals from across the continent who assessed over 2080 applications from across the continent in multiple languages. The shortlist contains a dynamic group of African creatives from across 13 countries in the region.

The  shortlisted filmmakers include (in no particular order): Nosa Igbinedion (Nigeria); Ebot Tanyi (Cameroon); Loukman Ali (Uganda); Tongryang Pantu (Nigeria); Walt Mzengi (Tanzania); Venance Soro (Côte d'Ivoire);Mark Wambui(Kenya); Volana Razafimanantsoa (Madagascar); Mohamed Echkouna (Mauritania); Nader Fakhry (Côte d'Ivoire); Anne Catherine Tchokonté (Cameroon); Mphonyana Mokokwe (Botswana); Anita Abada (Nigeria); Samuel Kanyama (Zambia); Machérie Ekwa-Bahango (Democratic Republic of Congo); Oprah Oyugi (Kenya); Ndiyathemba Modibedi (South Africa); Gcobisa Yako (South Africa); Akorede Azeez (Nigeria); Katya Aragão (São Tomé and Príncipe) and Voline Ogutu (Kenya). 

The 21 emerging filmmakers will go on to the next phase of the competition where they will be required to pitch their stories to a judging panel comprising of the mentors; Nigeria’s Femi Odugbemi, South Africa’s Bongiwe Selane, Leila Afua Djansi from Ghana, David Tosh Gitonga from Kenya, and Jean Luc Herbulot from Congo as well as representatives from Netflix and UNESCO who will act as guides in the process. The panel will select the final six filmmakers who will receive a production grant of US$75,000 (through a local production company) to develop, shoot and post-produce their films under the guidance of Netflix and industry mentors to ensure everyone involved in the production is fairly compensated. Each of the 6 winners will also receive $25,000.

“Congratulations to those who have been shortlisted! They should all be proud of the quality of their work. This competition showcases the extraordinary cultural richness that Africa has to offer that we want to share with people all over the world, as Africa is a priority for UNESCO.” - Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture. 

Adding to UNESCO’s congratulatory message, Ben Amadasun, Netflix Director of Content in Africa siad, “We also want to thank our panel of independent industry professionals who undertook the mammoth task to read over 2080 applications until they found 21 strong submissions! The response from all the aspiring filmmakers who took time to submit their application also proves that there's a wealth of storytelling potential and talent in Africa and we at Netflix are excited to be part of this journey for more talented new voices to share their stories with the world.”


For more information about the competition, please visit www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Netflix.

About UNESCO:

We are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. In 2021, UNESCO published The African Film Industry: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth the first complete mapping of Africa’s film and audiovisual industries. In 2022 UNESCO will convene the Global Mondiacult Conference on Cultural Policies and Development, in Mexico.


About Netflix:

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 222 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

SOURCE

Netflix


Monday, August 30, 2021

Happy Birthday Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya

Happy Birthday great man of the arts.

I am happy for you with all the thanksgivings to Almighty God for blessing you with long life and prosperity.

Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya is one of the greatest artists of all time.

I am proud to have been tutored by him and I made him proud by representing Nigeria as an illustrator at two international book fairs cosponsored by the UNESCO in Japan in 1983. I was the youngest participant among lecturers, including professors. Then in 1993, I had the honour as a curator to include his unique artworks in the 1993 World AIDS Day Art Exhibitions at the National Museum and National Arts Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria. If there was a Nobel Prize for fine arts, he would have won it.

He is also the most published African artist in contemporary modern art.


Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Untold Truth about Nollywood: Separating the fact from the fiction

Poster of Nollywood Babylon, a 2008 feature documentary film directed by Canadian filmakers Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal.The documentary has been described as an “electric vision of a modern African metropolis and a revealing look at the powerhouse that is Nigerian cinema — Nollywood.”

The Untold Truth about Nollywood: Separating the fact from the fiction

Presently the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood is no longer the second largest movie industry in the world as reported by UNESCO in 2009. The UNESCO report was based on statistics of the quantity of home videos produced in Nigeria when Nollywood was at its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s before rampant piracy and the economic downturn changed the fortunes of Nollywood and left most of the stakeholders in dire straits.

Genevieve Nnaji is the most popular Nollywood star


In fact, we can now count the movies produced in 2010 on our fingertips, because things have fallen apart and people are no longer at ease in Nollywood.
The worst hit have been the English speaking practitioners dominated by Igbos, but the more down-to-earth and better organized Yoruba practitioners have managed to weather the storm, while the other producers of videos in Edo, Hausa, Efik and Ibibio have been doing their best in spite of their own professional inadequacies.
There are those who are the Real McCoy of the Nigerian film industry like the foremost Nigerian filmmaker Dr. Ola Balogun, Tunde Kelani, Femi Lasode, the Adesanya brothers, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Mildred Owoh,Tade Ogidan, Francis Onwuchie, The Amatas. Femi Odugbemi, Kunle Afolayan who is bearing the mantle of the legacy of his father Adeyemi Afolayan, aka “Ade Love”, Joe Brown, Didi Chika, Joe Brown, Lucky Onyekachi Ejim, Gugu Michaels, Faruk Lasaki, Chike Ibekwe, Mark Kusare, Kenneth Gyang and the new kids on the block Niyi Akinmolayan and Chineze Anyaene whose first features Kajola and Ijé The Journey who are outstanding indicators of the future of the Nigerian film industry. They often prefer to disassociate themselves from the popular videographers of Nollywood. The other Real McCoy can be found in the heart and soul of Nollywood, such as the accomplished Lancelot Imasuen, Teco Benson, the ambitious team of Emem Isong and Desmond Elliot and those in the same league with them who have been producing good movies in videos.


The troubles in Nollywood

“Nollywood habours lots of greedy producers.”
~ Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Sunday Punch, August 1, 2010.


Notable pioneers of Nollywood such as Ejike Asiegbu, Madu Chikwendu, Paul, Justus Esiri, Olu Jacobs, Prince Jide Kosoko, Pete Edochie, Glory Young, Ngozi Ezeonu, Joke Silva-Jacobs, Rachel Oniga, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Zeb Ejiro, Chico Ejiro, Kingsley Ogoro, Lancelot Imasuen, Teco Benson, Emem Isong, Shan George, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Jim Iyke, Ramsey Noah, Riita Dominic and other members in the same League have been busy trying their best to rejuvenate the ingenuity of the heyday of Nollywood. But there are those who have resorted to dirty partisan politics contrary to professional ethics.


Home videos of Nollywood movies are sold on the street and often pirated

Yes, desperate times call for desperate measures, but going bonkers will only worsen the situation. Frustration often pushes people to acts of desperation in the struggle for survival or trying to catch up with the Joneses. The critical state of Nollywood is also bringing out the best and the worst characters of the principal practitioners and other stakeholders as shown by the petty squabbles in the guilds. The squabbles of the opposing camps and factions of those at loggerheads have left the troubled guilds in disarray and opportunists are fishing in the troubled waters.
One of them is fond of contesting for the bragging rights over celluloid filmmakers in Nigeria. He boasts that he has shot 18 celluloid films. But not a single one has ever qualified for screening at the Cannes Film Festival where other African filmmakers have proved their mettle competing and winning highly coveted laurels among the best in the world. Making dozens of substandard movies that are the best examples in mediocrity is nothing to brag about and talking bollocks from Lagos to Abuja. How many of the films have made the list of the best films by Africans? How many of them have won awards at major film festivals in the world? And now he is the chairman of an international film festival? I wonder why Nigerians like celebrating mediocrity. What a comedy of errors.

Many of them were taking sides in partisan politics as they supported the gubernatorial quest of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the former governor of the apex bank and were disgraced when he lost. And now they have rushed to endorse President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest in the presidential election in 2011. Then he has promised to give $200 million to the entertainment industry after listening to the pleas of Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce at the 30th Anniversary of Silverbird Group on November 6, 2010. But a promise remains a promise until fulfilled.

What matters most is providing a proper infrastructure for the film industry, because presently there is none. We don’t even know if the practitioners pay taxes.

Azuh Amatus of the Daily Sun said there is no longer sanity in Nollywood, because all that has been bastardized.

Amatus is right, because the various guilds have no administrative polices comparable to best practices in more organized film industries like in South Africa and Egypt. The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) simply collects a membership fee from anyone who claims to be an actor even if the person has never acted in any movie. Presently, the AGN is in disarray as two actors are fighting over the titular leadership of the guild. One of them who has a degree in engineering said he is more qualified than the rival who has only a diploma in theatre arts. The AGN is dominated and manipulated by the English speaking actors who are mostly from the Igbo tribe while the non-English speaking actors belong to another professional body. Membership of the professional body of the Yoruba actors is by apprenticeship. An apprentice pays more than N2, 000 (two thousand naira) for registration, but in most cases, the apprentices don’t get paid until after three years. There is no insurance or any gratuity. And they do not pay taxes on their various artistes fees from acting in the numerous movies churned out regularly.

There is nothing like an insurance policy in Nollywood. The practitioners and production companies are not insured. No insurance in case a studio is razed or an actor has an accident.

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) are functioning, but is it not troubling that a billion naira industry has no insurance and does not pay tax?

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Tuesday, August 10, 2010.



Monday, August 16, 2010

The Inglorious Basterds of Nollywood

The Inglorious Basterds of Nollywood

Have you seen Quentin Tarantino's highest-grossing film Inglorious Basterds?
You have to know the "Inglorious Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine during the Nazi occupation of France in World War 2 and the role they played to understand the following analysis of the fifth column posing and posturing as the leaders of Nollywood, but are actually the exploiting and plundering the film industry.

Nollywood is no longer the second largest movie industry in the world as reported by UNESCO. The UNESCO report was based on statistics of the quantity of home videos produced in Nigeria when Nollywood was at its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s before rampant piracy and the economic downturn changed the fortunes of Nollywood and left most of the stakeholders in dire straits.

The worst hit have been the English speaking practitioners dominated by Igbos, but the more down-to-earth and better organized Yoruba practitioners have managed to weather the storm, while the other producers of videos in Edo, Hausa, Efik and Ibibio have been doing their best in spite of their own professional inadequacies.


There are those who are the Real McCoy of the Nigerian film industry like the foremost Nigerian filmmaker Dr. Ola Balogun, Chief Eddie Ugbomah, Francis Oladele, Brenda Shehu, Sadiq Balewa, Tunde Kelani, Femi Lasode, the Adesanya brothers, Ladi Ladebo, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Mildred Owoh,Tade Ogidan, Tony Abulu, Francis Onwuchie, the Amatas. Femi Odugbemi, Kunle Afolayan who is bearing the mantle of the legacy of his father Adeyemi Afolayan, aka “Ade Love”, Joe Brown, Didi Chika, Lucky Onyekachi Ejim, Gugu Michaels, Faruk Lasaki, Chike Ibekwe, Mark Kusare, Kenneth Gyang and the new kids on the block, Niyi Akinmolayan and Chineze Anyaene whose first features "Kajola" and "Ijé: The Journey" are outstanding indicators of the future of the Nigerian film industry. The other Real McCoy can be found in the heart and soul of Nollywood, such as the accomplished Amaka Igwe, Fidelis Duker, Lancelot Imasuen, Teco Benson, Kingsley Ogoro, the ambitious team of Emem Isong and Desmond Elliot and those in the same league with them.

2
Separating the sheep from the goats, let us now look at the good, the bad and the ugly in Nollywood.

“Nollywood habours lots of greedy producers.”
~ Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Sunday Punch, August 1, 2010.

Notable role models and outstanding key players in Nollywood such as Enebeli Elebuwa, Okey Ogunjiofor, Ejike Asiegbu, Madu Chikwendu, Justus Esiri, Olu Jacobs, Joke Jacobs, Prince Jide Kosoko, Pete Edochie, Glory Young, Ngozi Ezeonu, Joke Silva-Jacobs, Rachel Oniga, Saint Obi, Hilda Dokubo, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Chika Onu, Zeb Ejiro, Chico Ejiro, Kingsley Ogoro, Lancelot Imasuen, Teco Benson, Emem Isong, Shan George, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Francis Duru, Charles Okafor, Jim Iyke, Ramsey Noah, Riita Dominic and others in the same League have been busy trying their best to rejuvenate the ingenuity of the heyday of Nollywood. But there are those who have resorted to dirty partisan politics contrary to professional ethics. They are running a get-rich-quick racket in Nollywood.


Yes, desperate times call for desperate measures, but going bonkers will only worsen the situation. Frustration often pushes people to acts of desperation in the struggle for survival or trying to catch up with the Joneses. The critical state of Nollywood is also bringing out the best and the worst characters of the principal practitioners and other stakeholders as shown by the petty squabbles in the guilds. The squabbles of the opposing camps and factions of those at loggerheads have left the troubled guilds in disarray and opportunists are fishing in the troubled waters.

You have to see Quentin Tarantino's highest-grossing film so far Inglorious Basterds to understand the following dramatization of the analysis of the crisis in Nollywood.

Those who attended the so called unveiling of the logo of the illegal AMP-Eko International Film Festival on July 29, 2010, reported the roll call of the those posing and posturing as the movers and shakers of Nollywood as almost everyone turned out in the best outfit from the wardrobe with roguish smiles on the red carpet. But among them were pirates, failed filmmakers, incompetent administrators and their sycophants making up the panoramic rogues’ gallery.
Many of them were taking sides in partisan politics as they supported the gubernatorial quest of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the former governor of the apex bank and were disgraced when he lost. And now they have rushed to endorse President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest in the presidential election in 2011.

These inglorious desperados of Nollywood who have run out of ideas for new movies are either ganging up to hijack a film festival as part of their retirement plan, heal the wounds of their bruised egos or to settle scores.
They have used all sorts of foul play in conceit and deceit to mislead many ignorant green horns, disillusioned practitioners and stakeholders like lying to Chief Eddie Ugbomah to chair an international film festival they have attempted to hijack since last year when they lost in the power tussle over how to share the booty from the 6th ION International Film Festival held in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

I wonder what lies they would have told Chief Eddie Ugbomah who already has dismissed them in Nollywood is nothing wood posted on NigeriaFilms.com, Nollywood At Large on Tue, 15 May 2007. And I do not think supporting trademark piracy is part of his agenda as he has defined in Repositioning Nigerian Film Industry, My Agenda posted in Nollywood Affairs on Wed, 18 Feb 2009, of NigeriaFilms.com. I trust that the veteran filmmaker is too intelligent to be fooled by these corrupt desperados.

Azuh Amatus of the Daily Sun said there is no longer sanity in Nollywood, because all that has been bastardized.
We have to expose the inglorious bastards who have bastardized Nollywood and secure the future of the Nigerian film industry.


~ By Orikinla Osinachi



Saturday, May 16, 2009

Re: Nigeria Surpasses Hollywood As World's Second Largest Film Producer – UN

5 May 2009 – The Nigerian film industry has overtaken Hollywood and closed the gap on India, the global leader in the number of movies produced each year, according to a new United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report released today.

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) survey, Bollywood – as the Mumbai-based film industry is known – produced 1,091 feature-length films in 2006. In comparison, Nigeria’s moviemakers, commonly known as Nollywood, came out with 872 productions – all in video format – while the United States produced 485 major films
.

~ UN News Centre

The fact that Nigeria is the largest producer of home video movies in the world is not the issue, but to tackle the problem of the poor quality of the productions.

If Nigerians want to celebrate a UNESCO Report on being the second largest producer of feature-length movies in the world, they can do so, but they must not celebrate the mediocrity of their Nollywood, lest they continue to be the laughing stock of the Hollywood and Bollywood.

It is ridiculous for Nigeria to boast of making over 1,000 movies annually, but not a single one has even qualified for screening at the Cannes Film Festival and most of them cannot make the box office in America!
How many Nollywood movies have been shown in cinemas?
What we should be proud of, is quality and not quantity.

You must improve and perfect your craft and art, no matter the format of the media.
Quality has no substitute.