Hollywood Film Distributor, Vision Films Inc Refuses To Pay Commission on "Eagle Wings" To Nigerian Agent

Hollywood Film Distributor, Vision Films Inc Refuses To Pay Commission on "Eagle Wings" To Nigerian Agent

Lise Romanoff, the Managing Director and CEO of Vision Films Inc, California, USA is presently in dispute with Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, an international agent for film and TV acquisition and distribution over her refusal to pay him the finder's fees and commission on the multiple award winning, Nigerian war film, "Eagle Wings" she acquired through him in 2022.

"She acquired the film after I pitched the film to her for acquisition."

Michael Chima, who is the Publisher and Editor of the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series, a publication on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry said that Lise Romanoff threatened to terminate the global distribution contract with the filmmaker, Paul Apel Papel if he insisted on requesting for his finder's fee and commission for the film widely  distributed on VODs and cable TV channels. 

The "Eagle Wings" on the war on the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in northern Nigeria has been showing on M-NET cable TV channels on DStv and streaming on Showmax of the MultiChoice Group, Africa's biggest multimedia entertainment company.

Lise Romanoff said there was no  agreement between Vision Films and Michael Chima. But he dismissed her statement.

"If she did not have any agreement with me, then why did she send me the contract agreement before it was signed by the filmmaker, Paul Apel Papel in the first quarter of 2022 and later sent me the updates on the global distribution of the film she acquired through me? And Vision Films sent me the latest update by email yesterday."

All discussions and transactions between Lise Romanoff and Michael Chima have been by emails without any formal contracts; from the theatrical release of "The American King" in Nigeria by the Silverbird Film Distribution through the recommendation of Michael Chima and she paid him for the publicity and also paid him commission on the box office revenue in July, 2022. She also paid him a minimum guarantee for recommending her to Wiflix, a VOD streaming service based in the Netherlands that is currently streaming several movies distributed by Vision Films Inc.

Therefore, Michael Chima has insisted that his finder's fee and commission on the global distribution of the "Eagle Wings" must be paid as Vision Films paid him for getting them the theatrical release of "The American King" in Nigeria and acquisition of the  rights for the streaming of a catalog of their content by Wiflix. 

Lise Romanoff, the Managing Director and CEO of Vision Films Inc,  California, United States of America, is a member of The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA).

OPEN LETTER IN RESPONSE TO: NDDC- WHAT WE MUST DO AND THE PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF NDDC

NIGER DELTA JUSTICE FORUM
No. 86 Nwaniba Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Telephone: 08118054076.

To: The Presidency Abuja

       The National Assembly Abuja

       All Niger Delta Stakeholders

OPEN LETTER IN RESPONSE TO: NDDC- WHAT WE MUST DO AND THE PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF NDDC

We are compelled to respond to the above subject matters as patriots and stakeholders because nefarious actors are monolithic in their structure, with no option to retrace their steps or even branch off from the solidity of the inflexible trunk, the source of their implacable power. To counter them, the kernel of their malevolent frameworks must be dismantled and completely laid bare.

The most important piece of real estate to stake a claim is the human mind. You make the claim by creating a perception. You create the perception by controlling the context. Control the context and you control the mind. Control the mind and you control reality, that’s the essence of the Veblen Effect. However, social psychologists are quick to remind us that “herd mentality” or “group think” has severe limitations when subjected to critical analysis or hesitation.

It is our opinion that the decision of the Chairman of the Governing Board of NDDC to hastily distance the Board from the MOU signed by the Commission in its quest to attract private capital for the development of the region based on emotions, sentiments, sense of judgment and propriety in order to curry public appeal, on deeper introspection is ruinous and far from right. We are not fooled by the beautiful prose of hired writers, the cobbled arguments of her procured craven supporters or the eloquence of her Marxian postulations about transparency and accountability. Her ambition of naked power grab was made obvious in the sponsored Vanguard newspaper advert published before the summit in Lagos where a fictitious group made legally deficient solicitations to President Buhari to quickly amend the law and further promote her to Executive Chairmanship of the Commission with unlimited powers even at the twilight of his administration.

We have experienced the confusion and dread of watching the least qualified people get promoted even when they lack the authenticity and influence to build strong teams because they are out of touch with the needs of the citizens. The government needs to cultivate and measure leadership potentials instead of the current system where authority over others is based on who you know and not what you know. Granting promotion without assessing a person’s capacity for leadership reduces the role to a mere transaction and this seems to be at the core of the public tantrums emanating from the Commission. 

The allegations of a prevailing toxic work environment and management consideration of board members as meddlesome interlopers as contained in the Vanguard newspaper publication are not only manifestly false and frivolous but absurd and hogwash. Also, the wild allegations of illegal waivers of 3% levies granted to IOC’s and the back dating of contracts to unlawfully appropriate the Commission’s resources are the imaginations of a devious mind and patently defamatory. The prevailing sense in the region is that of satisfaction because for the very first time in a long while, the Commission has a duly constituted management team deploying its resources for common good.

The Chairman’s press statement condemning the widely hailed effort of the Commission towards transitioning to a new organization that would leverage private capital for sustainable development of the region through PPP and the subsequent signing of an MOU for preliminary processes for a rail network that would connect the nine NDDC States is both reckless and ill-conceived. Her attempt to create an imprimatur of illegality and deliberate litigation of the internal affairs of the Commission in the public space is an unprecedented embarrassment to the region and its people. No matter how cleverly disguised and presented, her grudge response is simply in furtherance of her ongoing schemes at total capture of the executive powers of the Commission not institutional bargain.

How else can any rational person explain her opposition to the transformational change and Blue-Sky thinking that led to the concept of the PPP? Is she not aware that the federal government has all but abandoned the Eastern Railway Corridor due to paucity of funds? What disadvantage would the region suffer if it secures a rail network that would connect all the states and complement the Eastern Rail Corridor if it is eventually completed? Is she not aware that the Atlanta based AGRI came recommended by the US EXIM Bank and that the US Consulate was represented at the signing ceremony? Is she ignorant of the fact that several board members were present at the event? Does she not know that the outcome of the Summit is attracting global interest to the region? What exactly are her interests? There is no rule that says her arguments must make sense but we must do away with the principalities of the past.

The Chairman seems to  be suffering from the “Peter Principle” whereof she may have been promoted beyond her level of effectiveness. The region needs leaders who will allow the collective good of the people overshadow their self-aggrandizement. In view of this critical need, we hope and pray that the chairman retraces her steps and detracts from public smear and misrepresentation.

For NDDC to make progress, there is no magic bullet. What is clear is that doing nothing is not an option nor is continuing as normal the way to go. We recommend that the Board and Management should have a Shared Vision Workshop to deliberate on workable strategies and innovative ways to attract scalable development to the region. What NDDC needs is that in exchange for the greater strategic goal of developing the region, the Board and Management must embrace peace over conflict. Instead of engaging in public fits and outbursts, the board should liaise with management to rethink job creation, retool youth unemployment thereby significantly addressing insecurity and engendering the flourish of enterprise. 

The people of the region are tired of living frustrated, anxious and overwhelmed. New habits can be formed. Fresh hope can be found in the Commission. The practice of gratitude and acknowledgment of good deeds by those who dare is the missing key to unlock the hope, joy and beauty around the region. It is not particularly helpful when we try to frustrate people with good intentions. Let good conscience prevail.

- Bassey Ime Idongesit.
Convener

Joachim Dakolo                                            Publicity Secretary.

How do French entrepreneurs see Africa?

15 Feb 2011 14:20 Africa/Lagos


How do French entrepreneurs see Africa? / Results of a survey commissioned by the organisers of the Africa France Business Meetings

BORDEAUX, February 15, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The results of the qualitative study of French entrepreneurs' perceptions of doing business with Africa have just been presented by the organizers of the AFRICA FRANCE BUSINESS MEETINGS. The purpose of the study was to check that the event corresponded to the expectations of French entrepreneurs. From 23 to 25 May 2011, on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the event, it will be the turn of African entrepreneurs to give their view of doing business with France.


The study of the perception of business relations with Africa, conducted among French entrepreneurs by the organisers of the Africa France Business Meetings, reveals that doing business in Africa is a question of human relations above all else: the spoken word comes before the contract. Having a local partner therefore seems essential to establish efficient relations.

Most of the entrepreneurs surveyed added that it is easier to work with North Africa (except Algeria) and with West Africa, thanks to their common history and language. They also say, however, that the language barrier is tending to disappear in the English-speaking countries.


The entrepreneurs are familiar with the growth rates (5% on average in Africa) of the countries they are working with. They consider that the level of training of Africans is excellent among management, but that qualified technicians are harder to find.

Among the prerequisites for doing business with Africa, in addition to having a trusted partner locally, they recommend that companies should be sufficiently well structured and should be familiar with exporting before they start. The only real obstacle is the insecurity of people and property.


On the subject of payment risks or instability, the entrepreneurs with the most extensive experience of business in Africa play these issues down considerably. For them, it is much easier to get paid in Africa because the goods are dispatched once payment has been made. Finally, they also emphasise the role of the media which often give certain events greater importance than they actually merit.


West Africa comes out top among the zones where French businesspeople want to work. Then come North Africa, Southern Africa, Eastern and finally Central Africa.


This survey has given the Bordeaux CCI a better understanding of the factors that prevent French entrepreneurs from doing business with Africa, and of their needs and expectations to develop their activities in this part of the world.


An edition focused on 5 sectors of activities and on target African countries

In the light of these results, the Africa France Business Meetings 2011 have been focused on 5 sectors of activity: ICT, Eco-Industry, Agriculture and Food, Health and Capital Goods.

Among the African countries, prospecting will be intensified in Algeria and Libya for the North-African countries, in the French-speaking countries of West Africa, in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa for the English-speaking nations and finally in Angola and Mozambique for Portuguese-speaking Africa. The business meetings that form the backbone of the event will be held over 3 half days, with each one-on-one appointment lasting 30 minutes.


A survey backed by collaboration between French CCI

The survey was commissioned by the organisers of the AFRICA FRANCE BUSINESS MEETINGS and carried out by Bordeaux firm Quota Sud (Stratégir Group). The survey was conducted in December 2010 on a sample of 20 companies selected in collaboration with several French CCIs.

The sample comprised establishments of different sizes - half of them SMEs - based in 8 cities in France and working in 9 different sectors of activity.


The only “multisector” French-African event of its kind held nationally, the Africa France Business Meetings will be held for the 3rd consecutive year in Bordeaux on 23, 24 and 25 May 2011. Over 200 entrepreneurs are expected, of whom half from Africa.


* AFRICA FRANCE BUSINESS MEETINGS partners: Bordeaux Africa Business Club, Bordeaux City Authority, Aquitaine Regional Council, DIRECCTE Aquitaine, CIAN, MEDEF international, Aquitaine Foreign Trade Advisors, Ubi France, Total, Fayat, Le Moci, Young Africa Group, African Press Organization.


Preliminary programme available on www.africa-france-business.com


Media contacts:

PRESS CONTACTS:

Philippe GARCIA / Florence RICO-FAYAD

pgarcia@bordeaux.cci.fr / +33 5 56 79 52 48

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