Mati Diop's "Dahomey" Shortlisted for Two Academy Awards

Multiple award winning Senegalese  filmmaker, Mati Diop has made history by becoming the first filmmaker from Senegal and Africa to have a film shortlisted in two different categories for the highly coveted annual 97th Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars.

Her critically acclaimed documentary film,  "Dahomey" has been shortlisted for both the Documentary Feature Category and Best International Feature Film Category,  making Diop the first African filmmaker to have a film shortlisted for two Oscars.

 "Dahomey" won the Golden Bear at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival.

Oscar Shortlist 2025: 

International Feature Film

I'm Still Here, Brazil

Universal Language, Canada

Waves, Czech Republic

The Girl with the Needle, Denmark

Emilia Pérez, France

The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Germany

Touch, Iceland

Kneecap, Ireland

Vermiglio, Italy

Flow, Latvia

Armand, Norway

From Ground Zero, Palestine

Dahomey, Senegal

How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies, Thailand

Santosh, United Kingdom

Documentary Feature Film

The Bibi Files

Black Box Diaries

Dahomey

Daughters

Eno

Frida

Hollywoodgate

No Other Land

Porcelain War

Queendom

The Remarkable life of Ibelin

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

Sugarcane

Union

Will & Harper

Ebrohimie Road: A New Documentary Film on Wole Soyinka Before He Won the Nobel Prize for Literature

 

Ebrohimie Road: A New Documentary Film on Wole Soyinka Before He Won the Nobel Prize for Literature

Ebrohimie Road: A Museum of Memory is a documentary film written, produced, and directed by Kola Tubosun, and shot by Tunde Kelani, about the eponymous location at the University of Ibadan where Nigerian writer/playwright and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka lived and worked between 1967 and 1972.

Prof. Wole Soyinka with the famous Nigerian filmmaker and historian, Tunde Kelani.

It was from there that Soyinka was arrested in 1967 after visiting the breakaway Biafra that was engaged in a civil war with Nigeria, and it was there to which he returned in 1969 after his release, before leaving for a voluntary exile a few years later.

The film premiered in Nigeria in July 2024 as part of activities to mark Soyinka's 90th birthday, and has continued to screen in venues in the United States, United Kingdom, and elsewhere.

Read the well written review by Toni Kan on https://thelagosreview.ng/ebrohimie-road-from-soyinkas-shrine-to-fashinas-altar-toni-kan/

The title of the documentary should have been Ebrohimie Road: The Metamorphosis of Wole Soyinka.

I Prefer Observational Documentary Style

 I Prefer Observational Documentary Style 

In documentary film production on people, places and other subjects, I prefer observational documentary style, because to me it is best to let the people involved to tell their stories; to show us their lives, societies and treasures without anyone giving a guided tour with a microphone or interviews along the way. The people are the best narrators of the narratives of their lives and living conditions and habitations in different perspectives.

Don't speak for them or tell us about them when they can speak for themselves and tell us about their lives. I want to hear: *we are.." and not *they are"; "I am" and not "he is" or "she is". 

A documentary film is not a news report. I mean reporting about a person, event or incident is not a documentary film. 

Michael Moore, the famous Academy Award winning American documentary filmmaker said it is best to produce a documentary film like a true life movie.

In the production of my first attempt in documentary filmmaking, "Lagos in Motion", there was no narrator. 

The camera was the storyteller; showing us the different places in Lagos, the largest megacity in Africa with the people in the city going about from place to place.

The "Reading in Motion" scenes show young Lagosians, Cynthia Agu and Celina Ideh reading novels by Bisi Daniels inside the car whilst on the road in Lagos city.

 In the cinematic scene of "reading in motion", there was no soundtrack. I simply showed the young Nigerian actress, Celina Ideh reading a book, the novel titled "Conspiracy of Lagos" by Bisi Daniels whilst sitting inside a car in motion on the road in the city. 

It is like a scene in a movie. 

- Ekenyerengozi Michael China

See "A Guide to the 6 Types of Documentaries"

Documentaries are a form of non-fiction film that attempts to document reality and capture the world as it is. They can vary drastically in the subject matter that is being portrayed as well as in the style that this subject matter is depicted. The different documentary styles were first laid out by Bill Nichols, a film critic, in 1991. Nichols characterized the types of documentaries as follows: 

1 Expository 

2 Participatory 

3 Observational

4 Performative 

5 Reflexive 

6 Poetic

 https://www.impactcreative.com/different-types-of-documentaries/#:~:text=A%20Guide%20to,Poetic

The First Nollywood NFT

The First Nollywood NFT

The first Nollywood NFT is a video clip of two young Nollywood actresses, Nunnsi Ojong and Celina Ideh in the "Lagos in Motion"documentary film of Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the Publisher/Editor of the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series, the first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry.

The Nollywood Video Clip Streaming on the Algorand Blockchain

Today, Monday, September 18, 2023, I successfully put a video clip from my "Lagos in Motion" documentary film on the blockchain of Algorand sponsored by the Algorand Foundation.

The video shows fast rising Nollywood stars, Nunndi Ojong (all shades of beauty) and Celia Ideh, international beauty pageant Queen and model. They are part of this historical moment on the Algorand blockchain and showing the opportunities for the possibilities for Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry.

https://nftmyimage.com/v1pKBV4e6LXELucuCxhxHQ

CREATED

Sep 18, 2023, 12:28 PM UTC

The NFT will live forever on the decentralized InterPlanetary File System.

Millions of people on the blockchain will will be anxious and curious to watch it. 

https://nigeriansreportng.blogspot.com/2023/09/nollywood-streaming-on-algorand.html

#nollywood

#nft

#movies

#documentary

#lagosinmotion

#lagos

#video

#clip

#michael

#chima

#actor

#actress

#algorand

#blockchain

When the So Called Masterclass is not a Masterclass

When the So Called Masterclass is Not a Masterclass

"What makes a work of art a masterpiece is not the craft.
But the Imagination of the artist."
- Ekenyerengozi MichaeI Chima.

Some years ago, I was invited to participate in a Masterclass on  Documentary Filmmaking by the Public Affairs Section of the Consulate of the United States of America in Lagos in the Documentary Showcase Program with American documentary filmmakers. Prominent Nigerian filmmakers in Nollywood were also invited. But the workshop was rushed by the American filmmaker teaching what was nothing new or different, but documentary filmmaking for beginners and what the Nigerian filmmakers already knew. He was teaching us what students in high school were taught in America.

Then the workshop ended abruptly without the completion of the most important sessions.

The American filmmaker started  the presentation of Masterclass  certificates to all the participants. But I refused to accept my own certificate with my name already written on it.

"We never had any masterclass on documentary filmmaking," I said.

The others were compelling me to accept it. I reluctantly collected it. But I dumped it later in the drawer of my desk in the office of Supple Communications Limited.

Finis.

#art

#artist

#masterpice

#craft

#masterclass

#workshop

#filmmaking

#filmmakers

#Nollywood

#America

#Nigeria

#documentary

#documentaryfilm

#showcase

#unitedstates

#consulate

#Lagos

#presentation

#certificate

#office

RECOMMENDED BOOKS BY EKENYERENGOZI MICHAEI CHIMA

Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers.

The Most Popular Film Stills From A Nigerian Film and TV Production

The most popular stills in circulation from a Nigerian film or TV  production are from the second phase of the principal photography of my documentary film, "Lagos in Motion" in 2016.

I published the photo book of the stills.currently distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers.

View the NFTs exclusively on the Algorand blockchain

https://nftmyimage.com/@nigeriadaily
NFTs last longer than photos, videos and films that are not on the blockchain. 

The NFTs will be in the decentralized InterPlanetary File System.

The pictures show beautiful #Nollywood actress, model and beauty pageant Queen, Celina Ideh and other people in "Lagos in Motion" in the Toyota SUV as I was recording whilst the vehicle was moving us to another location in Lagos, Africa's largest megacity; on the Lekki- Ikoyi Link Bridge, Elegushi Beach, new Tejuosho Market and Onike in Yaba.

Film stills are very important in film studies.

Stills are essentially photographs taken on the set or during the production of a movie. They serve as a visual representation of the film, capturing key moments, characters, and set designs. These images are commonly used for promotional purposes, including posters, press kits, and marketing materials. And they are also used by scholars and students of film studies. 

#filmmaking

#filmproduction

#filmmakers

#filmstill

#screenshot

#documentary

#documentaryfilm

#movies

#series

#filmstudies

#students

#scholars

#Lagos

#Africa

#megacity

#photography

#book

#photobook

#Amazon

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

Nollywood Streaming on the Algorand Blockchain

Today, Monday, September 18, 2023, I successfully put a video clip from my "Lagos in Motion" documentary film on the blockchain of Algorand sponsored by the Algorand Foundation.

The video shows fast rising Nollywood stars, Nunnsi Ojong (all shades of beauty) and Celina Ideh, international beauty pageant Queen and model. They are part of this historical moment on the Algorand blockchain.

https://nftmyimage.com/v1pKBV4e6LXELucuCxhxHQ

CREATED

Sep 18, 2023, 12:28 PM UTC

The NFT will live forever on the decentralized InterPlanetary File System.

Millions of people on the blockchain will will be anxious and curious to watch it. 

The global blockchain technology market size was estimated at USD 10.02 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 87.7% from 2023 to 2030.

Algorand has more than 10 Million Accounts as Adoption Accelerates

New use cases from across DeFi and traditional finance are leveraging the core principles and value of Algorand's decentralized technology as they look to participate in the future of finance.Algorand Reaches 10 Million Accounts as Adoption Accelerates

New use cases from across DeFi and traditional finance are leveraging the core principles and value of Algorand's decentralized technology as they look to participate in the future of finance.Algorand was founded in 2017 by Silvio Micali, a professor at MIT.

The Algorand test network was launched to the public in April 2019, and the main network was launched in June 2019.

Algorand is intended to solve the "blockchain trilemma": the claim that any blockchain system can have at most two of three desirable properties: decentralization, scalability, and security. A system with all three could run on nodes which each have only moderate consumer-grade resources (i.e., does not need a datacenter or large cluster of virtual machines), has transaction processing which scales with the total network resources (rather than the resources available per-node), and could not be subverted by attackers who individually possess a large fraction of the network's total resources.

When it comes to looking up profitable coins, Algorand (ALGO) is a unique crypto asset that should top every list. The well-known crypto asset is self-sustaining and decentralized.

The blockchain-based network is well known for providing support to a number of applications in a safe, secure, scalable, and efficient manner. The platform is also designed to support computations that need reliable performance guarantees. This creates a form of trust betweenWhen it comes to looking up profitable coins, Algorand (ALGO) is a unique crypto asset that should top every list. 

The well-known crypto asset is self-sustaining and decentralized. The blockchain-based network is well known for providing support to a number of applications in a safe, secure, scalable, and efficient manner. The platform is also designed to support computations that need reliable performance guarantees.

See more on

 www.algorand.com

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
The CEO,
International Digital Post Network Limited,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series

Big News from NOLLYWOOD

 Big News from NOLLYWOOD

Franca, Cynthia and Celina from the revised version of the "Lagos in Motion" photo book of the documentary film to be released soon on Amazon for worldwide book and film distribution. The first time for a Nigerian documentary film with the photo book to be released simultaneously.

The documentary film and photo book by Ekenyerengozi Michael.Chima, Publisher/Editor of the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series will be available online and offline.

#Lagos #Nollywood #book #travel #photobook #travelphotography #photography #filmmaking #movies #documentary #film #Ekenyerengozi #Michael #Chima

 

ALI'S COMEBACK: THE UNTOLD STORY

In 1970, Muhammad Ali has been exiled from boxing for his firm stance against the Vietnam War. stripped of his title, convicted of draft evasion. But in Atlanta that all changed. 

A diverse group of individuals came together to make sure the greatest boxer on Earth received a fair fight. 

An ambitious white attorney turned promoter, Atlanta's first Jewish mayor, and a visionary black Senator joined forces to make the impossible possible. 

"Ali's Comeback: The Untold Story" is the epic tale about the return of the greatest athlete of the 20th Century from the shadows of the boxing ring, and onto the world stage. 

Genre: Documentary 

Original Language:English 

Director: Art Jones 

Producer: Mandy Fason, Yahya McClain, Brittany Wyatt 

Release Date (Theaters): Jan 16, 2020 Limited Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2020 Runtime: 1h 19m 

Do you want to be featured on Nigerians Report Online and New Nigeria on Pinterest with a monthly combined audience of over 430, 000 viewers?

http://www.pinterest.com/nigeriansreport

Contact me.

Video: Nightfall in Lagos

Nightfall in Lagos

Jibowu on the Lagos Mainland in Nigeria on Tuesday night of November 22, 2022.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, author of "Lagos in Motion: Sights and Sounds of Africa"s Largest Megacity" distributed by Amazon and producer/director of the documentary film in progress since 2016 with more than 40 hours of footage so far. Final principal photography to start before Christmas.

#Lagos

#Mainland

#Nigeria

#Jibowu

#Africa

#Megacity

#documentary

#film

#photography

#Amazon

#publish

#producer

#director

#nightfall

#November

#Tuesday

#Christmas

Lagos in Motion: The Changing Landscape of Ikoyi

Lagos in Motion: The Changing Landscape of Ikoyi

Thursday afternoon on October 27, 2022.

On Alfred Rewane Road (formerly Kingsway Road) in Ikoyi on Lagos Island, Nigeria.

Microsoft office building is the new  skyscraper in the background. 

I have to include the changing landscape of Ikoyi in the final phase of my "Lagos in Motion" documentary film I started in 2016 with more than 40 hours footage so far. The old famous Ikoyi Hotel has been turned to a residential building beside the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel. 

I passed by my Alma Mater, the famous St. Gregory's College along St. Gregory's College Road to Awolowo Road to Falomo to Glover Road and saw how Ikoyi has changed since my childhood in Obalende. I went to famous Jazz Hole on Awolowo Road and sat down to chat with my old boy, Olakunle Tejuoso, the founder to discuss arts, literature, music and politics of the coming 2023 presidential election with Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and the political momentum of his "Obidients" movement and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the national ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olakunle Tejuoso's family owns the famous Glendora Bookshops in Nigeria where the first copies of my book, "Bye, Bye Mugabe" sold out in 2008 before I withdrew it, because of 21 typographical errors and threw the remaining hundreds of copies away. Olakunle is the author of

"Lagos - A City At Work (The Glendora Lagos Project) and the beautiful and colourful photo book, "ABEOKUTA". 

"You should do a new book on Lagos," I said. 

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Screen Naija YouTube Channel

#Lagos

#Ikoyi

#hotels

#Abeokuta

#Nigeria

#travel

#tourism

#arts

#books

#movies

#music

#jazz

#Jazzhole

#Glendora

#documentary

#photography

#politics

#history

#Tinubu

#PeterObi

#Obidients

#presidentialelection

#2023presidentialelection

#leadership

#literature

Nigerians Report Online Surpasses 200, 000 Monthly Pageviews in April

Nigerians Report Online

https://nigeriansreportng.blogspot.com

Nigerians Report Online reached a new milestone today, Saturday, April 30, 2022 by getting over 200, 000 pageviews within 30 days without any promotion or publicity.

This Month201174

Last Month178431

Nigerians

Nigerians Report Online has been the only Nigerian news media committed to the advocacy for the education of underprivileged girls out of school in Nigeria since 2013 and the first and foremost organizer of the annual United Nations' International Day of the Girl Child in Nigeria since October 11, 2013 with totally free Nigerian premieres of acclaimed documentary films: "Girl Rising"in 2013 and "HE NAMED ME MALALA" in 2014 for over 300 secondary school girls and hosted the NIgerian premiere of "In The Name Of Your Daughter" in May, 2019.

All the events were held at Silverbird Cinemas in the Silverbird Galleria on Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Nigerians Report Online is published by my duly incorporated digital media company, International Digital Post Network Limited. 

We thank Almighty God for the progress and success.

- Ekenyerengoz Michael Chima,
The CEO, International Digital Post Network Limited, Lagos, Nigeria.
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
Michael Chima Ekenyerengozi | AngelList
https://angel.co/u/michael-chima-ekenyerengozi

Sayōnara: Coming Soon on Amazon Prime Video Direct

Sayōnara: Coming Soon on Amazon Prime Video Direct

From the over 40 hours footage of my documentary film project, "Lagos in Motion", I have produced "Sayōnara" to be released on Amazon Prime Video Direct.

Cheers!

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter
https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

Video: Somewhere in Lagos

Somewhere.in Lagos

At the Oniru Private Beach on Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria on Saturday, February 5, 2022.

During the concluding part of the principal photography of my "Sand and Sea" short documentary film and photo book. 

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

 #Nigeria #film #photography 

#Lagos #Oniru #Onirubeach #beach #documentary #documentaryfilm #shortfilms #sea #photobook #travel #tourism #tourists

Branwen Okpako, One of the Best NIgerian Filmmakers Outside Nollywood

Prof. Branwen Kiemute Okpako ,  Nigerian born Welsh German filmmaker and scholar, a Chancellor’s Fellow is one of the most accomplished NIgerian filmmakers profiled in the third edition of my NOLLYWOO MIRROR® Series, the first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry.

Branwen Okpako was born in Lagos/Nigeria. She received a BSC in political sciences from Bristol University, England in 1991, followed by MFA equivalent in film directing from the German Film & Television Academy, Berlin (dffb) in 1999. Her graduation film Dreckfresser (Dirt For Dinner 2000) won several international awards including First Steps: The German Newcomer Award for Documentary film 2000, IG Media Award (DOK-Leipzig) 2000, Distributions prize from sales 2000, The 24th Duisburg Film Week Award of the city of Duisburg for the best newcomer film Award, Bavarian State Government Documentary Award “The Young Lion” 2001, Best graduation film at the See Docs Dubrovnik festival 2001.

The fiction feature Valley of the Innocent (Tal der Ahnungslosen, 2004) had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film festival in 2003 and went on to compete in the feature film competition at FESPACO in 2005. For her documentary film The Education of Auma Obama, Okpako received the 2012 African Movie Academy Award for Best Diaspora Documentary, the Festival Founders Award for Best Documentary at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles (both in 2012), and the Viewers Choice Award at the Africa International Film Festival (2011). Her documentary-drama, The Curse of Medea (Fluch der Medea 2014), about the life of the late German writer Christa Wolf, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2014.

Branwen Okpako is Associate Professor at UC Davis in the Department of Cinema and Digital Media and is currently completing her sixth feature film entitled "Chibok Girls" based on the 2016 book of the same title by Helon Habila.

Sand and Sea by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Sand and Sea is a short documentary  from my "Lagos in Motion" documentary film that is still in progress started in 2016. The location is the Elegushi beach in Lekki

.