Inspired by the history of Igbo Ukwu, I want to produce an epic film of a great Igbo King called Eze Agha, King of War, who was known for being a defender of the defenceless chiefdoms by fighting for them against their oppressors.
He attacked and freed slaves from the wicked kings of other kingdoms.
He was said to be the son of a great prince and a river goddess. He was born with powers of immunity to weapons and could disappear and reappear. But it was an abomination for him to sleep with a married woman. Committing adultery would destroy his immunity. And that was what was used to capture him.
A beautiful young woman who was already married was hired to lie to him that she was a maiden who was still a virgin. He fell in love with her and slept with her. After sleeping with her, he suddenly felt weak and knew that he had done the forbidden act of adultery.
The seductress escaped to inform her people and they prepared for battle against him
His witch doctor warmed him to avoid the battle to save his life. But he refused.
"Eze Agha! You are now as visible and vulnerable as mere mortals. Flee before it is too late," the witch doctor lamented.
"No. If I cannot be brave in my mortal body as other mortals, then I am not worthy of being a warrior and to be the King of War," he said fearlessly.
He went to war against his enemies and he fought bravely as his warriors, but was wounded and captured. They took him away as a prisoner of war to their kingdom where he was paraded and mocked.
In his pains, he cried and called for the spirit of his mother. Suddenly torrential rain fell and the kingdom of his captors was flooded. And his mother appeared walking on the waters with her arms stretched out to him.
"Come my beloved son. From the canal of my womb you came and to my womb you shall return," she said in echoing voice with thunder and lightning.
He held her arms and as she embraced him, the waters of the flood rose above them and carried them into the Imo river.
After the rains, the captors in fear and trembling came to the prison where they kept him and did not see him. They told the story of his mysterious disappearance to everyone and his story continued to be told till date
"Annette" by Leos Carax is an awesome poetic romantic musical drama that is going to become an all time classic in modern cinema.
The cinematography by Caroline Champetier is awesome in poetic imagery of impressionism.
Adam Driver as "Henry McHenry" and Marion Cotillard as "Ann Defrasnoux" were outstanding in unforgettable performances of their iconic characters of two famous entertainers who became starstruck lovers in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world.
Synopsis:
Present-day Los Angeles. Henry is an outspoken stand-up comedian, Ann a world-famous singer. They’re a happy celebrity couple, living life in the glare of the spotlight, but their world is turned upside-down by the birth of their first child, Annette, a mysterious little girl with an exceptional destiny.
The opening film of the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival is most likely going to win the Palme d'Or.
I look forward to seeing it nominated for the Best Picture and other Oscars at the next Academy Awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), in 2022.
Chad and Morocco in Official Selection of the 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival
Two films by African filmmakers are in competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or, the most coveted award of the annual Cannes Film Festival in France
In competition is "Lingui,” by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, who was the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Crafts of Chad from February 5, 2017 to February 8, 2018. He is well known for his award winning films, including "Bye, Bye Africa", winner of the Best Film Prize at the 1999: annual Venice Film Festival; "Daratt", winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2006 annual Venice Film Festival and the Yennenga bronze stallion and Best Photo Award at 2007 FESPACO; "A Screaming Man", winner of the Jury Prize at the 2010 annual Cannes Festival and the Robert Bresson Prize at the Venice Film Festival (awarded by the Catholic Church).
The second film is "Casablanca Beats" (Hauts et forts) by Nabil Ayouch, the first by a Moroccan filmmaker to qualify for the competition of the Official Selection of the annual Cannes Film Festival. The 74th annual Cannes Film Festival, is from July 6 to 17, 2021.
The 74th annual Cannes Film Festival will take place from July 6-17, 2021 in France, celebrating the triumph of the human spirit over the unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unbreakable vision of the cinema.
French director Leos Carax's long-awaited musical film Annette will serve as the opening film of the festival. The Official Selection is scheduled to be announced June 3, 2021. Americana actress and filmmaker Jodie Foster, will be awarded the Honorary Palme d'Or.
COMPETITION
“Ahed’s Knee” OR “Ha’berech,” Nadav Lapid (Israel)
“Annette,” Leos Carax (France) — OPENING FILM
"Benedetta,” Paul Verihoeven (Netherlands)
“Bergman Island,” Mia Hansen-Løve (France)
“Casablanca Beats,” Nabil Ayouch (Morocco)
“Compartment No. 6” OR “Hytti Nro 6,” Juho Kuosmanen (Finland)
“Drive My Car,” Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (France)
“Everything Went Fine” OR “Tout s’est bien passé,” Francois Ozon (France)
“Flag Day,” Sean Penn (U.S.)
“France,” Bruno Dumont (France)
“The French Dispatch,” Wes Anderson (U.S.)
“A Hero,” Asghar Farhadi (Iran)
“La fracture,” Catherine Corsini (France)
“Lingui,” Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad)
“Memoria,” Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand)
“Nitram,” Justin Kurzel (Australia)
“Paris, 13th District” OR “Les Olympiades,” Jacques Audiard (France)
“Petrov’s Flu,” Kirill Serebrennikov (Russia)
“Red Rocket,” Sean Baker (U.S.)
“The Restless” OR “Les Intranquilles,” Joachim Lafosse (Belgium)
“The Story of My Wife,” Ildikó Enyedi (Hungary)
“Three Floors” OR “Tre Piani,” Nanni Moretti (Italy)
“Titane,” Julia Ducournau (France)
“The Worst Person in the World,” Joachim Trier (Norway)
“House Arrest” OR “Delo,” Alexey German Jr. (Russia)
“The Innocents,” Eskil Vogt (Norway)
“La Civil,” Teodora Ana Mihai (Romania-Belgium)
“Lamb,” Valdimar Jóhansson (Iceland)
“Let There Be Morning,” Eran Kolirin (Israel)
“Moneyboys,“ C.B. Yi (Austria)
“Noche de Fuego,” Tatiana Huezo (Mexico)
“Rehana Maryam Noor,” Abdullah Mohammad Saad (Bangladesh)
“Unclenching the Fists,” Kira Kovalenko (Russia)
“Un Monde,” Laura Wandel (Belgium)
“Women Do Cry,” Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova (Bulgaria)
OUT OF COMPETITION
“Aline, the Voice of Love,” Valerie Lemercier (France)
“Bac Nord,” Cédric Jimenez (France)
“Emergency Declaration,” Han Jae-Rim (S. Korea
“Peaceful” OR “De son vivant,” Emmanuelle Bercot (France)
“Stillwater,” Tom McCarthy (U.S.)
"Mariner of the Mountains” OR “O Marinheiro das Montanhas,” Karim Aïnouz (Brazil)
“The Year of the Everlasting Storm,” Jafar Panahi (Iran), Anthony Chen (Singapore), Malik Vitthal (U.S.), Laura Poitras (U.S.), Dominga Sotomayor (Chile), David Lowery (U.S.) and Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand)
CANNES PREMIERE
“Cow,” Andrea Arnold (U.K.)
“Deception” OR “Tromperie,” Arnaud Desplechin (France)
“Evolution,” Kornél Mundruczo (Hungary)
"Hold Me Tight,” Mathieu Amalric (France)
“In Front of Your Face,” Hong Sang-soo (S. Korea)
"Jane by Charlotte,” Charlotte Gainsbourg (France)
"JFK Revisted: Through the Looking Glass,” Oliver Stone (U.S.)
"Love Songs for Tough Guys,” Samuel Benchetrit (France)
Discover the best award winning movies, TV series, documentaries and reality TV shows on Vuulr.
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Sellers on the online entertainment content marketplace include Sony, Legendary Television, Gaumont, Televisa, Viacom 18, CNN, Caracol, as well as indies creators.
Registered buyers include The Walt Disney Company, Viacom International Media Networks, Turner International Asia Pacific, BBC, Super RTL, Public Media Co Vietnam, Astro, MX Player, UKTV and SBS amongst others.
The company said that licensing transactions on its platform close in 10 days on an average.
Films rights sold on Vuulr included Academy Awards winners.
Emerald Fennell accepts the Oscar® for Original Screenplay during the live ABC Telecast of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021.
credit: Todd Wawrychuk / A.M.P.A.S.
http://photos.presslist.oscars.org/listanevent.php?events=2426.
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Gary Oldman, Mank
Steven Yeun, Minari
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
BEST PICTURE
The Father, David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
Judas and the Black Messiah, Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
Mank, Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
Minari, Christina Oh, Producer
Nomadland, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers
Promising Young Woman, Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
Sound of Metal, Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
The Trial of the Chicago 7, Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Fight for You,” from Judas and the Black Messiah; Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
“Hear My Voice,” from The Trial of the Chicago 7; Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
“Husavik,” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga; Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson
“Io Si (Seen),” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se); Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
“Speak Now,” from One Night in Miami...; Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Da 5 Bloods, Terence Blanchard
Mank, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Minari, Emile Mosseri
News of the World, James Newton Howard
Soul, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
JEAN HERSHOT HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Tyler Perry
FILM EDITING
Yorgos Lamprinos, The Father
Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Frédéric Thoraval, Promising Young Woman
Mikkel E. G. Nielsen, Sound of Metal
Alan Baumgarten, The Trial of the Chicago 7
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Judas and the Black Messiah, Sean Bobbitt
Mank, Erik Messerschmidt
News of the World, Dariusz Wolski
Nomadland, Joshua James Richards
The Trial of the Chicago 7, Phedon Papamichael
PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Father, Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O'Hara and Diana Stoughton
Mank, Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
News of the World, Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
Tenet, Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman, The Father
Amanda Seyfried, Mank
Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari
VISUAL EFFECTS
Love and Monsters, Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
The Midnight Sky, Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
Mulan, Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
The One and Only Ivan, Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
Tenet, Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Collective, Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
Crip Camp, Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
The Mole Agent, Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
My Octopus Teacher, Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Colette, Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
A Concerto Is a Conversation, Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
Do Not Split, Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
Hunger Ward, Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
A Love Song for Latasha, Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Onward, Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
Over the Moon, Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
Soul, Pete Docter and Dana Murray
Wolfwalkers, Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
Burrow, Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
Genius Loci, Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
If Anything Happens I Love You, Will McCormack and Michael Govier
Opera, Erick Oh
Yes-People, Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
Feeling Through, Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
The Letter Room, Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
The Present, Farah Nabulsi and Ossama Bawardi
Two Distant Strangers, Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
White Eye, Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
SOUND
Greyhound, Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
Mank, Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
News of the World, Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
Soul, Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
Sound of Metal, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
DIRECTING
Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round
David Fincher, Mank
Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
COSTUME DESIGN
Emma, Alexandra Byrne
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Ann Roth
Mank, Trish Summerville
Mulan, Bina Daigeler
Pinocchio, Massimo Cantini Parrini
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Emma, Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
Hillbilly Elegy, Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
Mank, Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
Pinocchio, Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami...
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Another Round, Denmark
Better Days, Hong Kong
Collective, Romania
The Man Who Sold His Skin, Tunisia
Quo Vadis, Aida? Bosnia and Herzegovina
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
The Father, Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
Nomadland, Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
One Night in Miami…, Screenplay by Kemp Powers
The White Tiger, Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Judas and the Black Messiah, Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
Minari, Written by Lee Isaac Chung
Promising Young Woman, Written by Emerald Fennell
Sound of Metal, Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
The Trial of the Chicago 7, Written by Aaron Sorkin
It was a twin event Thursday, 22nd April 2021, at the cosy Santiago Milano Hotels & Suites Amuwo- Odofin, Lagos, when Angel Group of companies, makers of the popular Adonko Bitters flew in from the Group's base in Ghana to meet with their loyal distributors and customers in Nigeria who have over the years ensured that the brand was never absent from shops and shelves in the country.
The Adonko makers also used the opportunity to announce the rebranding of the Bitters.
Notedly, Adonko is the favourite Bitters among Bitters lovers in Nigeria because of its unique taste, quality and its natural ingredients content.
Stakeholders present at the event agreed that Adonko remains the Bitters to beat.
Mr.Samuel Kofi Acheampong, son of Adonko Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Angel Broadcasting Network and Group Managing Director of the Angel Group, Ghana, thanked distributors, consumers and everyone that have kept faith with Andoko all these years
He told distributors that they would be rewarded with mouth- watering incentives to further encourage them.
Acheampong apologised for the breakdown in supply chain and logistics, saying it was caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged border closure in Nigeria.
He was full of effusive praises for Angel's Nigerian partners and holder of sole franchise for Adonko Bitters in the country, the Ekulo Group of companies, for keeping the brand's flag flying in Nigeria.
The Ekulo Group was represented at the event by its General Manager, Mr. Joseph Okonkwo.
Okonkwo commended the distributors for their loyalty and steadfastness despite the harsh economic realities, and for keeping a date with the epochal event.He promised that the Ekolu Group will do its best to reset the supply chain by eliminating the various bottlenecks militating against smooth delivery of the brand.
On his part, Mr. Vincent Opare, Marketing Director of Adonko Bitters pledged to open a communication and feedback channel between the company and the distributors in order to be constantly abreast of their concern.
Mr. Ingram Osigwe, Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of Fullpage Communications, the Advert Agency for Adonko, disclosed that his agency was poised for a mind blowing but creative advert and awareness strategies that will ensure that the brand gets to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria and also counter demarketing schemes of competitors.
As a way of showing gratitude to the distributors, each of them went home with either deep freezer or refrigerator.
The event attracted distributors and consumers of Adonko across the country.
The ambience was gay and enchanting as there were alot of sumptuous meals and choice wines which flowed endlessly.
The country Manager of Adonko, Mr. Ernest Brobbey who gave the votes of thanks told the distributors that he would always be there to cater for their needs and get the necessary feedback.
The 2021 Oscars ceremony begins at 8pm ET Sunday April 25, on ABC, broadcasting live from both Union Station and the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. ABC is extending its coverage of the 2021 Oscars with a pre-show beginning at 6:30pm ET (“Oscars: Into the Spotlight,” hosted by Ariana Debose and Lil Rel Howery) and a post-show airing after the Oscars ceremony (“Oscars: After Dark,” with Colman Domingo and Andrew Rannells).
All three programs — “Oscars: Into the Spotlight,” “The Oscars,” and “Oscars: After Dark” — will be available to watch live via ABC.COM and the ABC app, although you will have to provide a cable subscriber log-in in order to access the live stream. Viewers without cable can tune-in by subscribing to a variety of platforms that carry ABC, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV, and FuboTV.
Sir Philip Anthony HopkinsCBE deserves the #Oscar for Best Actor for his astonishing leading role of "Anthony" in Florian Zeller's "The Father".
A classic psychopathethic drama on dementia.
The Synopsis:
Almost 80, mischievous, caustic, and defiantly living alone, Anthony rejects each and every hired caretaker that his daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman), lovingly introduces. Anne is desperate for help. She can’t make daily visits anymore, and Anthony’s grip on reality is unraveling. Given the ebb and flow of his memory, how much of his own identity and past can he cling to? Anne grieves the loss of her father as he lives and breathes before her—but doesn’t she have the right to live her own life?
