Poetry in Motion Picture

One of the best scenes from my documentary film, "Lagos in Motion".

Featuring two of the most beautiful actresses in #Nollywood, international beauty pageant queen @celinaideh and @nunuojong at the Elegushi beach in #Lekki during the first phase of the principal photography in 2016.

I call my style of filmmaking, "Poetry in Motion Picture".

Filmmaking is the art of storytelling in motion picture.
The Art of filmmaking is the horse pulling the cart which is the craft of filmmaking.
Not every filmmaker is an artist.
The greatest filmmakers are artists.
Ask James Cameron.
Ask Steven Spielberg.
Ask Spike Lee.
Ask Francis Ford Coppola
Ask Quentin Tarantino
Ask Woody Allen
Ask Oliver Stone
Ask Clint Eastwood
Ask Martin Scorsese
Ask Sofia Coppola
Ask Sir Steve Rodney McQueen and coming home to Nigeria:
Ask Dr. Ola Balogun
Ask Femi Odugbemi
Ask CJ "Fiery" Obasi.

#filmmakers
#Filmmaking
#art
#poetry
#horse
#cart
#motionpicture
#Lagos
#Lekki
#elegushibeach
#documentaryfilm
#documentary
#photography
#cinematography
#Nollywood
#spielberg
#coppola
#tarantino
#scorsese
#spikelee
#jamescameron
#clinteastwood
#stevemcqueen
#woodyallen
#sofiacoppola

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series,
The first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry published since 2013.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Co14SjNo5EY/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria : Citizens’ Participation in Good Governance in Nigeria

 

PRESS RELEASE

Citizens’ Participation in Good Governance in Nigeria

The Catholic Church continues to insist that government has a constitutional and statutory duty of protecting human rights and securing basic justice for all

ABUJA, Nigeria, February 16, 2023/ -- A Communiqué issued at the end of the First Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the CSN Resource Centre, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Durumi, Abuja, 11 to 17 February 2023. 1. PREAMBLE We, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, held our First Plenary Meeting for the year at the CSN Resource Centre, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Durumi, Abuja, from 11 to 17 of February 2023. Having prayerfully reflected on issues affecting the Church and the Nigerian State, we now issue this Communiqué: 2. INDICES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE The Catholic Church continues to insist that government has a constitutional and statutory duty of protecting human rights and securing basic justice for all. Society, as a whole, is responsible for building up the common good, and the role of government is to guarantee the minimum conditions that make human rights and justice possible. If the primary purpose of party campaigns is to win elections, then the justifiable end is good governance. Chapter IV of our Constitution on Fundamental Rights is very clear on what constitutes an aspect of good governance, namely, protection of the rights to life, human dignity, liberty, fair hearing, and so on. Despite the many failures of our leaders to ensure good governance, we still nurture and sustain the hope of a democracy that will usher in a renewed era of social justice, equity, peace, and prosperity. These fundamental rights are further enhanced in the rights that are enshrined in Chapter II of our Constitution, such as the rights to health, education, basic amenities, et cetera. Unfortunately, these rights are not justiciable and cannot be enforced in the law courts, thereby leaving the enjoyment of these rights to the whims and caprices of the people in power. As shepherds, we call for a legislative review of Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution, in such a way as to make the provisions justiciable and enforceable. This will go a long way to nurture and sustain good governance. 3. SOME CHALLENGES FACING OUR COUNTRY i) Worsening Insecurity in our Nation Increased insecurity has continued to haunt our nation. The Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen militia, bandits, and the so-called unknown gunmen have continued to unleash terror in different parts of the country. Some communities have been sacked and their inhabitants displaced as a result of the activities of some criminals and some government security agents. Hundreds of lives have been lost in very brutal circumstances and many more have been maimed. Some of our Church personnel have been victims of abduction and killing. Kidnapping for ransom is on the increase such that nowhere seems safe. Highways, homes, and even the sacred precincts of worshipping centres are not spared. We condole with all the bereaved and pray for the eternal repose of the deceased. While we continue to call on governments to stand up to their primary responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians, we enjoin all to strengthen security measures in their homes and institutions. We call on all citizens to be law-abiding, and vigilant, and to shun all forms of violence and criminality. ii) The Challenging Economy in our Nation and its Effects on the Citizens Our crumbling national economy has continued to make life difficult and hard for our people. As the value of the Naira continues to decline, the high cost of goods and services, including food items, continues to soar. Still more, the flawed implementation of the cash swap policy, which resulted in a cash crunch, has added to the ordeal, hunger, anger, and frustration of the people. Again, on account of the persisting fuel scarcity, our people spend many hours in long queues under harsh conditions trying to buy fuel at exorbitant prices. As a result of high unemployment and hard-biting economic conditions, many of our brothers and sisters wallow in abject poverty, and many either flee the nation in search of better living conditions or resort to crime and begging to survive. This situation is further compounded by the growing debt burden that is mortgaging our future and that of upcoming generations. We, therefore, urge Federal Government and its relevant agencies to immediately increase the circulation of new Naira notes and make and implement adequate monetary and other relevant policies that will reduce the suffering and hardship experienced by our people. We admonish those who collaborate in hoarding the new currency and petroleum products to desist from such a dastardly act. We laud the citizens for their bravery in the face of the hard situation while we thank the President for approving the extended use of the old N200 notes. Furthermore, governments need to provides enabling environment for the creation of more jobs by both the government and the private sector. 4. CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION AND GOOD CHOICES Participation is at the core of the realization of the common good, which good governance serves. Indeed, citizens’ participation is a key element of a good governance structure. We, the Bishops, have continued to voice out the need for Nigerians to be more involved and be part of the decisions over what happens in our society. As enshrined in various sections of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, the right to political participation is a human right. The Church teaches that responsible citizenship is a virtue and participation in the political process is a moral obligation (CCC, nos. 1913-1915). One of the potent instruments of participation in the political life of a country is the choice of its leaders. In the face of the daunting challenges facing our nation, we should not give in to hopelessness and despair, or compromise our values in such a manner as to come up with leaders who are neither intended by God nor truly elected by the people. We, as citizens, must learn to make the right choices for good governance to thrive and be sustained. We, therefore, urge one and all to be more conscious of the kind of choices that they make in their life, especially, as we approach another critical period in our political history. 5.  THE GENERAL ELECTIONS 2023 The 2023 General Elections are around the corner. As we wrote in our recent Pastoral Letter on the 2023 Elections in Nigeria, “these upcoming elections provide us with yet another opportunity in our national history to choose leaders capable of governing for the common good” (p.1). This is now the time to reject evil, greater or lesser, and wisely choose good and capable candidates at all levels. Our votes are precious; we must use them well. We encourage all eligible citizens to come out en masse to vote for God-fearing, honest, vibrant, and transparent leaders for a better Nigeria. We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its officials to ensure that their conducts in the entire electoral process are transparent, honest, and beyond reproach. We continue to enjoin the Commission to make sure that the newly adopted technologies for accreditation, transmission, and collation, are transparently and sincerely deployed and not manipulated to give false results.  We equally call on the law enforcement agents, whose primary duty is to enforce law and order and ensure the protection of persons and materials during the elections, to efficiently and professionally carry out their responsibilities without fear, favour, or partiality. In the same manner, we advise our youths not to allow themselves to be used as thugs and agents of disruption and violence before, during, and after the elections. We, at the same time, enjoin voters to ensure that proper counting is done before the transmission of the results. One ugly and unfortunate phenomenon that has characterized the electoral contests in our nation is that of vote buying and selling, aimed at frustrating and compromising the free choice of the people. We vehemently continue to condemn this practice and urge all politicians and the electorate to avoid this unlawful and sinful practice and embrace the values of human dignity, integrity, and decency in order to have free, fair, and credible elections. We acknowledge the important role of both national and international observers in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and the promotion of its greater openness and transparency. We call on all those engaged in this task to eschew every trace of bias and partisanship in discharging their duties. The Judiciary is an important institution in the settlement of electoral disputes in our nation. The significance of this role has continued to rise to the point that it seems no election is complete and determined without the pronouncement of the courts. Unfortunately, this role sometimes results in the abuse of judicial power and office wherein unconscionable orders are made, which mock the electoral process and the general will of the electorate. No doubt, this not only compromises the essence of democratic competition but also leads to loss of confidence in the Judiciary. We, therefore, encourage all judges and lawyers to, once again see themselves as ministers in the temple of truth and justice, and work to make the Judiciary the ‘last hope of the common man’. 6. THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN GOOD GOVERNANCE The media have a crucial role to play in entrenching good and democratic governance, by providing the necessary information that empowers the citizens not only to engage the political class in debates on the issues that affect their lives, but also, to exercise their democratic choices and make informed decisions about public issues (Inter Mirifica, nn.3-5; Communio et Progressio, n. 87). The Media also function as watchdog by engaging in investigative journalism, which holds political officials and the citizens accountable in the use of public patrimony (Aetatis Novae, n. 14, par. 2). We call on the Media practitioners and owners, not only to seek but to speak the truth with a clear conscience, desisting from the sensational journalism presently being promoted, largely through fake news, violence, inflammatory and divisive remarks. We also urge all citizens to be very discerning and circumspect about news being peddled in the social media. (Pope Francis, Letter to SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communications, 2022). Furthermore, we call upon Governments at all levels to ensure free and independent media that will help to achieve good governance and responsible citizenship. 7. NEWS FROM THE CHURCH We thank God for the successful visits of the Holy Father to the Democratic Republic of Congo, (31 January to 3 February 2023) and South Sudan (3 to 5 February 2023). We hope and pray that these visits will have lasting impact not only on these two nations but on the entire African Continent. In the same vein, we pray for an end to the war in Ukraine and other parts of the world.  We equally pray for the victims of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. With gratitude to God for a life well spent, we remember our Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, who passed on 31 December 2022 and was laid to rest on 6 January 2023. May he continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen. Since our last Plenary Meeting in Orlu, Imo State, in September 2022, the Church in Nigeria has been blessed with two additional Diocesan Bishops, Most Rev. Michael Kalu Ukpong, Umuahia Diocese (installed on 2 February 2023) and Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, Warri Diocese (ordained and installed on 9 February 2023). We felicitate with them and pray for the grace to shepherd the flock of God entrusted to their pastoral care. In the same vein, we thank the Holy Father for creating Wukari Diocese on 14 December 2022 and congratulate Msgr. Mark Maigida Nzukwein, appointed as its pioneer Bishop. We look forward to his Episcopal Ordination on 13 April 2023. We equally received with joy, the most recent announcement of the Creation of Aguleri Diocese with Most Reverend Denis Chidi Isizoh as its first Bishop. Furthermore, we rejoice with Most Rev. Peter Kayode Odetoyinbo and the entire Faithful of Abeokuta Diocese on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Erection of their Diocese. Likewise, we are grateful to God for Most. Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos, and the pioneer Bishop of Abeokuta, who recently clocked 25 years in the Episcopate. 8. CONCLUSION: PRAYING FOR FREE, FAIR, AND PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA Providentially, the General Elections 2023 fall within the Season of Lent, which summons us all to repent of our sins, to retreat from our evil ways, and to amend our personal and corporate lives (Matthew 6:1-8; 16-18).  Prominent in the Season of Lent is the demand for more intense prayer, and fasting not only from food and drink but also from the evils that destroy human and social life.  In the spirit of the season, we continue to pray as we say: God our Father, grant us the wisdom to identify what is good and the courage to make the right choices.  As we keep our eyes open and our minds alert, inspire in us the will to vote solely for the common good of our nation; fill our electoral umpires with the spirit of patriotism, justice, and fairness; enable us to embrace and usher in a new dawn in our country Nigeria, where citizens’ participation becomes the hallmark of institutional accountability and economic emancipation.  We pray God to bless us with leaders with integrity and nobility while we hope and work for a brighter, more peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.  Mother Mary, Queen of Nigeria, intercede for us. Amen. Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru UGORJI                    Archbishop of Owerri                                                                                                                         President, CBCN          Most Rev. Donatus A. OGUN, OSA Bishop of Uromi      Secretary, CBCN                                                                                                                Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). SOURCE Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)

Why Did "Avatar: The Way of Water" Fail in Nigeria?

Why Did "Avatar: The Way of Water" Fail in Nigeria?

James Cameron's awesome sci-fi epic "Avatar: The Way of Water"  has been a huge box office success, breaking multiple records, and grossing over $2.177 billion worldwide so far. It was the highest-grossing film of 2022, the highest-grossing film of the COVID-19 pandemic era, and the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. But it has failed in Nigeria grossing less than $800, 000 in 7 weeks in the country where "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" has made $2 million so far.
Why?

Poor marketing and publicity caused the failure of "Avatar: The Way of Water" in Nigeria in competition with the highest grossing Nigerian movie, Funke Akindele's " The Battle on Buka Street" that has grossed over $1 million so far in 7 weeks.

Both the local and international film distributors failed in the marketing and publicity of "Avatar: The Way of Water" in Nigeria.

General poor marketing and publicity have caused many Nigerian and foreign movies to bomb in Nigeria and not because there are not enough cinemas in the most populous country in Africa.
If "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" can make $2 million in 12 weeks in Nigeria, then "Avatar: The Way of Water" should have made over $1 million by now.

#Avatar
#avatarthewayofwater
#jamescameron
#blackpanther
#blackpantherwakandaforever
#boxoffice
#bomb
#filmdistributors
#movies
#Hollywood
#Nollywood
#cimemas
#film
#nigeria
#marketing
#media
#entertainment
#publicity
#success
#water
#africa
#covid

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/michaelchimaeyerengozi_michael-ekenyerengozi-on-instagram-why-activity-7028882950041579520-2rXV?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

Idris Elba To Build Film Studios in Ghana To Attract Hollywood

Famous British actor and director, Idris Elba recently met with the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House, during his visit to Ghana.

During the meeting with the President of Ghana discussed building a film studio in the country. 

He also urged the president to create favorable policies for filmmakers to thrive. 

He noted that he has plans to shoot a movie in Ghana. 

In a video from their meeting that has gone viral on social media, Idris Elba was seen pitching the idea of establishing a film studio in the west African country.

He noted that there is a lot of filmmaking potential that the lack of facilities has stifled. He also spoke about the importance of government policies in boosting the film sector in Africa.

“We’ve studied the models of obviously South Africa’s incredible incentive package, and around Europe, obviously, Greece, Morocco, these are all places where they realize the value of the filmmaking dollar and have brought that policy into play,” he said to the Ghanaian president.

Idris Alba during a meeting with the President of Ghana discussed building a film studio in the country. 

He also urged the president to create favorable policies for filmmakers to thrive. 

He noted that he has plans to shoot a movie in Ghana. 

The blockbuster actor revealed that he has a movie he is currently shooting and would love to shoot some parts of that movie in Ghana. He disclosed that pre-production is set for August, and principal photography would begin in December.

#IdrisElba #Ghana #SouthAfrica #Nigeria #Filmmaking #FilmStudios #filmmakers #movies #actors 

#August #filmindustry

Read more on 

https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/idris-elba-adds-ghana-to-list-of-african-countries-he-wants-to-partner-with/4z27x1x

Netflix Originals Won the Streaming Wars in 2022

Netflix’s "Stranger Things" taking the top slot among all series.

Netflix Originals Won the Streaming Wars in 2022 

#Netflix #streaming #movies #originals #series #viewers #streamingwars

Americans streamed more than 19 million years’ worth of content last year

Streaming services continue to gain momentum as audiences’ favored destination for content, but the past year of viewing behavior illustrates how dramatically content offerings have evolved since Netflix introduced audiences to original programming back in 2013.

Before the debut of House of Cards, the political drama series on Netflix, which was the first TV series to appear exclusively on a streaming service, virtually all other streaming content had been licensed from other sources. Perhaps viewed as an experiment or a risk by some at the time, original content has grown to become a competitive advantage for streaming services, as many original titles attracted viewers to the platforms, and in some cases, they outperformed acquired content.

In total, Americans streamed more than 19.4 million years of content last year, up 27% from about 15 million years in 2021. The increase was driven by the breadth of new and expanded services, coupled by the depth of content—particularly streaming originals. In the years following the arrival of House of Cards, annual viewership reviews would highlight the incredible support that deep libraries of acquired content would provide. That changed in 2022, as viewing minutes for top-performing original content dramatically outpaced top-performing acquired content, with Netflix’s Stranger Things taking the top slot among all series.

Read the full report on 

https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2023/streaming-unwrapped-2022-was-the-year-of-original-content/

Discover Nollywood from the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series on Amazon Books.

Hardcover versions available by special request 

Black History Month 2023

I am keen on organizing the Nigerian premiere of "ALI'S COMEBACK: The Untold Story" to celebrate the Black History Month in Nigeria.

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 

The Black History Month 2023 theme “Black Resistance” explores how “African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings,” since the nation's earliest days.

Black History Month Colors and Their Meanings

Black History Month uses four colors—black, red, green and yellow—to symbolize unity and pride. Each of the four colors has its own distinct meaning and significance.

The colors of Black History Month are also the colors of many African flags which have been derived from the Ethiopian flag as well as the Pan-African flag. Each set has three colors—Ethiopia uses the colors red, yellow and green which are used to represent the rainbow, and the Pan-African flag contains the colors red, black and green.

The Pan-African flag was created in 1920 to represent the unity of African people no matter where they live, and to symbolize Black liberation in the United States. The Ethiopian flag was inspired by the rainbow and is used by several of the other 53 African countries.

color of the luxuriant vegetation of our Motherland."

Black - Represents the resilient people whose existence as a nation is honored and affirmed by the existence of a flag.

Red - Symbolizes the blood of innocent Black lives that has been shed throughout history.

Yellow - Stands for optimism, justice and equality for everyone.

Green - Symbolizes Africa's rich greenery and other natural resources.

Role Playing in Rehearsal for a Crime Drama

Role Playing in Rehearsal for a Crime Drama

Here I am role playing in rehearsal for a dare devil character for a crime drama. 

I used my cellphone to record it yesterday, Wednesday February 2, 2023. 

I am still looking years younger than my age mates after celebrating my Diamond birthday on Monday, January 30.  Psalm 103:5 is my testimony. Almighty God truly renews my youth like the eagle's to fly to higher grounds of greater heights of triumph.

Cheers!

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Thank Very Much Brother Femi

Dear Brother Femi,
I woke up at about 2.10am on my☀️ 💎birthday to receive the first message on my phone. And I am very glad and grateful to Almighty God for giving me this generous gift from your heart. 

It is more than enough for me to cut my first birthday cake with thanks to Almighty God JEHOVAH JIREH for many happier returns for the day with beautiful long life and more prosperity.

Honestly, heaven knows that every seed you have sown into my life since I have known you has yielded a big harvest in my faith and growth.
For the generous gift of a great man is a blessing for greatness.

Thank you very much.
I am forever grateful.

Faithfully,
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima💓💥🌟🎆🏑📽️🎬📸📺🎻📀🎉

#God #JESUSChrist  #HolySpirit #gift #life #love #Birthday #Thanksgivings #celebration #grateful #greatness #happiness #gratitude 

2023 Oscars Nominations

2023 Oscars Nominations: See the Full List

A new class of Oscar nominees has been unveiled. On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with special hosts Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams, announced nominations for the 95th Oscars. Everything Everywhere All at Once is the year's most-nominated film, with 11 total nominations, including Best Picture, Best Directing, and four acting nominations. All Quiet on the Western Front and The Banshees of Inisherin follow with nine nominations apiece.

Winners will be announced during the 95th Oscars on Sunday, March 12. Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the ceremony, which will be televised from the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and air live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

Here is the complete list of nominees in every category:

Best Picture

All Quiet on the Western Front (Netflix)

Malte Grunert, Producer

Avatar: The Way of Water (20th Century Studios)

James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers

The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures)

Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, Producers

Elvis (Warner Bros)

Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, Producers

Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers

The Fabelmans (Universal Pictures)

Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, Producers

Tár (Focus Features)

Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert, Producers

Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)

Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers

Triangle of Sadness (NEON)

Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, Producers

Women Talking (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand, Producers

Actor in a Leading Role

Austin Butler in Elvis

Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin

Brendan Fraser in The Whale

Paul Mescal in Aftersun

Bill Nighy in Living

Actor in a Supporting Role

Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin

Brian Tyree Henry in Causeway

Judd Hirsch in The Fabelmans

Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin

Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett in Tár

Ana de Armas in Blonde

Andrea Riseborough in To Leslie

Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans

Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Actress in a Supporting Role

Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Hong Chau in The Whale

Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin

Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Animated Feature Film

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Joel Crawford and Mark Swift

The Sea Beast

Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger

Turning Red

Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins

Cinematography

All Quiet on the Western Front

James Friend

Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

Darius Khondji

Elvis

Mandy Walker

Empire of Light

Roger Deakins

Tár

Florian Hoffmeister

Costume Design

Babylon

Mary Zophres

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Ruth Carter

Elvis

Catherine Martin

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Shirley Kurata

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Jenny Beavan

Directing

Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures)

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24)

Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans (Universal Pictures)

Todd Field, Tár (Focus Features)

Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness (NEON)

Documentary Feature Film

All That Breathes

Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov

Fire of Love

Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman

A House Made of Splinters

Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström

Navalny

Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris

Documentary Short Film

The Elephant Whisperers

Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga

Haulout

Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev

How Do You Measure a Year?

Jay Rosenblatt

The Martha Mitchell Effect

Anne Alvergue and Beth Levison

Stranger at the Gate

Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones

Film Editing

The Banshees of Inisherin

Mikkel E.G. Nielsen

Elvis

Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Paul Rogers

Tár

Monika Willi

Top Gun: Maverick

Eddie Hamilton

International Feature Film

All Quiet on the Western Front

Germany

Argentina, 1985

Argentina

Close

Belgium

EO

Poland

The Quiet Girl

Ireland

Makeup and Hairstyling

All Quiet on the Western Front

Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová

The Batman

Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Camille Friend and Joel Harlow

Elvis

Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti

The Whale

Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley

Music (Original Score)

All Quiet on the Western Front

Volker Bertelmann

Babylon

Justin Hurwitz

The Banshees of Inisherin

Carter Burwell

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Son Lux

 The Fabelmans

John Williams

Music (Original Song)

"Applause" from Tell It like a Woman

Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

"Hold My Hand" from Top Gun: Maverick

Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop

"Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler

"Naatu Naatu" from RRR

Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose

"This Is A Life" from Everything Everywhere All at Once

Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne

Production Design

All Quiet on the Western Front

Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper

Avatar: The Way of Water

Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole

Babylon

Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino

Elvis

Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn

The Fabelmans

Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O'Hara

Animated Short Film

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud

The Flying Sailor

Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Ice Merchants

João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano

My Year of Dicks

Sara Gunnarsdóttir and Pamela Ribon

An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It

Lachlan Pendragon

Live Action Short Film

An Irish Goodbye

Tom Berkeley and Ross White

Ivalu

Anders Walter and Rebecca Pruzan

Le Pupille

Alice Rohrwacher and Alfonso Cuarón

Night Ride

Eirik Tveiten and Gaute Lid Larssen

The Red Suitcase

Cyrus Neshvad

Sound

All Quiet on the Western Front

Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte

Avatar: The Way of Water

Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges

The Batman

Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson

 Elvis

David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller

Top Gun: Maverick

Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor

Visual Effects

All Quiet on the Western Front

Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar

Avatar: The Way of Water

Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

The Batman

Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick

Top Gun: Maverick

Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

All Quiet on the Western Front

Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Written by Rian Johnson

Living

Written by Kazuo Ishiguro

Top Gun: Maverick

Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks

Women Talking

Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Writing (Original Screenplay)

The Banshees of Inisherin

Written by Martin McDonagh

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

The Fabelmans

Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner

Tár

Written by Todd Field

Triangle of Sadness

Written by Ruben Östlund

TAGS

OSCARS

https://aframe.oscars.org/news/post/2023-oscars-nominations-full-listhttps://aframe.oscars.org/news/post/2023-oscars-nominations-full-list

Partech Africa Report: Resilient African Tech Ecosystem Still Growing with $6.5 Billion Raised in 2022

PRESS RELEASE

Presenting the 2022 Partech Africa Report: Resilient African Tech Ecosystem Still Growing with $6.5 Billion Raised in 2022

Partech Africa, the VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa, has issued its annual report on Africa Tech Venture Capital

DAKAR, Senegal, January 24, 2023/ -- Amid the drastic pullback in global VC funding, the African tech ecosystem stands out with +8% growth from 2021. Debt funding doubled in volume to $1.5B, accounting for nearly a quarter of the total funding. Fintech, still leading, attracted 39% of the total equity volume; Nigeria retained the top spot with 23%

Partech Africa, the VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa, has issued its annual report on Africa Tech Venture Capital. The report, which aims to provide a practical picture of the state of the ecosystem, revealed that despite the global VC downturn, the African tech ecosystem grew faster than all other markets globally. 

Total funding invested into tech startups on the continent reached $6.5B, an increase of 8% vs 2021, spread across 764 deals - compared to 724 rounds in 2021. The report, consisting of disclosed and confidential deals, saw debt funding more than double in volume, reaching $1.55 billion through 71 deals [65% YoY growth]. In comparison, equity rounds showed a slight decline, as 653 African tech startups raised $4.9B [-6%] in 693 equity rounds [2% YoY growth].

Focusing on the equity funding, the report revealed the ecosystem was still accelerating during Q1 and Q2 of 2022 compared to 2021, with the YoY comparison showing Q1 and Q2 at +127% YoY and +83% YoY, respectively. However, the global VC slowdown stifled growth in activity in Q3 [-65% YoY] and Q4 [-35% YoY]. In 2022, fundraising activities remained flat across all stages. At $1.4M, Seed+ ticket sizes averaged higher in 2022 [+12% YoY], while Series A remained the same at $8.5M. Later stages reverted to 2019 levels, as Series B and Growth round sizes dropped by -23% and -50% YoY, respectively. In addition, 2022 witnessed a significant reduction in the number of megadeals [over 100M], with only seven deals compared to 14 in 2021.

Speaking on the launch of the annual report, Tidjane Deme, General Partner at Partech, said: "2022 was a particularly challenging year for the venture ecosystem worldwide, as venture and growth investors scaled back their investment by a third. However, by comparison, our report revealed the African tech ecosystem showed great resilience, as more investors have doubled their commitment to the continent by investing in local teams and funds dedicated to the market, which is proving to be the best way forward.”

Overall, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and Kenya remain the top investment destinations in Africa, with a share of total volume staying relatively steady at 72%. Nigeria retained the top rank, bringing in  $1.2B in capital, despite a decline of 36% from 2021; South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya each attracted over $0.7B in funding, with Ghana completing the top 5 with just over $0.2B. Overall, 28 countries attracted equity funding in 2022, 13 of them in Francophone Africa..

In light of the market downturn, the report’s findings also revealed that Fintech, which has historically attracted sizable investments, was the most impacted by the slowdown in the number of large rounds. However, fintech remains the most funded sector in Africa, and this across all sources of capital, with 39% of the total equity volume [$1.9B] and 45% of the total debt volume [$691M]. Other sectors have experienced substantial growth and gained a meaningful share of the equity funding activity this year, most notably Cleantech, which made a big comeback with 18% of total equity funding at $863M [+347% YoY] but also 39% of the total debt funding at $605M. 

The report's findings also show:

Female-founded startups raised 22% of all equity rounds in 2022, up 2 percentage points from 20% in 2021. They also contributed $644 Million or 13% of the total equity funding, down 3 percentage points from 16% in 2021.

Outside of the top 4 countries, Ghana ($202 million), Algeria ($150 million), Tunisia ($117 million) and Senegal ($105 million) were the only other countries that broke the $100M funding mark.

Despite a slowdown in the growth rate of equity investors, Africa’s tech ecosystem attracted 1,149 unique investors for the first time [+29% YoY in 2021]. African tech has seen more investors committed, with 89 participating in 5 or more deals (compared to 65 investors in 2021).

The number of debt investors active on the continent is growing 2.5x YoY, with a good mix of local debt institutions, international lenders with emerging market vehicles and Development Finance Institutions.

Cyril Collon, General Partner at Partech, added: “Much of our methodology has remained the same over the years, and we, therefore, can provide a snapshot of how the African continent has evolved over the years. Nigerian and the fintech vertical have remained at the top spot; however, in an environment where equity funding is more challenging, debt has proved to be a solid alternative source of African tech startups in 2022, which signals a maturity within each sector.”

Headquartered in Dakar, Partech Africa is the largest VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa. With a focus on Late Seed, Series A and B equity rounds in startups which are changing the way technology is used across multiple sectors, including education, mobility, finance and healthcare, the VC has, to date, invested in 17 African startups, such as Wave (http://bit.ly/3J9lGqy) and TradeDepot (http://bit.ly/3R2IgD9). Using the same methodology as previous years, the seventh Partech Africa annual report on African tech start-ups only includes equity rounds where the total amount is higher than US$200K.

To download the full ‘2022 Africa Tech Venture Capital’ report, click here (https://bit.ly/3R5mChF).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Partech Partners.

For media inquiries:

Isabelle Tresson: +33 7 86 08 85 85

itresson@partechpartners.com

About Partech Africa:

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Partech Africa is the largest VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa. Partech Africa focuses on series A and B equity rounds in startups which are changing the way technology is used in education, mobility, finance, healthcare, delivery, energy, etc.

About Partech:

Born in San Francisco 40 years ago and now headquartered in Paris, Partech is one of the most active tech investors in the world, bringing together capital, operational experience, and strategic support for entrepreneurs at seed, venture and growth stages. The company manages more than €2.5B and its current portfolio includes 210 companies in 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the US.

www.PartechPartners.com

SOURCE

Partech Partners