Nollywood celebrated filmmaker, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen is poised to raise the bar. He’s currently making global statements with his latest feature film entitled, Home in Exile.
The big budget film which made headlines when it was nominated in the official selection at the Carlow Film Festival, Ireland, late last year was screened recently in Lagos, amid applause.
Speaking on the success of the film that is only out in cinemas, Imasuen, with over 100 Nollywood movies to his credit as a director, said the movie tells the true Nigerian story of hard work and perseverance.
“Home in Exile”, according to him, was shot last year and premiered first at the Odeon Cinema, London. The world premiere was graced by both Nollywood and Hollywood stars and it was well-attended.
At the screening of the film in Lagos, Imasuen said, “It’s our own little way of helping to rebrand and reposition the battered image of Nigeria. Parents and their children, especially those living abroad, have a lot to learn from this interesting movie.”
He also hinted that plans are underway to premiere the movie in the United States, Senegal and other African countries.
Imasuen, a proud promoter of Edo language movies, maintained that his latest movie would not be released on the shelves now, adding that he hopes to allow movie buffs have a taste of it first, through the cinemas.
“This is a new era and we are following global best practices inherent in the film world. We want to change a lot of bad practices in Nollywood with Home in Exile and that we have already started this 2010. Our being selected for the Carlow Film Festival was because we shot a very good movie and strictly adhered to global best practices in the film world. For us, that is a huge plus for Nollywood,” he said.
Continuing, Imasuen, the award winning director of several popular Nollywood movies like Issakaba, Last Burial, Ebuwa and a host of others, disclosed that his career as a film maker resolves around using the big screen to address problems that affect the society.
Home in Exile is a movie that captures a community adrift for lack of effective leadership.‘The experience of Nigerians as exemplified in the movie can only be summed up in one line- Nigerians are at Home but in reality, they are living in Exile in their own country. Nigerians are captives in freedom. Home in Exile is a mirror through which Nigeria should look at itself.” stressed Imasuen.
