• World’s second biggest film industry is looking to crossover globally
• Increased focus on production value, films made for cinema, and taking Nollywood to the rest of the world
• Afolayan, Kelani, Emelonye, Nnaji, Nouah and more weigh in on Nollywood’s history, appeal and future
Nollywood, a new documentary premiering on Al Jazeera English on Tuesday, 28 July 2015 at 21:00 WAT, is an insider look at Nigeria’s prolific film industry, which makes more films than Hollywood – 50 a week. Only India’s Bollywood makes more.
Among others, Nollywood interviews leading directors James Omokwe, Kunle Afolayan, Mildred Okwo, Obi Emelonye, Stanlee Ohikhuare, Tunde Kelani, and Udoka Oyeka, as well as acclaimed actors Bimbo Manuel, Genevieve Nnaji, Joke Silva, Kiki Omeili, Mercy Johnson, Olu Jacobs and Ramsey Nouah.
Traditionally Nollywood films were made for as little as $10 000, then released on DVD and sold cheaply on the streets, reaching audiences of millions. Since Living in Bondage kick-started the sector in 1992, Nollywood has developed into a $5.1 billion dollar industry, with roughly two billion viewers around the world.
“In Nigeria, and in the rest of Africa, people watch Nollywood before watching an American blockbuster,” says Victor Okhai, director of the International Film and Broadcast Academy Lagos. “In France, they would watch Hollywood before they would watch French films. In Germany, they watch Hollywood before they watch German films. And so on. What we’ve demonstrated here is that with powerful storytelling we’ve been able to conquer what none of the others have been able to do.”
