The magic of African movies

Stevens Muendo and Naliaka Wafula

On this Saturday evening, Nigeria movie stars, producers, directors, distributors and other players in the extensive Nollywood industry are gathered in Victoria Island, Lagos to celebrate their great achievements.

A host of journalists drawn from as far as South Africa, Zambia and Kenya join in the celebrations held at the Eko Hotel, courtesy of Mnet Africa Magic. It’s been five years since the DStv subsidiary channel, Africa Magic went into a 24 hour screening of African movies.

Among the guest in this glamorous occasion is renowned flamboyant actor Desmond Elliot, veteran Nollywood actors Justus Esiri, Ngozita Ezeonu, leading producer and movie director Charles Novia. And this is not an old school affair as tens of young actors and actresses, producers and directors most notably Rukky Sanda, famous for her role in the Nollywood flick Angel And The Beast.

"I have watched Nollywood grow from scratch, move from poorly scripted and shoddy shot home videos to modern world classics now making statements in Europe. I believe, the age has come when Africa can tell its story through the movie industry," says Justus Esiri who acted in Blessed Among Women.

"What makes Nollywood work is the simple fact that we tell African stories in the most simplified way, even the most illiterate can identify with," he adds.

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Nollywood though as Ngozita Ezeonu, one of the top Nollywood actresses confesses.

Building the industry

"It is not easy to build a movie industry. It has taken us a lot of financial risks, determination and goodwill to get this far. It was out of the mistakes we made and the courage that came with a few appreciating us that has got us this far," remarks the actress who ditched her hairdressing career 15 years ago to become an award-winning actress.

"I believe that with time, Kenya will get to this level. We have been having interactive discussions with some of their actors whose work is of great professionalism. Now what they need is support, first from their own people, then from the rest of Africa," adds the actress who says that she is making a living out of acting.

Budding Riverwood is just but a dot of what Nollywood used to be 15 years ago.

According to Ezeonu, Nigerian video movies are now available in even the most remote areas of the country.

Veteran Nollywood producer whose The Bridesmaid and Husband and Wife was well received in Nairobi and sold in thousands in Nigeria has seen it all.

"We have over 300 producers in Nigeria who spend sleepless nights churning out movies. Fifty new titles are delivered to Nigeria shops and stalls every week in form of DVD and VCDs," he discloses.

"The films sell at fair rate and many people are able to access them without having to pirate the original work. In this, the artists are able to make good returns," he says.

It’s through this massive production and following that most television stations in Nigeria opted for local production making the movie stars popular among their fans before breaking through to the rest of Africa.

"It is even more profiting that MNet, through Africa Magic is taking Nollywood to the rest of the world through their 24 hour channel, specially dedicated to African films," notes Novia.

And he adds: "Our biggest strength has been our wide homegrown audience which relates to our scripts as they express traits used in everyday life as opposed to others which are full of western hype. We are now passing this to the next generation of actors and directors, many of whom we have nurtured."

Collaborations

He gives his two cents on Kenya’s industry. " We have interacted with Kenyan producers and what we found they lack was not good ideas but merely the push to go ahead and do it. Nigerian producers are willing to take risks and this has aided the industry"

According to statistics available in the Internet the first Nigerian films were made in the 1960s, but they were frustrated by the high cost of film production.

TV Support

However, television broadcasting in Nigeria began in the 1960s and received government support in its early years. By the mid-1980s every Nigerian State had its own broadcasting station. Law limited foreign television content so producers in Lagos began televising local popular theater productions. Many of these were circulated on video as well, and a small-scale informal video movie trade developed. "We are now working on productions which target young people. With the support we have been getting from sponsors we are able to shoot low cost films which still come with great quality and appeal to our audience," quips Rukky Sanda, one of Nollywood’s youngest producers and actresses.

"We don’t have to hire exotic venues to shot our videos. Most of our productions are done around our surroundings, homes, shopping malls and hotel places. Only a few of them are shot outside the country," adds the charming actress, a Bachelor in Economics graduate.

And Kenya is following suit, although Hollywood productions are still popular, locally made TV series are productions are now threatening to wipe out foreign productions as Kenyans begin to appreciate home grown talent.

Telling stories

MNet Nigeria’s Channel director Biola Adekanbi explains that Africa Magic’s films are predominantly West African because of the size of the industry. "It’s the largest industry, therefore, more movies will come from that based on the landscape," she says.

She says that African movies have given Africans the chance to tell their own stories that’s what’s unique about Africa Magic, it’s made by Africans for Africans."