[b]"It's a paradox. As cinemas close across Africa, homegrown blockbusters are actually eclipsing Hollywood on the African market as for the first time in 13 years an African feature competes for the top award at Cannes.

This weekend, "A Screaming Man" by Chad director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun joins 18 other movies selected to contend for the prestigious Palme d'Or, awarded May 23 at the close of the 12-day film festival.

Yet cinemas across the continent are pulling down screens, converted to pentecostal churches, night clubs or warehouses.

The average rate of closure is estimated at one a month - an endemic trend blamed on ticket prices too high for the average African as well as on the proliferation of cheap pirated DVDs at any street corner.

Around 50 cinemas remain in business - most in South Africa and Kenya with a few in Nigeria - thanks to mushrooming city shopping malls.

In Ivory Coast, west Africa's cultural crossroads, "cinema is dying, if it is not dead already", said award-winning producer Roger Gnoan M'Bala.

In Senegal, home to some of the continent's most renowned early filmmakers such as the late Ousmane Sembene, cinemas have all but shut down. "Senegal is one big black screen," said local weekly La Gazette.

A vestige of film resistance in West Africa is the Oscars' equivalent, FESPACO, Africa's biggest film festival held every two years in Burkina Faso.

But Africa's most populous country Nigeria 18 years ago burst into production with affordable movies now shot with digital cameras that shun the more expensive classical 35mm format.

Known as Nollywood, the Nigerian movie industry has in recent years galloped ahead of Hollywood to be ranked second in the world in production terms after India's Bollywood.

A UNESCO study last year placed Nollywood second to Bollywood in terms of the numbers of films produced, with Hollywood trailing in third position. In 2006 for example, Nigeria churned out 872 productions against 485 in the United States.

Film-makers say the digital camera has helped boost African film production, with Nigerians releasing what some dub "microwave" movies that can be ready in under a month.

Nollywood "has taken over completely" from Hollywood, said Nigeria's film producer and director Teco Benson, saying it is the latest "superpower" in the movie industry.

"It's Africa's new rebranding tool".

The good news is that African film-lovers go for Nollywood.

"Africans watch more Nollywood than Hollywood," commented another local director and producer Zeb Ejiro.

Most Nollywood movies depict societal ills - corruption, fraud, drugs and human trafficking, love triangles and witchcraft - and almost all go for happy endings.

One reason for Nollywood's popularity lies with South Africa-based pay television MultiChoice. It has four 24-hour channels dedicated to African content, predominantly Nigeria productions. Two of the channels run movies in two of Nigeria's main languages, Yoruba and Hausa.

But in poor neighbourhoods, shacks with old TV screens placed on dusty alleys or verandas pass for video viewing centres. Bootleg copies sell for a couple of dollars across the continent.

In central Africa, Nollywood movies are the only ones sold by market vendors as "African movies", with the Nigerian productions dubbed into French in such countries as Cameroon and Gabon.

In Kenya, Nigerian films are also a hit - many of them broadcast on terrestrial networks - but face competition from Bollywood due to a historic large Indian population in the eastern African country.

Nollywood films are also immensely popular in Sierra Leone, to the extent of choking the growth of the country's own movie industry, said Thomas Jones, a radio play scriptwriter.

"Nollywood has hampered the growth of the local film market because my contemporaries have just resigned themselves to watching these films from Nigeria," he said.

More affluent South Africa on the other hand has seen a growth in its movie sector since the end of apartheid, and Neill Blomkamp's science fiction "District 9" was this year nominated for an Oscar.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nollywood is "very popular on television" after being dubbed into the local Lingala dialect, according to Petna Ndaliko, a local organiser of the five-year film festival in the eastern town of Goma.

And even in the tiniest of African countries such as Gambia, "Nollywood is ahead of Hollywood", said Nigerian businessman Barnabas Eset, who since 2000 has been renting out both Nollywood and Hollywood movies."[/b]
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/nigerias-nollywood-eclipsing-hollywood-in-africa-1974087.html

Nollywood films are being sold in landmarks retail establishments in the western hemisphere such as 7-Eleven stores. Indeed the Nigerian movie industry has derived mass appeal in Africa and among the African Diaspora. Young first and second generation African immigrants in the west are introducing their high school mates, universities, and graduate school colleagues to the Nollywood phenomenon. It is no secret that this movie industry has warmed up the hearts of other Africans to be more understanding of Nigerians and the baggage that we present. One could argue that Nollywood stars such as Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Sam Efe Loco, and Nkem Owoh have unwittingly promoted Nigeria and Africa positively like other cultural educational entertainment icons such as Fela and 2Face Idibia.

Despite the aforementioned strides, the responsibilities on the shoulders of Nollywood cinematography are enormous. As the largest Black owned, controlled, and sponsored vessel to depict African and Black culture, education, and entertainment, the onus on them is great. The reality is that the Nigerian and Ghanaian movie industry and their tributaries surpass the reach of Black Entertainment Television BET, Centric TV, and TV One which are African American mass media enterprises that are located in the United States. Ironically, Nollywood might be unconscious of their exposure and conscientiousness in the global market. Otherwise how do they explain characters that only preach against piracy while completely ignoring the issues of parental and viewers rating systems? Some of us in the African Diaspora who are eager to introduce our children to African cultures think it is unwholesome for us to watch actors with limited acting skills resulting to gimmicks such as racial and sexual expletives. These words are used especially to pad their way through roles, without warning to the audience and devoid of context. Whatever happening to saying Waka, Shege, u de bonbonro cigar? Have we lost these Pidgin English lingos that were used to convey rage and jest some years ago?


Indeed some of us in the African Diaspora are of the view that using the N-word and I wana wana language does not serve the image of the industry and deviates from the foundations of Nollywood. We want to see the African movie business take up issues of corruption, impunity, transparency, poverty, tribalism, injustice, self-hate, religious intolerance, racism, ineptitude governance that have bedeviled most people of black hue for centuries. African cinema needs to challenge Hollywood racism, stereotypes, biases, and prejudices that have been ingrained in the psychics of millions worldwide through the Minstrel Shows of the 1940-50's and the Tarzan movies. The Minstrel shows had depictions of black and white people painting their faces as black as coal to lampoon African descendents in a cesspool of racism. In the nearly 100 Tarzan movies the systematic themes are so repulsive in their sustenance of European and white hegemony.

There ought to be the green lighting of more progressive and socially conscious projects between the Africans in Nollywood and the African Diaspora. These strategies can encourage projects springing up between the African motion picture industries and the likes of Shari Carpenter, Spike Lee, Marlies Carruth, Tyler Perry, Ayoka Chenzira, and Robert Townsend. Hopefully Ice Cube can also come on board and stop making caricatures of Africans in his movies – “I don't get gig with that shit.” In the same vein Usher Raymond and Alicia Keys will not soil a beautiful music video like My Boo with a trigger motion when African cab drives in the United States have been on the receiving end of senseless violence. Anyway the foray into cooperative work and responsibility will help heal the mindset of numerous Africans in the Diaspora. When black children in the United States are called Africans in school they will stop recoiling and thinking/feeling it is an insult worst than even the N-word. For example, discredited Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain and US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will rather submit themselves to a “high tech lynching” than get caught answering African Americans. Cooperation between Nollywood and the African Diaspora may also lead to some dynamics in which our African American relatives whose economic might is among the top ten in the world, become partners in our attempts to rid the African continent of our corrupt and ineffective regimes.

Moreover, the potentials are enormous for Nollywood if they decide to form these strategic and tactical alliances. There is going to be tremendous improving in the writing expertise and film productions of the African originated and lead industry. Nollywood will expand to include graphic and computer animations to counteract the downbeat influences of Hollywood on our children. African Diasporas in Europe, Asia, South America, Antarctica, and North America are sources of cultural infusion and technological knowledge that can sustain Nollywood for ages. One of the goals of the movie business in Africa should be to broaden their reach and improve societies along the way with peoples originated progressive messages. Instead of pursing the lifestyles of African dictators, Hollywood skewed glamour, and the so-called African corrupt elites (alias the 1%), their goals should be the systemic reintegration of the worldwide cultural lenses with media voices that are affordable to ordinary people. It is imperative for Nollywood to be at the apex of challenging what Bob Marley called Mental Slavery and what Fela termed Colonial Mentality

What I find really amazing is how Nollywood is influencing speech, dress and behaviour in other parts of Africa.  Nigerian/West African attires are increasingly popular in East and Southern Africa due to AfricaMagic and Nollywood DVDs. This is creating new business opportunities for the Nigerian fashion industry.

You see and hear kids in Nairobi, Kampala and Lusaka imitating naija pidgin and listening to P-Square, Dbanj and Tuface, a vivid demonstration of the cultural impact of Nollywood. 

Nollywood offers the Nigerian government so much potential for cultural diplomacy. But our clueless rulers are too dumb to realize the opportunity.

There are some negatives though. Exported images of 'juju' for love, power, money etc on Nollywood have compounded the idea among some of our fellow Africans that Nigerians are a people seriously into jazz and all that stuff.

Intensity defeats extensity every time! -- Robert Greene.

1 Billion crappy movies, yes. How much revenue?? Go figure.

Yaaaaawwnnnnnn. First it was crappy nigerian music surpassing american music, now it is crappy nollywood surpassing hollywood. Only in Nigeria, Only in NIGERIA, only on NAIRALAND!

Travel around Africa and see for yourself.

Intensity defeats extensity every time! -- Robert Greene.

1 Billion crappy movies, yes. How much revenue?? Go figure.

Spot on!!!! You couldnt put it any better!!!

Travel around Africa and see for yourself.

You could be right about the influence of Nollywood in Africa but please seperate Naija Pop for Nollywood (meaning seperate Music from Movies)

The Nigerian music industry showed not only maturity but a lot of creativity thats why US Hip Hop stars are now trying to use the creativity of Nigerians, but the Movie industry lacked everything but very good at stealing other peoples idea

There is so much money ready to be made if the government can cash in on the opportunities in the movies and music industries

Really

I must be out of touch.
I live here in Lagos, but I can't remember the last time I sat through a Nollywood movie.
Last time must be around 2003!

Maybe it's time to reassess Nollywood.

@omar22 please which US Hip Hop artist is trying to use the 'creativity' of nigerian artist.
LooooooooooooooooooooooooL
Many people are just living in fantasy in Nigeria afterall. American acts dont even know nigerian artist exist apart from FELA or you are counting dbanj running to kanye west to pay for hype

Nigeria and Nigerians are so full of lies and propaganda. Instead of them to commit their effort to producing quality, they produce crap and try to do propaganda.

1. Nigeria does not do movies. They do home videos. There is a big difference. So please stop saying we have a movie industry not to talk of competing with Holywood.
2. Nigerians dotn even watch the so called crap. The highest selling movies in Nigeria right now are American series like 24, Legend of the Seeker, Spactarcus and Pillars of the earth. Nollywood is crap that only a few illiterates watch.
3. The problem is not money because I have many of these guys as friends. Amata was given $500, 000 to shoot Amazing Grace and he still produced a sub-standard crap. If you give a Director money to produce movie, he will first remove his share which can be as much as 60 percent of the whle money before he does anything. We are not ready for serious business
4. A typical Nigerian home video does not sell more than 20, 000 copies. Go find out. Ghana movies have taken over because they are far better
4. All the movies we produce in a year does not gross as much revenue as 1 regular Hollywood movie

We are just blowing hype here in Naija. We should stop deceiving ourselves and start building a new future

The title of this thread is "Nigeria's Nollywood Eclipsing Hollywood In Africa "

It is not 'Nollywood vs Hollywood'.

I want to believe that we are not illiterates here and can understand the topic under discussion properly.

I suggest we stick strictly to the topic

Unless some peeps have other agendas and (as usual) simply want to hijack this thread to vent their ignorance and bigotry.


Now back to the topic at hand - any one with insights or personal observations of the growing influence and popularity of Nollywood in Africa?

haha yeah right and brittany spears is a virgin

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preach preacher. I wonder which dumb punk wrote this piece of crap thread. Check the top 1 million movies if any Nigerian film is there. Home video refers to movies shot by amateurs in their homes that what you say competes with Hollywood. I dey laff. Piece of crap movies watched by people of lesser minds. Yeah i said it. [quote][/quote]

I think Nollywood has a long way to go yet.

[img]http://s01.flagcounter.com/count/7uR/bg=FFFFFF/txt=FFFFFF/border=FFFFFF/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/pageviews=0[/img][img]http://s10.flagcounter.com/count/oH/bg=FFFFFF/txt=FFFFFF/border=FFFFFF/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/pageviews=0[/img][img]http://2.s01.flagcounter.com/count/7uR/bg=FFFFFF/txt=FFFFFF/border=FFFFFF/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/pageviews=0[/img]

i guess as always some people have to come here and shoot off their mouth without thinking deeply.

dmainboss:

Nigeria and Nigerians are so full of lies and propaganda. Instead of them to commit their effort to producing quality, they produce crap and try to do propaganda.

1. Nigeria does not do movies. They do home videos. There is a big difference. So please stop saying we have a movie industry not to talk of competing with Holywood.
2. Nigerians dotn even watch the so called crap. The highest selling movies in Nigeria right now are American series like 24, Legend of the Seeker, Spactarcus and Pillars of the earth. Nollywood is crap that only a few illiterates watch.
3. The problem is not money because I have many of these guys as friends. Amata was given $500, 000 to shoot Amazing Grace and he still produced a sub-standard crap. If you give a Director money to produce movie, he will first remove his share which can be as much as 60 percent of the whle money before he does anything. We are not ready for serious business
4. A typical Nigerian home video does not sell more than 20, 000 copies. Go find out. Ghana movies have taken over because they are far better
4. All the movies we produce in a year does not gross as much revenue as 1 regular Hollywood movie

We are just blowing hype here in Naija. We should stop deceiving ourselves and start building a new future

i mean seriously who wrote this scrap?
i had recourse to watch some nollywood movies recently and i had to commed them alot,i had to write a review for a wbsite and i watched Kunle Afolyan's "Figure", Tade Ogidan's "Madam Dearest" and i could not but praise almost all aspects of the production, right to to the plot, camera shots etc. SO praise them and patronise them, its not like you even know how to handle a camera. nonsense

dmainboss:

Nigeria and Nigerians are so full of lies and propaganda. Instead of them to commit their effort to producing quality, they produce crap and try to do propaganda.

1. Nigeria does not do movies. They do home videos. There is a big difference. So please stop saying we have a movie industry not to talk of competing with Holywood.
2. Nigerians dotn even watch the so called crap. The highest selling movies in Nigeria right now are American series like 24, Legend of the Seeker, Spactarcus and Pillars of the earth. Nollywood is crap that only a few illiterates watch.
3. The problem is not money because I have many of these guys as friends. Amata was given $500, 000 to shoot Amazing Grace and he still produced a sub-standard crap. If you give a Director money to produce movie, he will first remove his share which can be as much as 60 percent of the whle money before he does anything. We are not ready for serious business
4. A typical Nigerian home video does not sell more than 20, 000 copies. Go find out. Ghana movies have taken over because they are far better
4. All the movies we produce in a year does not gross as much revenue as 1 regular Hollywood movie

We are just blowing hype here in Naija. We should stop deceiving ourselves and start building a new future

thank u very much God bless u for this ting u have just said

anonymous6:


Nollywood "has taken over completely" from Hollywood, said Nigeria's film producer and director Teco Benson, saying it is the latest "[b]superpower" in the movie industry.

Naija & their love for grandiloquent expressions.If it's not Giant of. . .It's Ultramodern.Now it's Superpower.Oma se o!That being said,yes it is true Nollywood has almost eclipsed Hollywood in Africa & making waves elsewhere in the globe.With better scripts,production & acting the industry will grow astronomically in the years ahead

Happy to read it. We will achieve the animation field soon.

dmainboss said

Nigeria and Nigerians are so full of lies and propaganda. Instead of them to commit their effort to producing quality, they produce crap and try to do propaganda.

1. Nigeria does not do movies. They do home videos. There is a big difference. So please stop saying we have a movie industry not to talk of competing with Holywood.
2. Nigerians dotn even watch the so called crap. The highest selling movies in Nigeria right now are American series like 24, Legend of the Seeker, Spactarcus and Pillars of the earth. Nollywood is crap that only a few illiterates watch.
3. The problem is not money because I have many of these guys as friends. Amata was given $500, 000 to shoot Amazing Grace and he still produced a sub-standard crap. If you give a Director money to produce movie, he will first remove his share which can be as much as 60 percent of the whle money before he does anything. We are not ready for serious business
4. A typical Nigerian home video does not sell more than 20, 000 copies. Go find out. Ghana movies have taken over because they are far better
4. All the movies we produce in a year does not gross as much revenue as 1 regular Hollywood movie

We are just blowing hype here in Naija. We should stop deceiving ourselves and start building a new future

You're a compound ignoramus with no brain. Worthless self-hating loser peddling falsehoods. Mind you don't choke on your inferiority complex.

How could you talk stup!dly at someone for saying the truth and the obvious. Why not go back to the zoo or gutter where you belong.

For the benefit of the very numerous illiterates surfacing on this thread.

Once more, the title of this thread is "Nigeria's Nollywood Eclipsing Hollywood In Africa " and not 'Nollywood vs Hollywood' per se.

If you have any useful comments to make about the growing influence and popularity of Nollywood in Africa, please share.

Otherwise, kindly carry your ignorance, illiteracy, inferiority complex, self-hatred and bigotry elsewhere.

Seriously i think some haters are really showing up on this thread in the quest to hijack it(other nationalities but wouldnt start mentioning names), i'll advice u 2 go hug a transformer if u so much have bitter beef for NOLLYWOOD!, C'est fini

Seriously i think some haters are really showing up on this thread in the quest to hijack it(other nationalities but wouldnt start mentioning names), i'll advice u 2 go hug a transformer if u so much have bitter beef for NOLLYWOOD!, C'est fini

Look no further. Nollywood is here to take over the diaspora with the Nollywood Cinema Series by Snapflix
Check out www.snapflix.net

IbakaTv (www.ibakatv.com) a subsidiary of ibakaentertainment, see www.ibakaentertainment.com is a registered coy that promotes and stream African and Nollywood Movies for FREE online on our youtube channels, www.youtube.com/mynaijalove and wwwyoutube.com/yorubamagic,respectively.
DARASIMI, is currently showing and it's certainly a movie to watch by all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5EwjLADDqU&list=UUOiaI7NnOF5QZQwjDTNkXXA&index=2&feature=plcp