Nigerian filmmaker Jeta Amata decided to rethink and reshoot his political corruption drama about the volatile oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Black Gold, one of very few recent Hollywood/Nollywood-style collabs starring Mickey Rouke, Vivica Fox and others.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pze3itMFUGs

[img]http://africasacountry.files./2012/02/black-gold.jpg?w=500&h=337[/img]

Pictures from the Screening of the Movie


Don King, Vivica A. Fox and director Jeta Amata




Timi Alaibe, Vivica Fox, King Frank Okurakpo]




[Vivica Fox, Mbong Amata

Access Pollywood: Focus on Nigeria
The Library of Congress celebrated the final day of Black History Month with a screening of Jeta Amata's political film "Black November."

Actress Vivica A. Fox, who stars in the film and Don King stopped by the event, which also featured opening remarks by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.).

"Black November" tells the story of the Niger Delta community's struggle against their own government and a multi-national oil corporation. It also stars Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke and Anne Heche.

Black History Month not only offers the opportunity for Americans to learn about the struggles that many African Americans have had to endure in the past, but the current civil battles being fought around the world. Educating citizens about the many hardships being experienced by the people of foreign countries is a necessary task that will ultimately allow Americans to appreciate their own democratic government. Because of this, The Library of Congress was eager to play Nigerian native Jeta Amata and Captain Hosa Wells Okunbo’s political film, Black November. The film tells the true story of the Niger Delta community’s attempt to challenge its own nation’s government and a multi-national oil corporattion.

Although an estimated 50 percent of Nigeria’s oil exports goes directly to the U.S., few are aware of the hardships that the people of Nigeria are facing due to a substantial amount of oil spills and a lack of government support. To oppose international ignorance and bring attention to Nigera’s opression, Oscar winner Kim Basinger, Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke, Anne Heche, Sarah Wayne Callies and Vivica Fox star in the film.

The screening was recently held in the Madison Building and was hosted by Congressman Bobby L. Rush of Illinois, as well as Amnesty International and the Congressional Black Caucus. Although many other political figures attended the event, boxing promoter, Don King, was the most memorable attendee, as he rallied up the crowd because of his strong belief in the cause.

At the conclusion of the movie, promoters for the film spoke a few words on the severity of Nigeria’s situation and honored and thanked those who participated in Black November‘s production. Following the presentation, the audience was invited to the One Lounge, to join the cast and crew in a toast to the completion and the powerful message of Black November.

DIRECTOR JETA AMATA

Any info on release date ? All I heard was summer.

9 1/2 Weeks reunion! Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger spotted on set of their new film (but look who's aged better...)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2195021/Mickey-Rourke-Kim-Basinger-reunite-set-new-film-Black-November.html#ixzz24uUPUBSl




Tunnel tweet: Mickey tweeted this picture with rappers Akon and Wyclef Jean, as well as his 'Nigerian brothers' on the set last week


Is Jeta Amata Nollywood's gift to Hollywood?

The director is challenging Nigeria's film industry to raise its game by hiring American stars and taking on topical, political themes

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/feb/01/jeta-amata-nollywood-s-gift-to-hollywood

But Amata decided his film was already out of date. "It had to be more current. It had to adhere strictly to what was going on right now – the Arab spring and all that," he tells me. "It was a huge challenge that the Arabs posed to the rest of the world, especially the people in the Niger delta. If they can look at their dictators and say, 'No, we want a change', there's no reason why people in west Africa can't stand up. And it's beginning to happen."

Over six months later, Nigeria is boiling over with protests and extremism, and Amata has a new film. Now retitled Black November (a reference to the month of activist Ken Saro-Wiwa's execution in 1995, and presumably to avoid confusion with Jean-Jacques Annaud's forthcoming oil epic, Amata says he has reshot close to 60% of his film. Sewn on to its original storyline about the effects of a pipeline explosion in the southern city of Warri is another plot strand in which enraged militants take hostages on US soil. Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger and Anne Heche have joined a bulging cast-list that makes New Year's Eve look like an exercise in Beckettian restraint.