12-22-2021, 12:10 PM
(seen on Kanopy)
Nigeria's film industry in Lagos (largest city in all of Africa) is reputed to be the 3rd biggest after Hollywood and Bollywood. This is stated in this documentary released in 2008. Chollywood might have muscled it out of third by now. Regardless, Nollywood's standing requires a caveat. Lagos is largely a slum, and movies made there are of a type. There are three cinemas in Lagos, and none of those will stoop to show Nollywood films. Yet Nollywood films are hugely popular. They're made in a matter of days, copied onto VCDs or somesuch media, and sold on the street, in small shops, or through churches.
They are often morality tales blending witchcraft and Christianity -- essentially old and new traditions in conflict.
The makers of these movies are on a tight schedule. They must complete a movie within a few days to make a small profit that allows them to continue to make movies -- sort of a vicious circle that prevents any big investment in a film project that might garner international attention.
Still, it's a fascinating dynamic. Early on they had theaters and would watch foreign fare. Charlton Heston even came to Lagos to give a talk. But when the economy cratered, Nigerians couldn't afford to go to the theater. But the desire was still there, and a movie-making cottage industry took off. The films largely succeeded by being about Nigerians dealing with their everyday problems and concerns. (To hell with foreigners and foreign films.) So it has worked out very well for them.
Still, this is a very sobering documentary, with so many people living in the slums in abject poverty.
Doing a google search, I see that there is another documentary, This Is Nollywood (2008). But it's not nearly as high-rated as this one. So if you're roaring to get your Nollywood fix, go with this one.
Nigeria's film industry in Lagos (largest city in all of Africa) is reputed to be the 3rd biggest after Hollywood and Bollywood. This is stated in this documentary released in 2008. Chollywood might have muscled it out of third by now. Regardless, Nollywood's standing requires a caveat. Lagos is largely a slum, and movies made there are of a type. There are three cinemas in Lagos, and none of those will stoop to show Nollywood films. Yet Nollywood films are hugely popular. They're made in a matter of days, copied onto VCDs or somesuch media, and sold on the street, in small shops, or through churches.
They are often morality tales blending witchcraft and Christianity -- essentially old and new traditions in conflict.
The makers of these movies are on a tight schedule. They must complete a movie within a few days to make a small profit that allows them to continue to make movies -- sort of a vicious circle that prevents any big investment in a film project that might garner international attention.
Still, it's a fascinating dynamic. Early on they had theaters and would watch foreign fare. Charlton Heston even came to Lagos to give a talk. But when the economy cratered, Nigerians couldn't afford to go to the theater. But the desire was still there, and a movie-making cottage industry took off. The films largely succeeded by being about Nigerians dealing with their everyday problems and concerns. (To hell with foreigners and foreign films.) So it has worked out very well for them.
Still, this is a very sobering documentary, with so many people living in the slums in abject poverty.
Doing a google search, I see that there is another documentary, This Is Nollywood (2008). But it's not nearly as high-rated as this one. So if you're roaring to get your Nollywood fix, go with this one.
