The Toronto International Film Festival® today announced Elfike Film Collective’s ‘The Wedding Party’ will premiere on its prestigious opening night as a selection of the Spotlight City to City programme. The premiere scheduled for Thursday, 8th of September 2016 will hold at the historic Elgin Theatre. ALSO READ:Adesua Etomi and Banky W Makes A Perfect Couple In The New Ebonylife Film “The Wedding Party”
The Kemi Adetiba directed romcom stars some of Africa’s biggest stars led by Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Alibaba, Iretiola Doyle, Banky W, and Adesua Etomi, with the stars of the film expected to attend the premiere.
“We are pleased to welcome The Wedding Party by award-winning filmmaker Kemi Adetiba to the Festival, and are proud to present it to a global audience,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival. “Adetiba has delivered an exciting character-driven film on a grand scale, while putting her own unique spin on a familiar genre.”
According to Executive Producer, Mo Abudu “This will be the second time an EbonyLife movie is selected to screen at an International Film Festival of great repute, TIFF’s selection of ‘The Wedding Party’ is a true honour. I can’t think of a better place, or a better global audience for the film’s festival Premiere.”
Written by playwright Tosin Otudeko and Kemi Adetiba, ‘The Wedding Party’ is an Elfike Film Collective production – a first of its kind initiative designed to raise the bar in African storytelling through unrivalled technical achievement in filmmaking and creative media arts. Elfike Film Collective is a collaboration of Africa’s leading powerhouses – EbonyLife Films, FilmOne Distribution, Inkblot Productions and Koga Studios. It is the first time industry giants will partner on a film project and with TIFF’s recognition is proving that Collectives can grow and prosper the continent’s film community.
Set in Lagos, Nigeria, The Wedding Party is the story of Dunni Coker (Adesua Etomi), a 24 year old art gallery owner and only daughter of her parents about to marry the love of her life, IT entrepreneur Dozie (Banky W). The couple took a vow of chastity and is looking forward to a ground-breaking first night together as a married couple.
Alibaba and Sola Sobowale play the role of Dunni’s parents while Iretiola Doyle and Richard Mofe-Damijo play Dozie’s parents. Other notable names in the stellar cast include Zainab Balogun, AY, Beverly Naya, Emma OhMyGod, Lepacious Bose, Somkele Idhalama, Daniella Brown, Ikechukwu Onunaku, Ayo Makun, Enyinna Nwigwe, Kunle Idowu, Sambasa Nzeribe, Hafiz Oyetoro amongst others.
The Wedding Party’ will take guests on a journey to the rockiest wedding day in Nigeria’s history. Wedding guests will have to take their seats and see whether the wedding planner succeeds or if the groom’s ex-girlfriends will disrupt the day’s proceedings. One thing is certain ‘The Wedding Party’ will be the talk of the town.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from the 8th to 18th of September, 2016. The Lagos International Premiere of ‘The Wedding Party’ which will hold at The Landmark Centre in November 2016 and promises to be an unforgettable night of pomp and pageantry.
For more information about The Wedding Party, visit www.theweddingpartymovies.com and be part of the Twitter conversation, follow us @TWPMovie and/ or Instagram @weddingpartymovie. Official hashtag is #TheWeddingPartyMovie.
“Londoner” is an autobiographical film that tells the story of Ayo, a Nigerian bank manager who moves to London to reunite with his family. The film, written and directed by Babatunde Apalowo, recently achieved recognition at the Durban FilmMart. It won the Red Sea Film Fund Award for Best Fiction Feature. This prestigious award came with a cash prize of $5,000.
The Durban FilmMart Institute, which organized the event, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting both local and international trade and investment in African film content. This institute plays a crucial role in showcasing and supporting African filmmakers and their projects.
Babatunde Apalowo, the creative force behind “Londoner,” is a Nigerian film director and screenwriter who has made the United Kingdom his base. His portfolio includes several notable works such as “A Place for Happiness,” “Catcher,” “The Millions,” and “Death for Sale.” Apalowo’s talent received international recognition in 2023 when he won the Teddy Award at the Berlin Film Festival for his queer romance film titled “All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White.”
The 15th edition of the Durban FilmMart, held in South Africa from July 19 to July 22, served as a platform for numerous impressive film projects from across the African continent. It was during this event that “Londoner” received its accolade.
Babatunde Apalowo
Produced by Pamela Drameh and Sarudzayi Marufu, “Londoner” goes into the complex emotions of its protagonist, Ayo. The film follows Ayo’s journey as he arrives in London, expecting to join his family, only to face an unexpected and heartbreaking situation. He discovers that his wife has become emotionally involved with another man and is seeking a divorce, adding a layer of personal turmoil to his already challenging experience of relocating to a new country.
The narrative of “Londoner” draws inspiration from Apalowo’s own experiences as an immigrant in the UK.
The director’s struggle to find a sense of belonging in a foreign land forms the emotional core of the film. In an interview with Variety, Apalowo shared his personal insights, highlighting the stark contrast between Nigeria and London in terms of personal space and social interactions. He poignantly described the loneliness he felt in London, a city where the anonymity and indifference of urban life stood in stark contrast to the close-knit communities he was accustomed to in Nigeria.
“Londoner” marks Apalowo’s second venture into feature filmmaking, showcasing his growth as a director and his ability to translate personal experiences into compelling cinematic narratives. The film’s success at the Durban FilmMart not only recognizes Apalowo’s talent but also brings attention to the important themes of migration, cultural adjustment, and personal relationships that the film explores.
The Durban FilmMart also celebrated other talented filmmakers. Among them were Sean Drummond and Sheetal Magan, who received The Known Inner Circle Award for their South African film “Acts of Man.” This award came with a substantial cash prize of $10,000, further demonstrating the event’s commitment to supporting and promoting African cinema.
Renowned Nigerian filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, is actively searching for suitable locations to bring the next season of his series, “Anikulapo: Rise of the Sceptre,” to life. His vision for the series has expanded beyond Nigeria’s borders. He announced plans to film portions of the show in Ghana back in May 2024.
Afolayan recently shared a series of photographs on social media. He documented his exploration of various locations across the West African country. This strategic move signifies the progressive stages of pre-production as he seeks to capture the perfect backdrop for the series.
A pivotal aspect of this ambitious project involves a partnership with Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante. She is the influential head of Ghana’s National Film Authority. Her expertise and support are instrumental in facilitating this cross-border production and ensuring its success.
“Ghana is calling on the world to come and shoot in Ghana and capture the very beautiful sceneries and facilities Ghana has in their movies,” Asante wrote in an Instagram post to announce Afolayan’s location scouting days ago.
The first season of “Anikulapo: Rise of the Sceptre” was entirely filmed in Nigeria at a film studio Kunle Afolayan owns.
It was in the KAP Film Village in Igbojaye, Oyo State. This massive production involved a cast and crew of 600 people.
The series continues the 2022 Netflix movie, “Anikulapo.” Anikulapo tells the story of Saro, a mysterious stranger who becomes entangled with Queen Arolake. The movie follows their unusual love story.
The series, released in 2024, picks up after the movie’s events. Saro is brought back to life and continues his mysterious ways, while Arolake becomes wealthy but faces new powerful enemies.
The series features a large and talented cast, including well-known actors like Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye, Sola Sobowale, and many others.
The Nigerian box office has seen a shift in leadership this week. The domestic film “What about Us?” directed by Kayode Kasum claims the top spot. This new chart-topper has accumulated an impressive ₦34.7 million since its release, dethroning the Hollywood blockbuster “Bad Boys: Ride or Die“. The latter had dominated the charts since the beginning of the month.
“What about Us?” boasts a star-studded cast featuring Uzor Arukwe, Folu Storms, Kunle Remi, Teniola Aladese, Seyi Awolowo, Marycolette Unamka, and Atlanta Bridget Johnson. The film’s success was particularly notable in its opening weekend. It raked in ₦24 million, according to a report published by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) on July 20, 2024.
The report covers the box office performance from July 12 to July 18, 2024.
Also, it reveals a competitive landscape in Nigerian cinemas. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, now occupies the second position with earnings of ₦33.6 million.
Close on its heels is the Hollywood horror sci-fi “A Quiet Place: Day One,” written and directed by Michael Sarnoski. This film secured the third spot with ₦30.3 million. This brings its total gross to an impressive ₦109.2 million. The Nollywood epic crime thriller “Lakatabu,” helmed by Odunlade Adekola, holds the fourth position with ₦22.1 million for the week. It pushed its total earnings since its June 21, 2024 release to over ₦156 million.
The animated realm continues to perform well. “Despicable Me 4” maintains its fifth-place position. This American animated comedy which Universal Pictures and Illumination produced, added ₦13.8 million to its coffers. With this, it reached a total gross of ₦40 million.
Another strong performer is Biodun Stephen’s “Muri and Ko.” The movie amassed ₦120.4 million since its June 14, 2024 release. It currently sits in sixth place, having earned ₦12.3 million during the week in question. Disney’s “Inside Out 2” follows in seventh place, with weekly earnings of ₦11.5 million and a cumulative gross of ₦68.5 million.
The romantic comedy “Fly Me to the Moon,” secured the eighth spot with ₦8.1 million. Greg Berlanti directed it and Columbia Pictures distributed it.
Rounding out the top ten are two newer releases.
“The Groomsmen,” a romantic drama Ampong Kwaku Kwakye directed and released on July 12, 2024, took ninth place. It grossed ₦6.1 million for the week, bringing its total to ₦6.2 million. Finally, “Voltage,” premiered on July 5, 2024, claimed the tenth position with weekly earnings of ₦2.4 million, contributing to its total gross of ₦8 million.
This diverse mix of domestic and international films, spanning various genres from action and horror to romance and animation, shows the competitive nature of the Nigerian box office.
The success of local productions like “What about Us?” and “Lakatabu” alongside international blockbusters highlights the growing strength and appeal of Nollywood films to Nigerian audiences.