LIFESTYLE

Nigerian Film, 11 Others Selected For Al Jazeera-Encounters Pitching Forum

Published

7 years ago

June 9, 2017

The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival will be hosting an Al Jazeera-Encounters Pitching Forum for the sixth time this year in Cape Town on Sunday, June 11, 2017.

Al Jazeera Encounters Pitching Forum

12 selected projects selected from across Africa to be pitched include:

Ben Mahaka (Zimbabwe) – I Only Wear Levi’s
A displaced community returns to claim their ancestral land in the middle of two live minefields – because it’s the only place where they can make a living.

Bill Afwani (Kenya) – Terro-rism
Terro-rism is a slang term used to explain the heinous act of young and old females forcefully being inherited over and over by other men at the basin of Lake Victoria in Luo Nyanza, Kenya.

Bryan Little and Filipa Domingues (South Africa) – Riel
In tiny little towns and villages across the arid South Western Africa, places that for most would be ‘the middle of nowhere,’ there exists a culture that runs as deep as the beginning of man. A small but deeply poignant revival is happening in the hearts of the historically voiceless people here.

Chike Ibekwe (Nigeria) – Life in the IDP
The Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the north of Nigeria have become some sort of last hope to the many victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Kaizer Matsumunyane (Lesotho) – Smiling Pirate
Abduwal Abdukhad Muse was the first person to be charged in an American court with piracy in over 100 years.

Kelly-Eve Koopman and Sarah Summers (South Africa) Oom Piet
In brewing land reclamation conflicts, !aru, a bushman from the Kalahari, is forced to compromise his own indigenous lifestyle when he lobbies the South African government to restitute six hectares of veld to his community and ensure the survival of his culture.

Lydia Matata (Kenya) – Better Sundays
‘Better Sundays’ is set in a small religious community in Kasese, Uganda. The film focuses on the attempts by Robert Bwambale, the director of the Kasese Humanist School, and a group of teachers to transform the beliefs of children and adults through secular teachings.

Mia Cilliers and Jackie Ruth Murray (South Africa) – The Beach Boys
Underneath the forlorn concrete flyover of Cape Town’s Nelson Mandela Boulevard live a group of Tanzanian stowaways known as the “beach boys.”

Pablo Pinedo Boveda (South Africa) – Reclaiming the City
Decades of Apartheid urban “development” have created physically segregated societies within city boundaries that still persist today. Together with several other activists and supported by a civil rights association, Elisabeth Gqoboka (48) joins the struggle for affordable housing within the city centre.

Sofia de Fay (Cape Town) – Raw – My Nakedness
The captivating story of brilliant theater director Thando Doni, who works with ex-criminals in a creative collaboration to reintegrate them into Cape Town society after their release from prison.

Tapiwa Chipfupa (Zimbabwe) – Children of the Soil
Once considered the breadbasket of Africa, Zimbabwe is teetering on the brink of collapse. Thrust in this turmoil is its youth; at the cusp of their lives, they should have everything to look forward to, yet now their reality portrays a different story.

Yara Costa (Mozambique) – Between God and I
‘Between God and I’ gets into the mindsets of two young women to reveal what is behind the veil and between this new generation and their God. What motivates them to make these radical choices in a society where fundamentalism was rare until recently? Why do they go against the idea of tolerance that they were raised upon, putting their friendship at stake?

The sixth Al Jazeera-Encounters Pitching Forum will take place on Sunday, June 11 from 9:30-13:00 at Workshop 17, 17 Dock Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. The pitching session is open to the public and industry.

Related Topics:Al Jazeera-Encounters Pitching Forum

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ENTERTAINMENT

Enioluwa Replies X User Questioning The Use Of Same Actors In Nollywood

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2024

Reporter

Enioluwa on why Nollywood uses the same actors | fab.ng

Nollywood actor and social media personality Enioluwa explained why the Nigerian film industry uses the ‘same faces’ in movies.

It all began on November 11, 2024, when an X user reacted to actress Jemima Osunde‘s post on X regarding the new YouTube film Fame and Fury.

The user said, “I’m sincerely tired of seeing the same faces in this damn industry.”

I’m sincerely tired of seeing the same faces in this damn industry https://t.co/L2rKSIGIz6

— salamalekun bitches (@95andbeyond) November 11, 2024

Osunde did not take her comment lightly. She retorted, saying, “We’re tired of seeing your face too in your office. Damn! I hope they sack you.”

Enioluwa then took to X to address the notion of Nollywood using familiar faces in films. He stressed that it happens because of finances.

He wrote,

“People often say they’re tired of seeing the same faces in Nigerian films. However, unlike in Hollywood, actors in Nigeria can’t afford to do just one film a year—how much are they paying? The industry currently can’t support as many newcomers as people might expect because, realistically, many of them wouldn’t be able to meet even their basic needs. No one wants to be famous and financially unstable.”

In response, another X user asked him for practical solutions, urging him to suggest actionable steps rather than just highlighting the problems. “You made a crucial point there but you didn’t suggest any solution,” he commented.

Enioluwa then explained,

We don’t have the buying power yet; it’s growing because streaming platforms have come in and people have made more records in the box office. Nevertheless, you can’t equate it to Hollywood, an Avengers that made over $2 billion that can pay its actors millions of dollars and still have enough profit.

People often say they’re tired of seeing the same faces in Nigerian films.

However, unlike in Hollywood, actors in Nigeria can’t afford to do just one film a year— how much are they paying.

The industry currently can’t support as many newcomers as people might expect because,…

— Eni Adeoluwa (@Enioluwa_) November 11, 2024

Check out more updates here.

ENTERTAINMENT

John Njamah Says Actors Should Be Cast Based On Talent Not Instagram Followers

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2024

Reporter

John Njamah Says Actors Should Be Cast Based On Talent | fab.ng

Nollywood filmmaker John Njamah recently voiced his concern about the prevailing casting practices in the industry. He argued that casting decisions should prioritize an actor’s talent over their physical appearance or social media popularity.

In an exclusive interview, Njamah, a Nollywood veteran, gave insightful commentary on the current state and future trajectory of Nigerian cinema.

Known for his role as Rabiu in the popular TV soap opera “Fuji House of Commotion,” Njamah has also graced the screens of numerous television shows.

Interestingly, the shows he has featured in include “Tinsel,” “Living In Lagos,” “Solitaire,” “Casino,” “Emerald,” “Tide,” and “My Flatmates.”

During the interview, Njamah talked about his filmmaking journey. He emphasized his unwavering passion for the industry and his aspirations for its continued development.

“What is fuelling me is beyond passion. There’s that knack and need to grow with every month, whatever year. There’s that need to.do something different. This industry of ours is for you to do whatever you want to do and not join the bandwagon. So for me, it’s the originality in me and the need to do something right that is fuelling me Basically, it’s the ever-creative venture in me,” he said.

Njamah discussed how African stories are evolving. Furthermore, he emphasized that positive and negative changes have happened over the years.

“There’s a positive aspect and there’s a negative aspect. There’s a technical input. We’re telling our stories better technically. We’re telling better and bigger stories. The negative is that we are beginning to lose our originality. We are beginning to join the bandwagon to tell what is peculiar to other people and not to us. We are beginning to lose a bit of our identity cos there’s no longer us,” he said.

What’s more, Njamah spoke about casting in the industry. He pointed out differences between the industry during his time and the current climate, especially with casting.

“Fuji House was a one-camera shoot with hungry and passionate people. Now we have people who cast people who are beautiful and with Barbie bodies and followership and not necessarily for your talents. Some of us try to be that original because that’s where better stories are told. You want to tell stories with passionate people. Whether you like it or not, it’s a long shot but it’s possible. You want to give the actors that are worthy of the job and not the ones that are based on Instagram followers. We borrow from society and give back to society by way of entertainment and pedagogical values.”

Further, he criticized the lack of professional work ethic among filmmakers in Nollywood. He highlighted the absence of a robust system to evaluate the performance and accountability of producers within the industry.

“Professionalism is lacking. Respect for those in charge, humility and the like is lacking today. The industry lacks checks and balances. Every Tom, Dck and Harry can wake up and call themselves a producer and just get on board and be doing stuff without being checked and of course, the guild system is not working so they can’t check. There are no criteria for who should become a producer. The system is also not working. Let’s just be mindful as producers, directors and actors,” he added.

In conclusion, John Njamah acknowledged the unique character of Nollywood. Meanwhile, he proposed the creation of a domestic platform to market and distribute Nigerian films. Consequently, this would reduce reliance on foreign streaming services.

“That thing that they don’t like about us is what makes us, us. I am tired of people saying they don’t want to come into the country for coproduction cos we’re that and that and why are we relying on the likes of the streamers? Why can’t we do something that is for us by us so that they will come to us and ask for these things? We are solely depending on them to licence our movies, for survival. Speaking of coproduction, if you tell me you don’t want to come into the country for any reason, I’ll tell you you’re wrong, cos there are amazing producers here that you’ve seen their work. All you need to do is come to them and agree on modalities.”

Watch the interview with John Njamah below.

Check out more updates here.

ENTERTAINMENT

Mercy Aigbe Reveals Why She Married Kazim Adeoti As A Second Wife

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2024

Reporter

Mercy Aigbe on why she married Kazim Adeoti as 2nd wife | fab.ng

Nollywood actress Mercy Aigbe-Adeoti revealed one of the reasons she chose to marry Kazim Adeoti as his second wife.

During her appearance on “Nollywood on Radio”, Mercy Aigbe explained that her husband’s deep experience and dedication to Nollywood significantly influenced her decision.

Emphasizing that their marriage goes beyond a personal connection, she mentioned it also aligns with their shared professional ambitions.

She said of their shared ambitions, “That’s one of the reasons why I married him.”

She added, “Together we’re building an empire; we’re building a production empire and I felt like I needed someone like that. It’s a good thing that he’s in the industry so with his strength and my strength combined, the future of the empire is looking good already.”

Social media users slammed the actress after her revelation. Many criticized her decision. They pointedly reminded her about Kazim Adeoti’s first wife, who, according to reports, did not give her consent to their marriage.

A comment read, “Elesin! Empire wey he don already build with his first wife.”

“Mercy, you know that you betrayed this woman. If you and the first wife didn’t know each other, it is a different thing since she is a Muslim, but you are someone who can not be trusted,” another person said.

Mercy’s marriage to Kazim Adeoti sparked controversy from the very beginning. Reports claimed that she allegedly came between the filmmaker and his first wife, Funso.

However, Kazim clarified that he and Mercy had been friends and business partners for over ten years. This was before they began dating.

On the other hand, Mercy’s ex-husband, Lanre Gentry, accused her of being friends with Funso throughout that period. Eventually, she married Adeoti in 2022.

In April 2023, the actress surprised her fans on social media. She announced her conversion to Islam just before the start of Ramadan, introducing herself as Hajia Meenah Mercy Adeoti.

Get more updates here.