Author: Ikeade

The inaugural edition of The Annual Film Mischief is forging ahead with its planned hybrid festival format for quality low-budget independent films in Nollywood, running from March 17-20. Today, Film Rats Club, the initiative behind the festival founded by Chukwu Martin, unveiled its full lineup, schedule and jury members. The lineup includes the screening of critically-acclaimed Eyimofe (festival opener), Tomisin Adepeju’s The Appreciation, Paul Utomi’s Country Hard (festival closer), Chukwu Martin’s Mr Gbenga’s Hard Drive, Taiwo Egunjobi’s (festival director) In Ibadan, Korede Azeez’s (a shortlisted candidate for the Netflix-UNESCO short film prize) Play, amongst other projects that include a number…

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Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, one of Nigeria’s most decorated on-air personalities and celebrity entrepreneurs, has been appointed as co-founder and co-executive producer of TNC Africa, one of Africa’s most promising media and entertainment startups. TNC Africa, co-led by Olawale Adetula, is behind web series like My Name is A-Zed, Little Black Book and Our Best Friend’s Wedding, a rom-com series that also starred Olateru-Olagbegi. The former OAP also starred in Heaven Baby, a short film directed by Damilola Orimogunje which screened at NollywoodWeek 2021. Nollywood Web Series Love Mania: Is This a Cycle? Our Best Friend’s Wedding Character Poster. Via TNC Africa…

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The Oscar nominations for the 94th Academy Awards were announced by Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Jordan. Among the 2022 Oscar nominees, The Power of the Dog received the most nominations with 12, including best picture, best director for Jane Campion, and in the acting categories for Benedict Cumberbatch and supporting actors like Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Dune, sci-fi spectacle by Denis Villeneuve, is closely behind with 10 nominations. Other 2022 Oscar nominees with multiple nominations include Branagh’s B/W Belfast, and Spielberg’s musical remake West Side Story. The Oscars 2022 will air on Monday, March 28, 2022…

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Returning TV shows and new series dominate February calendar once again. Movie options for viewers are filled with romcom and Valentine-themed stories, with some options left for the action junkies. Highlight of New Films in February Head Over Bills; Directed by Dabby Chimere, In pursuit of their mothers approval, three privileged and spoilt sisters find love,lose it and rediscover themselves. Release date: February 4, in cinemas. Moonfall; A SciFi moon tragedy film starring Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson. Release date: February 4, in cinemas.KIMI; Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Zoe Kravitz in a thriller. Release date: February 10, on…

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Juju Stories is the first film Oge Obasi has steered to cinema as a producer. Over the years—and even beyond, in a career spanning over a decade, previously as a production manager (Desperate Housewives Africa; The Figurine) and production coordinator (Shuga; October 1)—she’s formed a partnership with C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi, resulting in feature films like Ojuju (2014) and O-Town (2015) and shorts like Visions (2017) and Hello, Rain. In 2022, she hopes to guide the release of Mami Wata (a C.J. Fiery-directed fantasy-thriller), a project that’s been 6 years in the making, to a cult audience of thrilled followers who…

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Relatively still unknown in Nollywood, Tunray Femi’s work in For Maria Ebun Pataki, an effort that has toured festivals globally, and currently receiving rave reviews from viewers and critics alike, has certainly put her name out there, for a script she penned with director Damilola Orimogunje. “Screenwriter and retired poet”, her Twitter bio says. Femi has worked in the TV sphere on released projects— a Ghanaian series, Eden, as well as another in post-production, a Nigerian series set for 2022, The Anomalous. But in this latest Netflix-licensed co-writing with Orimogunje, how much of the heart-wrenching story did she have in…

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Many admit that Meg Otanwa has been a silent powerhouse in Nollywood, as industry colleagues and fans come out to heap well-deserved praises on the actress who recently starred in Damilola Orimogunje’s feature debut—For Maria Ebun Pataki— leading to critical success and ranking at the top of Netflix’s chart days after its debut on the streamer. Starring as Derin, a nursing mother who undergoes postpartum depression, Meg Otanwa once again—as known and celebrated—silently leads the drama which is not short of other believable performances, found in her on-screen husband, played by Gabriel Afolayan and her impatient mother-in-law, played by Tina…

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Richard and Raymond Yusuff, representing The Critics Company, sit down to answer all of our questions regarding their field and role—which they feel is still yet to be fully understood— in Nollywood. From working on the set of King of Boys and critically acclaimed Juju Stories to their own personal projects, The Critics Company representatives discuss their Nollywood experience that has spanned both a blockbuster and an indie environment. They further discuss creating their own space in the industry, being mistaken as film critics, and their future as filmmakers who want to leave a legacy behind. Going into the interview,…

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Directed by Michael ‘Ama Psalmist’ Akinrogunde (Ghost and the Tout Too) and narrated by Teniola Aladese (Superstar), the King of Boys documentary is another exclusive Netflix title co-produced by Kemi Adetiba. Making of a King features a number of interviews with players involved in the project from idea conception to screening of the original KOB, and its eventual successor, The Return of the King on Netflix. They include industry colleagues like BB Sasore (God Calling), Mimi Bartels (head of production FilmOne); cast members like Sola Sobowale, Deyemi Okanlawon, Illbliss, Toni Tones, Richard Mofe-Damijo, and crew members like Remi Adetiba, Colette…

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