Firstly, here is a reminder: Nollywood Film Club is a Film Club (read that again) fulfilling an important role.
Just before an end of year backlash against the club’s style, tone and purpose, the members discussed Tosin Igho’s Suspicion, Netflix’s new Nollywood strategy, a year in review and Jade Osiberu’s Christmas in Lagos.
The Netflix’s New Nollywood Strategy discussion has raised critical questions about the state of the secretive industry. Beyond considering the role of the country’s economy, several key questions emerge for a more enriching conversation about the alleged Netflix exit from Nollywood.
Some of these questions were deliberated during the Twitter Space discussion, while others remain open, offering room for further reflection. Most importantly, these questions can help an average Nollywood watcher understand the situation from multiple angles.
(The veracity of some of the claims has not been assessed by What Kept Me Up)
- Is the lack of impact on culture a sign of declining quality in Nollywood?
- Is Netflix avoiding investment in Nollywood due to quality issues rather than numbers?
- Were the signs of dwindling audience engagement visible earlier?
- Could Netflix have taken a bigger risk if Nollywood had produced a project that truly cracked an international audience?
- What will be the next Nollywood film that resonates with a sizable portion of the African continent?
- Why are industry problems not receiving the same attention or energy as criticisms from “haters”?
- Why hasn’t Netflix collaborated more with filmmakers behind acclaimed projects like Black Rose and The Griot?
- Why are Nollywood films charting but not generating discussions?
- Without streaming platforms, would films like Eyimofe or With Difficulty Comes Ease have reached their audience?
- Does Nollywood lack self-awareness?
My (not-so) key lesson: This Twitter Space raised an important question that I can’t seem to answer: What’s the last true culturally impactful Nollywood film?
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