If this was a Nollywood movie, 'London Must Shake' would've been an apt even if not a very original title. There's a Nollywood film with the title: Heaven Must Shake. In October, London did shake on account of Nollywood. It's debatable if all the events were pre-planned or it was pure coincidence. I mean who could have foreseen what happened? Everything, it would appear, came together for Nollywood in the month of October 2007 in London.
It all began with what's tagged the Nollywood Film Season, a 10-week screenings of Nollywood films across UK cinemas. Kingsley Ogoro's 'Across The Niger' kicked this off in the first-ever Nollywood premiere at the Odeon West End (Leicester Square) Monday October 15. Mission To Nowhere, Mirror of Beauty and other films were screened at various cinemas across London. And again, another first was the official screening of three films from Nigeria at the 51st Times bfi London Film Festival: Irapada (Redemption), Area Boys, a documentary type film about the menace of street urchins popularly called area boys in Lagos by Omelihu Nwanguma. The third film 'Ezra' by Nigerian-born filmmaker Newton Aduaka was listed as a film from France.
There was also the international road show organised by the National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, from October 17 to 20. It was billed to kick off at The Mayfair Hotel in Central London. The show again continued at the Excel Docklands where the Best of Nigeria exhibition, an annual event, held for two or three days. The last in the programme of events was the wrap up party back at The Mayfair Hotel.
Unfortunately, some of us weren't present at the first series of events. So we had to depend on accounts of those who were in attendance. From these accounts, the road show was a huge success. DG, Censors Board can now rest easy. The Business Forum was almost oversubscribed. The highpoint of the business forum would have to be the open pitching where as the name suggests people pitched their film ideas openly. Not many were enthusiastic initially perhaps for fear their ideas being stolen (or borrowed) but some of those who dared are on the way to doing good business. Ms Parminder Vir OBE, filmmaker and member Nollywood Foundation Advisory Board, chaired the panel of judges.
- Shining Stars
However, many more people made the after-party. In true Nigerian fashion, it was a loud party. It was a well attended party by Nigerians and their friends. The stars were also in attendance: Kanayo O Kanayo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Steph Nora Okere and husbdand Lanre Falana, Chinyere Wilfred, Dolly Unachukwu, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha, Dakore Egbuson and her 'better half', Victoria Inyama and husband, and so many more. And perhaps for the first time anyone can remember, there was a strong representation of actors and practitioners from the Hausa filmmaking industry which some call Kannywood. Hauwa Maina and Sanni Danji were in this group. Danji's break dancing and acrobatic displays lit up the party.
- Ambassador for Nollywood
Ambassador Dozie Nwanna, OON, is the acting High commissioner to the UK and he didn't only make the party, he was the first guest to arrive. That he's very passionate about Nollywood, if his timely arrival didn't make the point, was demonstrated in what he said. If Nollywood actors/actresses had paid someone to advertise them, the person couldn't have a better job. He was so full of praise to them they must have been blushing. He told the gathering of his experiences in South Africa (his last posting) and how Nigerian films were helping to change the perception of Nigerians. And even more poignant, how Black South Africans were being liberated by what they see in Nigerian films: the fact that a Black person can be the best he wants to be; live in even better houses than the white men…and generally be in charge of his own life.
Onoshe Nwabuikwu
