Nollywood, the nigerian video film industry, is an unlikely success story. Sep 28, 2015 from stories about cult and witchcraft to heartbreak and sorrow, nigerias nollywood has developed into africas giant in filmmaking. Audience reactions to the different aspects of nollywood movies. My family bought vhs cassettes or exchanged with neighbours and family. The word bollywood is a play on hollywood, with the b coming from bombay now known as mumbai, which is the center of the indian film world. This substantial injection of funds to scaleup irokotvs video. Nollywood is a sobriquet that originally referred to the nigerian film industry. This article discusses nigerian videofilms as a cultural and technological hybridity. Essay on nollywood film industry the odyssey online. The origin or history of nollywood the nigerian filmmovie. Geiger 2012 opined that nollywood is the most significant postcolonial phenomenon in the history of african film experience, while okuyade 2011 stated that it. The influence of the nigerian movie industry on african culture. Despite the prior existence of such an industry under foreign rule, the african film industry did not reflect an accurate portrayal of. He is deprived of his history, of memory, not of existence.
On the average, nollywood make movies in about two to three week and about 50,000 copies are sold both in nigeria and in diaspora. This is a comprehensive documentary on the history of nollywood and the earliest movies. Bookmark file pdf the fate of africa a history fifty years independence martin meredith the fate of africa a history fifty years independence martin meredith. The nollywood film industry was born in the early 1990s during a severe economic downturn in nigeria. Virtually all aspects of human life, however remote are now affected by globalization. President yaradua inherited a country with a turbulent history. This book offers a unique portrayal of a resilient people living in a country with immense, but unrealized, potential. With low budget, piracy and inadequate infrastructure, movie producers are therefore left in the hands of mediocre and unprofessional, it is against this background that it behooves on us to ask. The documentary is a six year journey by filmmaker remi vaughanrichards following seven, 68 to 85 yearold yoruba master musicians in lagos. Popular culture in africa is the product of everyday life. As part of gems, the industry received funds to aid sector growth and boost employment. Apr, 2018 the history of nigeria explained in 6 minutes 3,000 years of nigerian history epimetheus on patreon paypal donate ep. Please subscribe to african nollywood movies by clicking on this link african nollywwod movies latest nigerian movie is the home of the latest and greatest nigerian. The nigerian movie industry, known as nollywood, resorts to.
The history and development of the development of the nigerian motion picture industry can be divided into two main parts. This raises questions about whether, by trying to emulate mainstream film production, they are sacrificing the advantages that have made nollywood the second largest film industry in the world in the first place. The history of nollywood cinema in nigeria dates back to as early as the history of film itself. Nollywood began in nigeria in the 1990s and has grown into one of the most recognized cultural centers of the world, producing more movies every year than hollywood. Inside a lost african tribe still living in india today short film showcase duration. The government having control of nollywood means a monopoly which is not good for the film industry. History basically allows people down the line, irrespective of the time span to know how certain norms, values, the existence of families, clans, communities, tribe, and nation as a whole came to be. To gain weight and conform with african standards of beauty, nigerian girls can consume food all day in fattening rooms.
Sep 17, 2017 nigerian movies are collections of different genres and themes themes of romance, revenge, betrayal, love, hatred, ritual, politics or a blend of two or more. October 1 for the filming in august 20 of the police thriller october 1, nollywood director kunle afolayan used the rural location of akure, in southwestern nigeria, as the backdrop for the movie. Some of the greatest films made in all of hollywood history were made in the late 1930s, such as snow white and the seven dwarves, mr. Nov 18, 2016 beyond nollywood still from the film faaji agba. In a world so diverse, where cultures meet and mix, and the quest for selfexpression is rife, nothing should be taken for granted, not even mundane acts.
In conclusion, i am excited to see the future of nollywood. Library of congress federal research division country profile. The word was coined in the 1970s by the writer of a magazine gossip column, though there is disagreement as to which journalist was the first to use it. Cinema of nigeria the creation of nollywood started in the 1960s. On those days, nollywood disappoints thousands of its followers. Nigerias movie production industry, nicknamed nollywood, is the secondlargest in the world by volume.
New nollywood refers to a select group of aesthetically sophisticated films intended for a new tiered distribution method, beginning with theatrical release and ending with dvd release. Nollywood has been a cultural phenomenon since the production in 1992 of living in bondage onuzulike, 2007a onuzulike, 2015. The first nollywood films were produced with traditional analog video, such as betacam sp, but today all nollywood movies are produced using digital video technology. This paper looks at the portrayal positive and negative of the. The rise of the african film industry can be traced back to the decolonization period of the continent. Blood money poster the origin or history of nollywood, the nigerian movie industry, can. Audience reactions to the different aspects of nollywood movies this article juxtaposes two audiencesnigerians in nigeria and nigerians in south africa in order to ascertain how they perceive favorite aspects and disliked aspects of nigerian movie productions, popularly known as nollywood. Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria 1. Nigeria is a famous country with more than one hundred and forty million population. The history of african women and their hair youtube. Nollywood evolution of the nigerian film industry article.
A history of the south african film industry timeline 18952003. The nigerian services sector has shown impressive gains amid. Nollywood is the name of nigerias tw too 1903 a t the glover memorial hall movie industry. Pdf nollywood video films impact on nigerian and other. Due to the history of evolving meanings and contexts, there is no clear or agreedupon definition for the term, which has made it a subject to several controversies. The making of a film empire, explains all things nollywood. The origin of the term dates back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in the new york times. This paper analyzes the potential of nollywood, the film production industry in. This stops nollywood from improving in the ways into needs to. Take a year or two to shoot one film because that is enough time to make sure everything is done perfectly before the film is released into the markets. Ahistoryofnigeria assets cambridge university press. Auto suggestions are available once you type at least 3 letters.
I will explore in more details the history of the circulation of nollywood as a brand in. It is also not unusual for nollywood filmmakers and actors to collaborate with other movie industries or for nollywood movies to be produced outside nigeria. The first nigerian films were made by filmmakers such as ola balogun and hubert ogunde in the 1960s, but they were frustrated by the high cost of film production. Love for nollywood movies cuts across many countries especially on the african continent and amongst africans in the diaspora. A history of the south african film industry timeline 1895. The nigerian film industry has equally been affected. Kelanis shot his other 17 films with the nollywood film industry, but he decided he had had enough with how it is run. Blood money poster the origin or history of nollywood, the nigerian movie industry, can be traced back to the 1960s read more. A history of african popular culture by karin barber. The origin or history of nollywood, the nigerian movie industry, can be traced back to the 1960s when the first set of nollywood movies were produced by great filmmakers like hubert ogunde, jab adu, ola balogun, moses olaiya baba sala, adeyemi afolayan ade love and eddie ugboma. But, despite all of its disappointing moments, the nigerian film industry is one that has evolved and is still evolving.
Nigerian videofilms as a cultural and technological hybridity uchenna onuzulike, ohio university nigerian videofilms reflect the economic, political, and cultural transformation in nigeria. The first nigerian films were made by filmmakers such as ola balogun and hubert ogunde in the 1960s. The origin or history of nollywood the nigerian filmmovie industry. History of general elections in nigeria from 1999 till. The origin or history of nollywood, the nigerian movie industry, can be traced back to the 1960s when the first set of nollywood movies were produced by great filmmakers like hubert ogunde, jab adu, ola balogun, moses olaiya baba sala, adeyemi afolayan ade. Even though nigeria s movie indus try by nigerian mo film was introduced by a european production teams for the nigerian rar m erchant, it took t he combined people. The history and development of the nigerian motion picture industry is sometimes generally classified in four main eras. The industry is a significant part of the arts, entertainment and recreation sector which contributed 2. When the nigerian video fi lm industry became nollywood. This is a comprehensive documentary on the history of nollywood. It was when the first nollywood movies were being created by historical filmmakers such as ola balogun, hubert ogunde, jab adu, moses olayia and eddie.
Nigeria only recently reached the same level of gdp per capita as in 19803 oil president yaradua inherited a country with a turbulent history. By coronavirus disease covid19 get the latest live updates about the coronavirus pandemic. The history of film in nigeria from 1903 to 1992 is closely related to crucial stages in the history of nigeria okon, 1990. Contradictions concrete, but in the way of african markets it quickly extended itself into long distance trade andin the central instance, nigerias nollywood insinuated itself into the nigeria that billions of dollars of oil money have. Carving a niche on the global plane elo ibagere, department of theatre arts, delta state university, abraka, nigeria abstract. Mar 21, 2020 nigerias movie production industry, nicknamed nollywood, is the secondlargest in the world by volume. Nigeria has the highest rate of twin births per year globally. Its like hollywood or bollywood but in nigeria nollywood. And it is the dynamism of this culture that makes africa what it is. Via wnyc for this weeks please explain, emily witt, journalist and author of nollywood. History of bollywood cinema from 19 to the present.
When the nigerian video film industry became nollywood. The kinetescope invented by thomas edison was a box in which people could see a moving image. The history part traces the origin of the nigerian cinema up to the present era of video productions. Kanayo and tells the story of a man who joins a secret cult and kills his wife for rituals. With an output of between 800 and 1500 films per year it is one of the most productive, if not the most productive, of the worlds film industries.
Based on more than twenty years of research, hayness survey of nollywood s history and genres is unprecedented in scope, while his book also vividly describes landmark films, leading directors, and the complex character of this major branch of world cinema. A study of selected genres is a welcome addition to the growing body of works on the nigerian cinema. Most times this is made possible by documented materials, but in some settings it is passed on to younger generations by word of mouth. Within nigeria, slavery was widespread and bore social implications that are still evident. Pdf hollywood, the american image and the global film. In this book, karin barber offers a journey through the history of music, theatre, fiction, song, dance, poetry, and film from the seventeenth century to the present day. Nollywood video films impact on nigerian and other african environments and cultures article pdf available in applied spectroscopy 3 december 2014 with 8,645 reads how we measure reads. April 1, 2018 watchman nollywood, nollywood news 0. The history and development of the nigerian motion picture industry is. Nigeria, july 2008 2 of slaves flowed north across the sahara for a millennium, ending only at the beginning of the twentieth century. African nollywood movies latest nigerian movie youtube.
Be the first to comment leave a reply cancel reply. History of african film industry experience africa. History of african film industry an introduction the rise of the african film industry can be traced back to the decolonization period of the continent. Nigerias upscale multiplex cinemas are therefore a starting point for examining what is newand not so newin nollywood. Join the script junction conversation with nigerian and uk screenwriters in lagos on 9 november 2015. The origin or history of nollywood the nigerian film. The cinema of nigeria, often referred to informally as nollywood, consists of films produced in nigeria. Nigeria history, west african history, books barnes. A few days later, my article appeared on the front page, under a headline. The popularity of nollywood video film as a cultural phenomenon has increased interest in nigerian culture not only within nigeria and other parts of africa but also throughout the rest of the. Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria. How nollywood became the second largest film industry. Only recently, time magazine published an article rating the industry as the thirdlargest after usas hollywood and indias bollywood. The first kinetescopes in south africa were opened to the public on 19 april 1895 in herwoods arcade on pritchard and president streets in johannesburg then a small town only.
Nigerian movies industry is one of the good things that happened to nigeria as a country. Nollywood has over the years become a world phenomenon, as its movies are being sold in ghana, togo, kenya, uganda and south africa as well as jamaica, usa and the uk to name a few. The colonial era till the 1980s according to previous research and findings, nigerias first contact with cinema was in 1903. History, they are considered the first generation of nigerian filmmakers. Nollywood is a young industry with great potential.
Even international festivals in montreal, berlin, rotterdam and cannes have made room for nollywood. It is part film history and part film theory and criticism. Smith goes to washington, gone with the wind, jezebel, a star. Further, as only about 20% of the nigerian population has bank accounts, both foreign and local investors see a vast, largely untapped market. One of the first widely accepted movies out of nollywood was living in bondage, an igbo movie starring kanayo o. Nollywood colonial era late 19th century early 1960s colonial filmmakers started producing films for local audiences within nigeria since the 1920s, mostly employing the mobile cinema as a means of exhibition. The emerging business demonstrated grassroots resilience and optimistic entrepreneurship, which, combined with artistic creativity and modern technology, flowered into a vibrant new enterprise that resonated with popular culture. It was when the first nollywood movies were being created by historical filmmakers such as ola balogun, hubert ogunde, jab adu, moses olayia and eddie ugboma. The history of nollywood the nigerian movie industry home video industry a. Gdp per capita and relevant economic, political and social context. Despite the prior existence of such an industry under foreign rule, the african film industry did not reflect an accurate portrayal of the cultures it was intending to represent. I will explore in more details the history of the circulation of nollywood as a brand in the following sections of this article. From 1995 when the first vhs machine was brought into my home, nollywood video films remained a major part of the household entertainment, complementing television series, weekly bollywood films and late night hollywood action films. The fate of africa a history fifty years independence.
Yoruba nollywood movies have been both applauded for promoting cultural and social values which results in nigerias progress and denounced as a. The history of nigeria explained in 6 minutes 3,000 years of. The nigerian movie industry nollywood the origin history. Nigerian movies history of the nigerian movie industry. From then on, its expansion and attendant complications are known by fascinated parties. Nollywood portrayal of the nigerian society 283 ofhaving its own uganda wood, and ghana is threatening to close its market to the cascade of nigerian movies for fear that its own productions will dr. A special feature on the 50th anniversary of nigerias first military coup, aired on television continental tvc. The nigerian film industry nollywood is globally recognised as the second largest film producer in the world. Iroko is one of nigerias largest internet and entertainment companies. Geiger 2012 opined that nollywood is the most significant postcolonial phenomenon in the history of african film experience, while okuyade 2011 stated that it is an extremely popular medium.