Aramotu leads Nigeria's AMAA Nominations

Nollywood star power with more than a little Ghollywood help last night in Nairobi at the Africa Movie Academy Awards' Nominations event . L-R: Jackie Appiah, Joke Silva, Kate Henshaw-Nuttall, Ini Edo, Rita Dominic, Ramsey Noah, Mike Ezurounye and Majid Michel.

And so, the nominations are out for the films that will vie for AMAA glory on March 27 in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

The big contender for Nigeria is the forthcoming film, 'Aramotu', a Niji Akanni directed film entirely in Yoruba and starring Idiat Shobande as the eponymous heroine. Aramotu garnered 6 nominations including Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film! Aramotu premieres in March in Lagos.

Perhaps the strongest film overall is Sinking Sands, by Ghanaian director Leila Djansi and starring Ama K. Abebrese and Haitian actor, Jimmy Jean-Louis. All three are rewarded with nods in the Director, Best Actress and Best Actor category. Altogether, Sinking Sands has at least 8 nominations.

Other strong films in the nominations are Viva Riva! (Congo), A Small Town Called Descent (South Africa), Izulu Lami (South Africa), Hopeville (South Africa) and Shirley Adams (South Africa).

There are respectably showings for Nigerian films like Mahmood Ali-Balogun's 35mm film, 'Tango With Me', for which Genevieve Nnaji gets a Best Actress nod; Tunde Kelani's 'Maami' (nomination for young newcomer, Ayomide Abatti); A Private Storm and Yoruba film, Yemoja (Best Actor nomination for Antar Laniyan).

As everyone here is saying, see you in Bayelsa March 27.

• Nominations List
  

Photo by MW

Tunde Kelani sends out an SOS

I was at a press conference on June 2, when filmmaker Tunde Kelani spoke in no uncertain terms about the danger posed to himself and the Nollywood film indusry in general by pirates. One of Nigeria's most respected cinematographers with works that set the bar with every new movie, Kelani was speaking in the run up to the release of his new film, 'Arugba'. 'We are going to be pirated,' said Kelani, who admitted that he'd been cornered by the pirates and the system. He said he had no choice but to release Arugba (launched on June 13) after a two-year delay and with his production company lacking the funds for his next film. Arugba went on the market on June 14 and in less than 10 days afterwards, the pirates flooded the market with not just one pirated version of the new film, but two (see image).

Tunde Kelani has released a statement yesterday on his "despair" - below.

"It is with the greatest and darkest feeling of despair that I have to announce the massive piracy attack of our new film ARUGBA released on homevideo barely a week ago. On our part, we complied with all the guidelines stipulated by all the government agencies and paid all dues but got no protection from the criminal activities of the pirates who are bent on pulling down our industry. As things stand, it is becoming impossible for me to continue my career as a filmmaker in my country Nigeria as it is no longer possible to recoup our investment or get the opportunity to exploit economically our copyright and repay our creditors. Unless the Federal Government of Nigeria rescues us from this economic menace, the growth and development of the nascent film industry in Nigeria will be stifled completely by this miasma of piracy, illegality and outright theft. The popular Nollywood industry is under great threat and may already be experiencing its death throes. While we have decided to write a letter of protest to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Attorney General of the Federation, The Federal Minister of Information and Communication, the Inspector General of Police and all the relevant government agencies, we can only appeal to the general public to ignore the pirated ones and buy our genuine movies."

*

Tunde KELANI

Filmmaker

Nollywood Or Bust

At the reading of his new novel Burma Boy on 21 June, Biyi Bandele disclosed that he was flying to Lagos in a number of days, to write a piece for the Observer on Nollywood. And today the result of Bandele's trip appeared in a 4-page spread in The Observer Film Magazine.

Bandele took a ride to the heart of the Nollywood industry, the suburb of Surulere in Lagos and interviewed 'prolific' directors who in just over a decade have knocked out 150 films; who talk of having stripped the 'excesses' of Hollywood (baffled at why a film takes 60 days to shoot when a Nollywood video-film takes far less) - who dream of attaining Hollywood standards regardless.

There's a brief run-through of the birth and ascent of Nollywood across Africa, and mention of a Nollywood classic, Living in Bondage. Bandele's piece is also very up-to-date, touching on a very public spat between Nollywood star Zeb Ejiro and an actress, Ibinabo Feberesima over a film titled - wait for it - "A Night in the Philippines." Bandele arrived for his pre-arranged interview with Ejiro to find the premises closed. A call to the star led nowhere, and then the line went dead. Even well known playwright-novelists can get the run-around in Nollywood.

• Read Biyi Bandele's piece, "Welcome to Nollywood".

Stardom Naija Style

Nollywood actress Rita Dominic being kitted out for the recent Calabar Festival. Photo © 'Mildred'.

And another Nollywood star steps out with her family. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde poses with her husband and 4 children. Photos by permission from Bella Naija.