Sometimes heavily criticized for its over-dramatization and/or low production values, Nollywood continues to grow fans worldwide. Nigerian movies now make up 11% of Nigeria’s non-oil exports!
Set to enter its seventh edition, the NollywoodWeek Paris Film Festival was created to showcase the very best that Nollywood has to offer, with the aim of finding a larger audience and a more sustainable distribution system for these quality films.
Expected to run from May 9 to May 12 at the Cinema l’Arlequin (Harlequin Theatre) in Paris, France, the festival just announced the very impressive list of films — nine shorts and 10 features — that will be representing the current state of Nollywood and focused on the importance of telling our own stories, especially from a woman’s perspective.
Here are the films:
Nigerian Prince
After being sent to Nigeria against his will, a stubborn Nigerian-American teenager joins forces with an Internet scammer in order to return to the United States.
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director: Faraday Okoro
Moms at War
Two neighbors, both mothers with teenage children at the same school, hate each other. But when both of their children must compete for the same scholarship, the mothers go crazy, doing all sort of antics. It’s a story of friendship, sisterhood, and bonding in spite of everything.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Omoni Oboli
Light in the Dark
A gang attacks a family one night and the gang leader decides to rape his wife. This puts tremendous pressure on the couple and things get complicated when she finds out a few weeks later.
Genre: Drama
Director: Ekene Som Mekwunye
Lara and the Beat
At the center of a financial scandal in the media empire of their parents, young and beautiful sisters are forced out of their privileged bubble and must learn to build their own future – through music and business – to save their family’s past.
Genre: Drama
Director: Tosin Coker
Knock out Blessing
Assumed Feminist Film, Knock Out Blessing is the story of this crazy talented boxer who teams up with a group of prostitutes so that justice prevails.
Genre: Drama / Black comedy
Director: Dare Olaitan
Oga Bolaji
Oga Bolaji is a story centered on the simple and joyful life of a retired 40-year-old musician (Gold Ikponmosa). His life takes a radical turn when he meets a seven-year-old girl. Oga Bolaji highlights the resilience and ingenuity of the Nigerian spirit.
Genre: Drama
Director: Kayode Kasum
Up North
Up North explores the love, friendship and family politics that come together when a rebellious young heir from a wealthy family is sent to the national service in northern Nigeria. Things do not go as planned while the spoiled heir begins to find himself, creating links on the spot that he would never have imagined.
Genre: Drama
Director: Tope Oshin
God Calling
Following a personal tragedy, Sade loses his bearings and finds himself confronted with spirituality in an unexpected way.
Genre: Drama
Director: BB Sasore
King of Boys
King of Boys tells the story of Alhaja Eniola Salami, a businesswoman and philanthropist with a dubious past and a promising political future.
Genre: Drama
Director: Kemi Adetiba