Josh Olaoluwa Is Seeking Global Relevance for Nollywood Films

For filmmaker Josh Olaoluwa, gaining acceptance into the esteemed Venice Film Lab was the realization of a long-held dream. Thrilled to have this opportunity come true, he is brimming with high expectations for the impact Nigerian creatives can make on the global stage—an ambition he is determined to fulfill through his own work.

Olaoluwa’s passion for bridging knowledge gaps within the film industry has led him to attend numerous prestigious fellowships, with his most recent experience being at the Venice Film Lab and the Film Independent Project Involve. There, he has had the invaluable chance to collaborate closely with leading innovators in the field, expanding his creative horizons. As one of 26 filmmakers selected for the program, he was paired with a team of directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, and creative executives to develop a film: Deep Dish Dimples. This film is now slated to premiere at the Director’s Guild of America in Sunset Boulevard in January 2025.

Culture Custodian delved into Olaoluwa’s experiences, motivations and goals, offering a glimpse into his mind.

You recently got into the Venice Film Festival Lab—the first Nigerian to do so, how do you feel about that?

I was having coffee with someone really special in New York when I saw the email.  And it’s so funny because this was in my three-year plan. It’s such a special and prestigious program, getting into it this year just reminded me not to put timelines on anything. It’s important for Nigerian filmmakers to get into these spaces. I get to some parts of the world and people are asking me if they make films in Nigeria or what kind of films are made in Nigeria or do you people have a film industry. So I feel like the more Nigerian filmmakers start getting into these spaces, the fewer  ridiculous questions we get about our films.

There’s often pressure on African filmmakers to include certain “poverty porn” elements to appeal to Western festivals. How do you navigate getting into spaces like the Director’s Guild of America and the Venice International Film Lab while staying true to the stories you want to tell?

This is always an ongoing conversation between me and my peers from other African countries. To a large extent, we can’t deny the Western gaze on Nigerian or African films generally, there’s always festival bait. That’s what we call them, festival bait. Just to circle back to your question, I’ve done some programs before and the feedback I get is: It looks too Hollywood and it’s so funny because what does Hollywood look like?

One of my projects, for example, is called A Fantastic Tale. It’s about four kids who are going on an adventure, they get on an ocean, and they go and look for fish, almost like what you see in Disney. I try to explain to people that there are children who grew up in Nigeria and Africa who don’t have to fend for their parents, who are not breadwinners, who don’t sell in traffic, who don’t have malaria. They are just having fun. My goal for Nigerian films is to make films that are critically and commercially acclaimed, make a film that’s so good that audiences can enjoy, but the film can also go to Cannes, Sundance, or be nominated for an Oscar. We’re making films that Nigerian audiences can enjoy, but they hardly have any global relevance. 

Do you think there’s any film right now that passes that global relevance mark?

My friend, Blessing Uzzi, made a film called Freedom Way. It premiered in Toronto and it’s just a normal human story about what we go through in Nigeria. It’s going to Red Sea film,  and will also show at AFRIFF. People talk about how they want to make a Netflix film or cinema film, and I’m like, what do you mean? You know, just make a really good film, and then you’ll be surprised by the rooms you’re going to get into.

Your upcoming DGA premiere in 2025 is a big deal. Without spoiling too much, can you walk us through the moment you realized Deep Dish Dimples needed to be told?

It’s wild because this fellowship, like I said, is probably one of the most competitive programs in America, and it’s meant for just filmmakers living in America. I’m the only African, so my group had the only black story. But that was not my only reason for telling a black story. It’s basically about loving yourself and acceptance. I really bonded with the writer, who’s from Atlanta.

You’ve produced A Sunday Affair and Grind. What did they teach you about balancing commercial success and creative authenticity?

I’m still in the early film stages. I feel like the older you get, the more experiences you have, the better the films. I was working at EbonyLife Studio at the time, which really taught me a lot. A lot of the skills I learned working at the studio generally helped me navigate and produce a film in Los Angeles, even though I don’t live in America. 

On commerciality, I wouldn’t speak to that in certainty, because I don’t think you want to make a film and call it commercial, like when we made Grind,  90% of the actors were first-time actors. We did not expect it to be a commercial film. It just happened that Amazon was launching in Nigeria. They saw it and acquired it. And it was number one on Amazon for eight weeks or thereabouts. So I think it just taught me to be a better producer.

How would you differentiate your approach to filmmaking now from that of your earlier films?

That’s a tough question, and I’ve really been thinking of it. I primarily work in Nigeria, I’m back next week and it’s like when you learn so much, you realize how much you don’t know. The difference in my approach is the thinking. I have realized that a lot of films are better because of the thought process that goes into them, not even the camera shots. I’ve learned so much that my fear is how I assimilate myself into the system so I don’t come across as being a snob. 

From your experience, what do you think the Western and international film industry get wrong about Nigerian stories? What do they miss when they assess our stories?

I honestly think we have to put the power, control, and focus in our hands because whatever they miss or what they don’t see is out of our control. We can’t live our lives waiting for somebody’s approval or appraisal, just do your thing. So I feel like a lot of our focus should be more on how I can make a film that makes sense to me and that my people can enjoy. 

What’s next for Josh Olaoluwa?

I want to build a community in Nigeria. Here in LA, I meet a lot of talented American-born Nigerian filmmakers who want to come back to Nigeria to make films. But there’s no entry point. Like they want to bring their talents to Nollywood, but they don’t even know where to go.

I feel like because our market is still growing, it’s a bit ambiguous. So it’s like, there’s really no direction. No community of writers, directors, or producers. One of the next things I want to focus on is making good films via collaborations. Films that I really believe in and also find a way to be globally relevant.