“Losing Daylight” Nigeria’s Premier Film History Exhibition, Debuts on Independence Day

Inspired by the phrase “losing daylight”  commonly used by filmmakers and cinematographers who are racing against the clock to fit a series of shoots into daytime. This exhibition is a celebration of Nigeria’s remarkable cinematic history and journey since its conception. The showcase will take place at 37 Glover Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on October 1st and 2nd, 2023.

The two-day event is set to kick off with an opening ceremony at 2 p.m. on the 1st of October  2023 to welcome cinema enthusiasts, filmmakers, and the general public into a captivating journey of the evolution of film in Nigeria. The exhibition will continue the next day for an all-day viewing. Featuring artifacts and antiques that represent the evolution through the years, spotlighting the colonial era, the home video phase, and the new Nollywood era.

Curated by ace talent agent and film history collector Taiwo Adeyemi, it promises to be a grand and immersive celebration of film and cinema culture in Nigeria. “Losing Daylight goes beyond being an exhibition; it’s an institution committed to reclaiming the fading history of Nigerian cinema and making it accessible as an art form, source of entertainment, educational resource, cultural heritage, and social documentation”, the curator says. The exhibits include vintage costumes worn by veteran actors, movie scripts, rare footage of film productions, etc., taking attendees into the nostalgic time capsule of Nigerian cinema.

The exhibition promises to be a prelude to a major week-long exhibition in December 2023 at the EcoBank Pan African Centre to celebrate the story of Nigerian culture through the lens of film.