How African cinema is making waves globally, Nigerian actor explains
When movie fanatics troop to the cinema or streaming platforms after the release of a widely anticipated film or drama piece, the narrative and the craft of storytelling heighten their cinematic experience.
Every cinematic piece that comes out to some extent is infused with the culture of its origin country. Take for instance the Korean Wave (Hallyu), a cultural phenomenon which has seen almost every South Korean drama seemingly captivate audiences worldwide and installed the Asian nation as a major player in the global entertainment industry.
African cinema is no exception, with filmmakers across the region leveraging the continent’s diverse storytelling traditions.
Nigerian actor Godwin Nnadiekwe believes that what makes African cinema stand out from other film industries around the world is its storytelling. According to Nnadiekwe, this has contributed to the success of the African film industry.
“African film industries, we are very big in our storytelling. That is one of the core things that we have. So the way we tell our stories, we tell them differently from what they say out there. And this has actually brought in a lot of international recognition, global recognition and they know that the manner and the way we tell our stories, we showcase our culture, the diversity in our culture, our heritage… So that has actually made us stand out from the other film industries out there,” he told GSW.
Nigeria is the African continent’s most populated nation with hundreds of tribes scattered across its 36 states. The young actor also highlighted that filmmakers in the West African nation are faced with funding, distribution, and piracy issues in the industry.
He added that even in the digital space, piracy is still an issue because when filmmakers release their movies, they find pirated copies on YouTube and some social media platforms.
“More structured distribution platforms, if that can be done, would go a long way, and again, funding has been one of the challenges that most people are facing. For filmmakers who have a vision, funding remains one of the issues that they are facing today,” he said.
Nnadiekwe expressed hope for international collaborators with the Nigerian film industry and also called on the Nigerian government to grant filmmakers access to loans.
“I would love to see international bodies coming in to collaborate. I would also want to see these things happen. Yes and access to grants, loans, and support financially. And again, the government should also come in. It's not just an individual thing. I urge them to come in as well,” he added.
