Nigeria is the second largest film producing nation in the world according to information on the official website of the biennial Zuma International Film Festival of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), started in 2006 after the demise of the National Film Festival.
But this claim is disputed by the top global film markets in the world and Nigeria is not on the list of the top 10 countries led by USA, China, Japan and others. Nigeria produces more home videos than films and the Nigerian film industry does not have enough cinemas for her teeming population of more than 170 million people, therefore Nigerian filmmakers turned to producing home videos for home entertainment.
No local or foreign film has made up to USD1 million from the Nigerian box office, with only 50 screens operated by fewer than five film exhibitors in selected shopping malls in the country. The Nigerian film industry, popularly known for Nollywood movies of the southern region and Kannywood movies of the largely Hausa-speaking north, has more international film festivals than South Africa, Africa’s biggest film industry with more than 857 screens in cinemas owned by Ster-Kinekor, Nu Metro and Avalon Group. But the annual Durban International Film Festival in KwaZulu-Natal province does more than all the international film festivals in Nigeria, including the Zuma International Film Festival funded by the Nigerian government. None of the international film festivals in Nigeria has a film market such as the Durban FilmMart, which has become the biggest on the continent. And none of these are as functional as Durban, because of a lack of structure and inadequate professional management staff.
International award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, Chike Ibekwe who has been to DIFF, says the South African government, with the support of local and global corporate sponsors, have made DIFF what it is today, since it was founded in 1979. “Durban has become a cultural platform for filmmakers from Africa and beyond, with competent staff, including very passionate volunteers making it the biggest annual film event in Africa,” says Chike.
Jonathan Wolf, Managing Director of American Film Market (AFM) says that, unlike other film industries, Nigeria does not buy or sell films at international markets. Filmmakers and film distributors from Nigeria only come to the annual AFM as visitors.
Nigerian film festivals can use the Durban model to improve their standards to make the Nigerian film industry a global film market that will attract international film distributors for filmmakers in Nigeria and others from abroad.
By Michael Chima Ekenyerengozi, Editor and publisher, Nigerians Report
