Bigger budget Nigerian cinema earning international praise

Global Business

Bigger budget Nigerian cinema earning international praise

Nollywood, Nigeria’s version of Hollywood, is stepping into the limelight. A new wave of cinema made its way to New York for the city’s 24th African Diaspora International Film Festival and Toronto for its International Film Festival.

CCTV’s Mimi Chiahemen reports.

Filmed in Lagos, “93 Days” tells the true story of the men and women who risked their lives to stop the spread of the Ebola virus in 2014

Directed, produced, and distributed by Nigerians, but boasting a significantly bigger budget, and audience than standard Nollywood fare, it’s one example of what some in the film industry are calling the “new wave” of Nigerian cinema.

Nollywood insiders said the genre seems set to evolve and diversify along with advancements in technology.

And it seems, modern technology is also helping Nollywood draw audiences in on a more personal level.

While that’s driving some of the growth, commentors argued it’s also about the storytelling and a shift in thinking about the business of film.

And for many filmmakers there’s no better place to test that potential than at a film festival with keen viewers.