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Showing posts from October, 2009

IJE..the Journey: New flick starring Genevieve and Omotola

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New flick starring Genevieve and Omotola to hit our screens soon! It seems the era of mediocrity is fast coming to an end for Nigerian film makers! They seem to be determined to put more effort in their work and do more excellent jobs! The better for us viewers. A new movie still unreleased, has started creating buzz. Its called IJE...THE JOURNEY starring Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Clem Ohameze and some foreign acts. The movie which is set for release in March 2010, was shot on locations in Nigeria and Califonia and will most likely go the cinema route. It promises to be well worth watching. The synopsis: "IJE tells a tale of Chioma, a child growing up in the Nigerian countryside, who warned her restless sister, Anya, about the trappings of the American Dream. Now ten years later, Anya is accused of killing three men in a Hollywood Hills mansion—one of them her record producer-husband. Chioma travels from Nigeria to Los Angeles, and with the hel

A Foreigner's take on Nollywood

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I came across this article on the Net and was intrigued. Its an interview with an American film maker on how Nollywood looks to him. Hmmmm...Interesting.... Berks Film Fest 2008: Interview with Jamie Meltzer By Patty Mahlon Reading Eagle Internet Services Virtually non-existent in 1990, the Nigerian film industry (“Nollywood”) is now the third largest in the world. Jamie Meltzer, a film professor at Vassar and the director of the beloved PBS song-poem documentary “Off The Charts” explores the little known yet burgeoning movie phenomenon in his latest film“Welcome to Nollywood,” which plays at the R/C Theaters Reading Movies 11 & IMAX Saturday Oct. 4 at 4:45 pm as part of the Berks Movie Madness Film Festival. Admission is $7. Patty Mahlon: Why did you decide to make a film about the Nigerian film industry? Jamie Meltzer: I was finishing up the “Off The Charts” documentary, which basically took me four years to complete. “Off The Charts” was a great filmmaking process f

NSE IKPE ETIM – An interview with Nollywood’s IT Girl by BOLA ADUWO

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As I sit in the comfortable arm chair in ace Producer, Emem Isong’s sitting room, I await the arrival of her house guest, Nse Ikpe Etim the fast rising star in Nollywood; the lady that gave Femi, Ramsey Noah’s character a run for his money in the movie ‘Reloaded’. Her performance as the fiery wife of a philandering husband really struck a cord with viewers, earning her fans especially among the female folk everywhere and it even got her nominated for best Actress at the last Africa Movie Awards (AMA), no small feat for a newcomer. All sorts of thoughts rush through my mind as I wait for her …. What will she be like? Haughty? Or fiery like the character, Omoze which she played in ‘Reloaded’? How do we greet? With the cursory peck? Handshake? What?!!... as the thoughts swirl round my mind, I hear footsteps on the staircase and the lady in question, Nse, floats down the staircase in a free, flowing kaftan, her hair loosely pulled into a chignon. Her face, make up free, is glowing, radi

Emem Isong premieres new movie

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EMEM ISONG GETS READY FOR PREMIERE OF THE YEAR by BOLA ADUWO It seems Nollywood is not quite done with premieres. Just when we thought we had seen ‘em all, we received feelers from the camp of Emem Isong that she is about to hit the town with the world premiere of ‘Guilty Pleasures’. I decided to investigate and managed to track down the busy Producer and this is what went down. BA: Hello Emem. Emem: How are you Bola? BA: I hear you are hitting town with another premiere. Emem: What do you mean another premiere? I haven’t done one this year? BA: Really? Well, it wasn’t so long ago that you did one for the film, “Reloaded”. Emem: That was last year. This is another year. BA: So are you premiering ‘Guilty Pleasures’ in Nigeria? Emem: Yes I am. Im premiering ‘Guilty Pleasures’ and ‘Nollywood Hustler’; two films I co-produced with people. One, Guilty Pleasures I co produced with Desmond Elliot and the other Nollywood Hustler with Uche Jombo. BA: Why do you like co-producing with other

OPEN LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF TIME MAGAZINE FALSE DEPICTION OF NOLLYWOOD IN TIME MAGAZINE

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Dear Editor I have just seen your so-called pictures from Nollywood the 3rd largest film industry in the world and I must say I am aghast that a magazine as prestigious as yourself would buy into what is obviously a staged, wicked and malicious attempt to paint the people of Nigeria in a negative light. Who in their correct minds would buy movies with those evil, nightmarish creatures in them? The photographer and his accomplies obviously have axes to grind. But whatever it is, people are not buying that! You are merely running the danger of allowing your esteemed newsmagazine which I USED TO have esteem for be dragged in the mud. My country Nigeria is not perfect. Whose is? We are a third world country, trying to get beyond the shackles of neo-colonialism, corruption, poverty and other vices plaguing our nascent nation. In the midst of this, the youth have been able to create an industry (without Government assistance and foreign aid) that creating stories for us, by us. These

Heavensgate Actress, Caroline Johnson Recovers

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I usually dont like to poke my nose into other peoples bizness especially health problems but this is a story that touched my heart. Some time ago it was in the news that actress, Caroline Johnson (Uju in Heavensgate)was diagnosed with leukemia. Money was raised for her to go to India for treatment. She did and is back in Nigeria. Here is her thank you letter (culled from lindaikeji.blogspot.com) accompanied by some pix...pls be warned that they are a bit graphic. Dear All, HE KEPT HIS WORD… This is Caroline Johnson and am happy to write this letter. Firstly, I would like to let you know that Jesus Christ really lives and I thank God for seeing me through. I sympathize with those out there going through this because I have been there; I know what it is to be helpless, hopeless and sick. My prayer is that our good Lord will rise up on your case as he did with mine. I am inspired and glad to write you all and with sincere appreciation deep down within me, I would like to say a BIG THANK

Guilty Pleasures - the movie

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What happens when a bored, pampered, wealthy woman is married to an emotionally-distant, busy man? And is visited by a happy-go-lucky, loving (did I forget to mention attractive?) brother-in-law with plenty of time on his hands? Fireworks thats what! Guilty Pleasures...coming to a theatre near you!

A STAR CONTINUES TO GLOW!

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AN ODE TO RAMSEY NOUAH I am usually not given to writing open letters to known or unknown men but I have been moved to do so. I have just watched ‘The Figurine’ and I must say my level of respect for Ramsey Tokunbo Nouah has risen up by ten notches! Forget the lover-boy-Martini-idol looks…Ramsey Nouah can act!! OMG! I watched him, entranced as he evolved from an asthma-suffering-glasses-wearing nerd to the sauve, stylish Ramsey we all know and love. Listening to him speaking clear, faultless Yoruba was so sexy….Gosh! I had suspected for a long time that he could act but he was just not challenged enough so he just coasted along over the years with the occasional flash of brilliance coming out now and then (think Silent Night, Dangerous Twins etc.) That was when I started respecting him. His acting in Emem Isong’s ‘Reloaded’ blew me away but his heart-stopping performance in ‘Guilty Pleasures’ lets me know ‘Yes, an African Martinee Idol star has been born. His acting in ‘The Figur

NIGERIA WE HAIL THEE…

NIGERIA WE HAIL THEE…

GUILTY PLEASURES;The making

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Yet another hot movie has hit the shelves from the stable of Emem Isong. Aptly titled 'Guilty Pleasures' this is the kinda movie you put on when you have finished the chores, put the kids to bed, dimmed the lights and picked your favourite bag of crips to munch! Directed by Daniel Ademinokan & Desmond Elliot, written by Uyai Ikpe-Etim & Bola Aduwo,it stars Ramsey Nouah, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Majid Michel, Omoni Oboli and Mercy Johnson.