Nollywood is a term used to refer to the Nigerian film industry. This guide to Nollywood cinema explores what Nollywood means and how it has grown in popularity over the years.
The Nigerian film industry, also known as Nollywood, has been around for decades.
It is now one of the most popular movie industries in Africa with more than 300 movies made every year.
The films are mostly shot on location by amateurs or professionals using digital video cameras and then uploaded onto DVDs or directly onto YouTube for viewing all over the world.
A large number of these videos contain explicit sexual content that often leads them to be banned from being shown on TV channels such as those found on satellite networks like DirecTV and Dish Network which have specific guidelines about what they will air.
What Is Nollywood?
Nollywood is the informal term for Nigerian film. These films are known as Nollywood because they are filmed in Nigeria and originally, projected on a
screen using video equipment called a “Nolly,” which was considered to be an abbreviation of “Nigeria” or “National Optical Lens.” Nowadays, many studios have been built in Lagos with projection equipment that uses digital technology.
The selection of topics and themes typically includes:
- poverty,
- corruption,
- religion,
- romance,
- prostitution,
- violence against women and children.
Themes such as homosexuality are sometimes explored but not often openly depicted on screen due to Nigerian law prohibiting gay relationships from being shown publicly (homosexuality is illegal).
In order to combat this problem, some filmmakers will shoot
Nollywood is the movie industry in Nigeria. These movies are produced by Nigerian filmmakers and actors, with most of them being shown to an audience in Nigeria or surrounding countries.
Nollywood has grown considerably over the past few years due to increased internet access, which allows films to be viewed online at much lower costs than DVDs.
Nollywood History
Nollywood is a term used to describe Nigerian cinema. It has been around for the past two decades and has grown in popularity.
The movies have changed over time, but they still tend to follow a similar plot: A man falls in love with a woman who is not his wife or fiancé, which leads to drama and sometimes tragedy.
There are many different theories as to where the term comes from, but there is no definitive answer on why it was coined after Hollywood even though it doesn’t relate much at all.
Regardless of what you believe about the origin of “Nollywood,” one thing remains true; Nigeria’s movie industry has grown into
Nollywood is the Nigerian film industry, and it’s been around since the 1960s. The country has a population of over 170 million people and is one of the most populous in Africa.
Nollywood films are made by Nigerians for Nigerians, and while they have their own style, many movies also have American or European actors as well as directors from all over the world.
WHAT IS NOLLYWOOD
What Is Nollywood?
Nollywood is a term for the Nigerian film industry.
Nollywood productions are most often in the Yoruba language, though films have been produced in English, Hausa, and Igbo languages as well.
The first Nollywood production was released in 1992 with Living in Bondage.
Nollywood was founded by a group of Nigerians who wanted to produce films for themselves and their friends in order to escape from the harsh realities they faced daily.
Despite their best efforts, there existed many obstacles including poverty, lack of infrastructure, and censorship laws which prevented them from producing more films than they could afford or were legally allowed.
As time progressed and restrictions eased up on filmmaking, Nigerian filmmakers began introducing new techniques such as special effects that had never before been seen in Africa before.
Nowadays Nollywood produces about 500 movies per year with some production houses making up
Nollywood is the second-largest film industry in the world, but it has a long history dating back to 1931.
The first Nollywood production was called “The Last of the Nuba” and starred Nigerian actor Charles Ogubuo.
The movie’s release date coincided with Independence Day celebrations on October 1, 1960.
Today, this country’s cinema scene continues to grow and evolve with many different types of movies being made every year.
Best Nollywood Movies
Nollywood is a Nigerian film industry that has been expanding for the past 30 years.
The Nollywood movie industry is one of the largest in the world, with over 2 million movies made so far and counting.
With this many movies to choose from, there are bound to be some classics you can’t miss out on! Here’s a list of some best Nigerian films ever made.
Lionheart (2018)
Lionheart (2018) is a Nigerian Nollywood film directed by Timothy Ekundayo Adeola, starring Nigeria’s finest actors and actresses.
The movie tells the story of an 11 year old girl (Amina) with supernatural powers who loses her father to assassins while trying to save him.
The movie also stars Bimbo Akintola, Seun Akindele, Okey Uzoeshi, Kayode Olaiya, Ngozi Ezeonu and more. The film was premiered on October 20, 2018 at the Genesis Deluxe Cinema, Festac Town in Lagos State.
Lionheart is a journey into one family’s search for healing after their son was murdered by drug dealers.
The film addresses the anger that often accompanies and fuels violence in many communities around the world.
Lionheart intends to inspire young people to have courage and do what is right rather than what is easy or popular.
![Lionheart (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51NqzvzxS3L.jpg)
- Jean-Claude Van Damme, Ashley Johnson, Brian Thompson (Actors)
- Sheldon Lettich (Director)
- Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Chief Daddy (2018)
Chief Daddy is a 2018 Nigerian comedy-drama film, produced by EbonyLife Films and directed by Niyi Akinmolayan.
It stars Funke Akindele, Patience Ozokwor, Ini Edo, Joke Silva, Kate Henshaw and Richard Mofe Damijo.
The film follows the story of billionaire industrialist “Chief” Beecroft, a flamboyant benefactor to a large extended family of relatives, household staff and mistresses.
After his unexpected death, his outrageous will becomes public knowledge which sets off a frenzy of hijinks from the immediate family members all jostling for their share of the inheritance.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri (Actors)
- Stanley Kubrick (Director) - Stanley Kubrick (Writer) - Stanley Kubrick (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
The Wedding Party 2 (2016)
When the sequel to the critically acclaimed film The Wedding Party (2015) was announced, all of Nigeria and Ghana went crazy with excitement.
Fans couldn’t wait to see what happened next in this hilarious tale of a wedding gone wrong.
A great way to get the most out of viewing The Wedding Party 2 is by having some knowledge about Nigerian culture.
For this reason, I have put together a list of things you should know before watching the movie that will give you a better understanding of what’s happening in the film.
In Nigeria, it is common for people to refer to one another using kinship terms like “Uncle” and “Auntie.”
This means that when someone calls themselves your Uncle or Auntie they might actually be an older friend or acquaintance instead of a blood relative.
![My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51OBJodVI+L.jpg)
- Nia Vardalos (Actor)
- Kirk Jones (Director)
- French, Spanish (Subtitles)
- Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
Lost In London (2017)
Lost In London (2017) nollywood film Lost In London is a 2017 Nigerian comedy drama film produced and directed by Moses Inwang.
It was shot in London, the United Kingdom. It features an ensemble cast of Nollywood actors including Ramsey Nouah, Alex Ekubo, Blossom Chukwujekwu, William Benson, Wale Ojo, Uche Jombo, Sambasa Nzeribe, Iretiola Doyle, Tina Mba and Toyin Aimakhu (now Toyin Abraham).
It was premiered at Filmhouse Cinema Surulere on 5 March 2017. It has also been screened at Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles on 14 February 2017 and at George Washington University in Washington DC on 18 February 2017.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri (Actors)
- Stanley Kubrick (Director) - Stanley Kubrick (Writer) - Stanley Kubrick (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
Love Is War (2019)
Rita Dominic and OC Ukeje star in the newly released Nollywood movie titled Love Is War Love Is War is a 2019 Nigerian romantic comedy film directed by Omoni Oboli.
The film stars RMD and OC Ukeje. It was released on October 25, 2019 The film’s plot chronicles the love story of two people (Rita Dominic, OC Ukeje) who fall in love in their late twenties.
They are both accomplished professionals who are career-driven and doing very well in their respective careers. Their lives are perfect but they both desire to get married and start a family.
As they pursue their desire to find true love, they have to work through the challenges of falling in love with the right person at the wrong time. It’s a story about love, dedication, selflessness, marriage, business ethics, and parenthood.
- English (Subtitle)
- Audience Rating: Unrated (Not Rated)
The Figurine (2009)
Based on a true story, the film tells the tale of a young British woman who travels to Nigeria in search of an African artefact rumoured to possess the power of life and death.
The only problem is that she gets more than she bargained for when she unwittingly unleashes an ancient evil. Tensions rise as a series of mysterious deaths surround her.
It is then that her brother and sister-in-law join forces with local Nigerian police officers to unravel the mystery behind the figurine.
The cast includes: Sola Asedeko, Tope Tedela, Mary Lazarus, Okey Uzoeshi, Bimbo Manuel, Desmond Elliot, Yomi Fash Lanso, Ayo Mogaji, Paul Utomi and Mary Remmy Njoku.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri (Actors)
- Stanley Kubrick (Director) - Stanley Kubrick (Writer) - Stanley Kubrick (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
How Did The Nollywood Film Industry Start?
Nollywood is a film industry in Nigeria that produces over one thousand movies per year.
Nollywood has grown to be an extremely popular form of entertainment not only in Nigeria but also internationally due to its prevalence on the internet.
Nollywood is a Nigerian film industry that started in the 1990s. It’s one of Africa’s most prolific film industries and it generates billions of dollars annually.
It all began with Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian writer who published “Things Fall Apart” in 1958.
He was also an editor for the University College London Press and he wanted to make films but had no idea how to go about doing so.
So instead, he wrote a book on how to start a cinema industry from scratch, which eventually became his magnum opus: “The Education Of A British-Protected Child.”
He sent this manuscript abroad for publishing before it was published by Oxford University Press in 1975; however, due to political turmoil at home
Nollywood is a fast-growing industry, and it’s not hard to see why. Nigerian movies have successfully found their way into homes across the world.
Nigerians are known for being one of the most expressive people in Africa which has led to some truly spectacular films that will keep you entertained for hours on end.
Nollywood is a term used to describe the Nigerian film industry, which has grown exponentially over the past few decades.
Nigeria’s film industry can be traced back to 1959 when “Living in Lagos” by George Willemson was released.
The 1960s saw an increase in Nigerian cinema with films like “The Village Headmaster” and “Ajani Ogun”.
In fact, there were over 40 full-length movies produced from 1964-1974. What led to this sudden growth spurt?
Nigerian filmmakers often found it difficult to get their films screened abroad due to colonial restrictions on who could make and distribute films.
A notable movie was made in 1992 by Kunle Afolayan who at age 17 filmed “Living in Bondage.” This was followed by other directors such as Ola Balogun with “Ajani Ogun” and Moses Babatola with “The Gods Are Not To Blame”.
These films were shot on videotape and often shown at church gatherings or rented out for viewing parties with friends.
Nollywood vs. Bollywood
Nollywood and Bollywood are two of the largest film industries in the world, both producing films in different genres but with one thing in common: they’re both trying to stand out from each other.
Nollywood is a Nigerian movie industry that has been steadily growing since 1985. In contrast, Bollywood started around 1913 and produces more movies than any other country on Earth.
The differences between these two industries have created debates about who’s better, which has led to some interesting
facts being brought up by people such as how Nollywood was able to produce over 500 films last year while Bollywood only produced 100-150 during the same time period.
Why Is It Called Nollywood?
Nollywood is a Nigerian film industry that has been around since the early 1990s.
Its name was derived from Hollywood because it was modeled after its American counterpart in many ways.
The movies are called Nollywood films and they typically have an extended running time of two hours or more compared to the typical one-hour Western movie length.
They are also shot on digital video rather than 35 mm film which makes them cheaper to make and allows for quicker post-production turnaround times.
To date, Nigeria produces about 30 full-length motion pictures each week with more than 3 million people employed in the production sector.
Is Nollywood Bigger Than Hollywood?
Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry, is bigger than Hollywood. Nigeria has surpassed the US to become Africa’s largest economy and now it has overtaken Hollywood as well.
Nigeria’s culture of entrepreneurship means that they are not just content with producing films but also developing a distribution network in which people can watch Nollywood movies from their phones at any time for a small fee.
Nollywood is a popular term for the Nigerian film industry which has been around since the 1990s.
In fact, it is believed that Nollywood produces more films than Hollywood does in a year! Some of the most popular movies produced by Nollywood include “Osuofia in London” and “The Figurine”.
These movies have made stars out of their actors like Genevieve Nnaji and Ramsey Nouah.
Nollywood is a term that was coined to refer to the Nigerian film industry, and it has grown exponentially in recent years.
The question then becomes: Is Nollywood bigger than Hollywood? As of 2018, there are over 1000 films produced annually in Nigeria.
In comparison, only around 400 movies are made in Hollywood each year.
It’s hard to say for sure who comes out on top at this point, but one thing is certain: Nollywood doesn’t show any signs of slowing down!
