For the Black Race, Nollywood Remains an Institution

[Sola]

By Azuka Ogujiuba


The history of the Nigerian movie industry would not be complete without a mention of Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen. He has over time carved a niche for himself in the industry with his works which range over 200. He has produced and directed block buster films like Issakaba part 1 to 4, Games that Women Play, August Meeting, Ibuka, Last Burial and Adaku among others. His passion for the arts started at the tender age of nine as a little boy at the New Benin Baptist Church where he was a member of the children’s drama group and since then, he has never done any work outside the entertainment world. Before his foray into film making, he had stints with several media organisations including Bendel Broadcasting Service now Edo Broadcasting Service, Benin, Radio Nigeria, Lagos and the Nigeria Television Authority where he worked as a contract staff. He speaks to Azuka Ogujiuba on the rapid growth of the industry and why Nollywood has come to stay.

What is your general assessment about the movie industry?

Quite frankly as a major player in the industry, I think this is one industry that needs a lot of commendation, because we've been able to rise from nothing to something. The premise with which we started and where we are now and where we are hoping to get to. I think generally, we've done well. It is difficult to be the spectator, the player and the judge. But quite sincerely without mincing words, without being sentimental, I think we've done well giving the circumstances and the environment with which we've operated. This is an industry that has been sustained on its own. Some guys just want to make some quick business, invest some money and make money back. It is an industry that has not had a major solid government support, an industry that seems not to have had any policy in place. I think quite frankly we have done well. That's not to say that we are not unaware or I am not unaware of the obvious professional lapses inherent in the industry; it is very evident.

But to be very frank with you, I think the Nigerian movie industry, judging from what we have had, judging from what we have available, judging from what had been given to us, judging from the non participation of corporate organisation and business concerns, has been able to become a name from what I will call a non-existent name. The Nigeria movie industry has been able to imprint its name on the sands of time as far as Black civilisation is concerned.

So what are professionals like you doing about the lapses, so that the industry can be taken to the next level?

First and foremost, you cannot give what you don't have. In Nigeria, what has become Nollywood, as a movie production industry, has been pushed to accepting all comers because there are no government regulation, institutional regulations. It is an all comers affair. That is not to say that some of us are not equipped enough to know that some of these things are not supposed to be done the way they are being done. How many banks want to invest in the industry?...The film maker generates his story, originates his story, creates his story, thinks about producing and sourcing for funds to produce his story. He gets the fund from whichever means or whatever means. He produces his film and bothers with how to sell his or her work. But our counterparts elsewhere will only bother themselves with generating ideas. And once the idea is generated there is someone somewhere, there's an organisation somewhere, there is some gathering somewhere whose business is to get the needed funds for him to expand on his idea. There are funds in France, there are funds in Amsterdam, in Holland, Germany there are funds everywhere for idea development, script development. The man applies, gets this fund. Once he gets the fund, he gets into the developing of the script and his idea. He looks for the best theatre around. Script conferences are organised, funded professionally and executed. One lap of it is gone...If you want to get a grant, why doing this he is not bothered about what his family will eat because the government is there to take care of his family. The man is busy pursuing his dream. This is the experience of a colleague of mine who came to do a documentary on me as a film maker here in Africa. When he called me, he said, Lancelot, I have gotten funds to come and shoot a documentary on you in Nigeria. I said wow! He was able to pay for his ticket, pay his producer's ticket, pay tickets for his crew members all the way from Holland to Nigeria to do the film. Now, when you go to the Cannes festival, when you go to Berlinale, when you go to a festival in Switzerland, when you go to Los Angels film festival, where are the Nigerian films? What is the basis for comparison?. There is a friend of mine who’s got guts, and some money and he said I have 3 million naira Lancelot, come and shoot a film for me. His only concern, his only interest, his only involvement is that this is a trade for him and as a result he is looking forward to what he will get at the end of the day. When the film fails no insurance company will pay him compensation, no government institution will compensate him. So, he gets into the society, and tells you I am the man in the market. They like Genevieve Nnaji, they like Pat Attah, whether Genevieve is consistent with the character or not because she is in demand, so the professionally trained film maker, has no choice but to put her in the film. Jim Iyke is the face that the public wants, that will guarantee my 3 million back to me. But not minding all the shortcomings Nigerian movie industry has become a force as far as the community of film making is concerned. Forget that you were at the Cannes and you did not see Nigerian films, but there were Nigerian film makers there, acknowledged that they were from Nigeria. Our films will be featured in the first film festival in Switzerland. I have sent 10 movies to them, they will select the ones they need. There's something peculiar with Nigerian film that the entire world is beginning to appreciate.

How long have you been a movie director in this industry ?

I've been involved in the business of art since I was nine years old, and I am in my mid 30's now. Professionally, I started out as a film maker about 10 years ago; this is my 10 years behind the camera...I am still hoping that by next year will be able to do the best 10 of Lancelot in 10 years - a film festival, in my city (Benin City) to celebrate my 10 years behind the camera. Majorly as a director, I just do one or two features. Sometimes, I also take them out to produce, but any day, I would love to be addressed as a movie director, or as a film maker, interpreting scripts and getting the best out of my artiste.

Let's talk about the films you want to feature in Switzerland Film Festival, how did it come about?

I met a Cameronian film maker in Hollywood, California when we went for the Nollywood convention in June this year, and he was particularly pleased with the work he saw that we have done. He showed me a film that he got about 400,000 Euros grant from the French government to make. 400,000 Euros is 76 million naira. He has been on that project for about 8 months and I brought out my own Games that Women Play and I told him that the film was shot for about 11 days - it is a part 1 and 2 movie and he screamed. I said yes, these are the things we do here, pure magic and the budget was less than 56,000 dollars, compare that to 400,000 Euros. I told him, if I get 50 million to shoot a film in Nigeria you will run. He laughed and said I can feel it. When we got to France, he shouted to a lot of his colleagues and that was where the Art Director of the Switzerland Film Festival sent me a mail that they wanted to feature my film. I am looking forward to that.

Is it on celluloid?

No, we have come to let them know that we shoot our films on video. There is another festival coming up in Egypt next year and we will also be there. We shoot our works on video and they must accept it that is what we are doing right now in Nigeria. There is no apologies...today if you are calling a popular Africa cinema you are calling a Nigerian home video. Other film makers in Senegal, Mali have big film institutions. These are works that end up in festivals, embassies, conferences and all that but the Nigeria films have transcended all these points. Our artists are popular in all these countries in African. In Congo, in Senegal even in major French speaking countries, in Portuguese speaking countries our films are popular over there. Go to places like North America, South America countries, in Brazil, Argentina, in Amsterdam. You are shocked at the level of cooperation our works get. Because these works are by the people, through the people, for the people. Story lines they can attach to you; story lines that affect their lives. There is no Nigerian that can watch a lot of these festival films without sleeping off. They don't make any sense to you that is the truth.

Are you implying that Nollywood has come to stay?

If anybody is contemplating, if anybody is anticipating, if any body is planning that there will be an exclusion of this Nollywood trend, the person is the biggest joker of the world. As for the Black race, Nollywood remains an institution. That is not to say (please don't get me misunderstood) we do not appreciate the fact that there is need for improvement technically. A South African film got an Oscar nomination and I was jealous because I know that we have the wherewithal, the creativity and the capacity to get such recognition. Whether you like it or not film has one language and there is a format world over that is acceptable.

Does it not bother you that Nigerian movies are not even shown in festivals like Cannes and Berlin?

That is not to say that our works have not been appreciated. You see there is a certain sound and picture quality they want. But Nigerian film industry has been able to impress these festivals. Whether they like it or not they are going to accept the works because when you are talking about popular Africa cinema you are talking about Nigeria film.