Entertainment
ION Film Festival: Dream ComesTrue – Nollywood Stars
The ION International Film festival has come and gone but it has provided a lifetime experience for the entertainment world particularly practitioners in the Nigerian Movie Industry called Nollywood. Most of them who witnessed the event expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, who hosted the festival for the first time in Africa as it gave them the opportunity to interact with movie makers and actors all over the world including celebrated Hollywood actor Giancario Esposito, Malcom X and Bollywood acclaimed actress Makhija Masumeh.
It was also an opportunity for Nollywood faithfuls to have a glimpse of some of their celebrated stars such as Genevieve Nnaji, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Rita Edochie and Rivers State- born, former Miss World Agbani Derego. Others include Sam Dede, Francis Duru, Gentle Jack as well as seasoned movie producers like Dickson Iroegbu, Kingsley Ogoro, Lancelot Imasun and Engr. Reginald Orlu among others.
The Nigerian music industry was not left out as most of the artistes attended the event among whom are, Rivers State born singer, Duncan Mighty, Wande Coal, Seun Anikulapo Kuti, Anambra born music sensation Nneka and Bayelsa State born rare of the moment, Timi Dakolo.
Apart from showcasing some of the over 82 films nominated for award in the various categories such as Animation, Documentary, Narrative feature, short films, student short films, music videos and youths project in which Nigeria won most of the awards, there were opportunities to participate in panel discussions with accredited industry professionals on movie financing.
This provided opportunity for the discussants to brainstorm on issues bordering on film value chain and the different models to attract finances to film production and the roles of different stakeholders in ensuring that funds were channeled into film production and the development of Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Some of the discussants include representatives of World Bank and other Nigerian banks, firm Managers, consulting films, regulators, producers and distributors.
Another important event was the panel discussion on distribution to explore the best distribution for Nollywood content to ensure profitability. This was ably handled by the Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Mr. Emeka Mba, who spoke extensively on the board’s new distribution frame work aimed at ensuring effective distribution of Nigerian movies to curb the menace of piracy in the industry as well as discussions by accredited producers and actors who discussed the possibilities of co-production with Nigerian producers that can provide stories for a wide market appeal.
It is therefore no gainsaying the fact that the festival held in Port Harcourt between 9th and 12th December 2009, is one of the best things to happen to Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole. Apart from exposing the state to the world, it has brought countless opportunities which if properly harnessed would lead to rapid development of the nation’s movie, music and tourism sectors of the economy as well as boost the revenue base of the state.
Though, some Nigerian artistes who spoke in an interview with The Weekend Tide complained of alleged marginalisation by the organisers as they were not carried along, most of them are of the view that it is a dream come true and big plus to the entertainment industry in Nigeria, stressing that, it has provided a rare opportunity for them to interact and partner with top celebrities and professionals from Hollywood and Bollywood, the world’s first and second movie industries in the world respectively.
For Ibinabo Fiberesima, Chairperson of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Rivers State chapter, the purpose of the event is to promote our film industry. It is a wonderful experience and a dream come true, we thank Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his efforts in bringing the film festival to Port Harcourt.
She said apart from providing job opportunities to many, it is an opportunity to prove to the world that Rivers State is a peaceful and hospitable state and not a state where militants, kidnappers and other miscreants hold sway as people erroneously tag the state, so it is a big plus to our image it has given us projection as a state where peace and tranquility reign.
“I personally want to meet the big stars in Hollywood and Bollywood, I am even more honoured that this is happening, it has made the world to know that AGN exists in the state and I am even more honoured that this is happening especially when I am the chairperson.”
Engr. Reginald Orlu, Chairman, Association of Movie Producers (AMP) Rivers State Chapter, said the film festival provides a great opportunity to meet movie producers from Hollywood, Bollywood and other movie industries in the world. It will also create an enabling ground for the distribution of movies. For all the states in Nigeria, God knows why Rivers State is chosen, it is a sign that the world appreciates our peaceful environment and legendary hospitality. It will showcase our works and various locations for movie making.
According to Francis Duru Chairman AGN Abuja, the ION Film festival is the biggest thing to happen to Nollywood and Port Harcourt, the heart of creativity and it is a good thing especially this period, when people are talking about peace, co-existence and cohabitation. The challenge now is to make good use of the opportunity the event has accorded us to get it right and improve on our standards so that we can compete favourably with Hollywood and Bollywood which are the leading film industries in the world.
According to Alaso Wariboko; a Rivers State born Nollywood actor, he is very happy for the event because it is a great opportunity for Nollywood to get to the neight of movie making. He, however, observed some sloppy arrangements stressing that most of them were not informed and they feel slighted.
He said here in the state, there are good artistes that have all the potentials to rule the movie world. The ION festival is a very big event and the artistes in Port Harcourt are on ground to work with them but we are not properly informed or carried along.
For Gentle Jack, The spirit of welcoming ION should not be dampened, everybody especially the artistes should see themselves as part and parcel of the event, it is only then that they can benefit from the opportunities the event provides.
Jacob Obinna
The family of veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie, has dismissed viral rumours circulating on social media claiming that the film icon is dead.
Reacting to the reports in a video shared on his Instagram page on Tuesday, the actor’s eldest son, Leo Edochie, described the claim as false and malicious.
“I’ve been receiving text messages and calls over the nonsense post by some people that our father, Chief Pete Edochie, is dead. It is a lie from the pit of hell,” he said.
Leo added that the actor is alive and in good health, condemning those responsible for spreading the rumour.
“Our father is alive, hale and hearty. And if you wish someone dead, two things usually happen. The person will live very long and you will die before him. Shame to all of you,” he said.
The rumour had sparked concern among fans before the family’s clarification.
Nollywood veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is making her directorial debut with a different and sharper focus. Speaking recently with Newsmen,, the screen icon highlighted a glaring void in the industry’s catalogue, which is the authentic reality of mother-daughter relationships.
“We don’t have too many films that explore or showcase the relationship between mothers and daughters,” Omotola said during the interview, describing the subject as something deeply personal to her.
Speaking honestly about raising her first daughter, she admitted she had only one mode at the time, which was discipline. “I didn’t do a good job,” she said plainly, explaining that she understood motherhood strictly through control, not softness or emotional openness.
At the centre of Mother’s Love is Adebisi, a sheltered young woman from a wealthy home whose life is shaped by her father’s rigid control. Her first taste of freedom comes through NYSC, where distance from home allows her to begin discovering who she is outside her family’s expectations. She forms a friendship with a young man from a more modest background, and through him, starts to see the world and herself differently.
But the emotional core of the film isn’t Adebisi’s rebellion. It’s her mother. Long after being presented as quiet and compliant, she slowly reveals a resolve when her daughter’s safety and future are threatened. As secrets surface and buried grief comes into view, Mother’s Love becomes less about youthful independence and more about maternal sacrifice, unspoken trauma, and the emotional costs of survival inside a patriarchal home.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the film doesn’t shy away from weighty themes by including PTSD, unresolved grief, and social inequality at the centre of the story. It is far removed from the soft-focus sentimentality that often defines Mother’s Day-style narratives.
It also marks Omotola’s directorial debut, a significant moment considering how long she has shaped Nollywood from the front of the camera. She stars in the film alongside a mix of familiar faces and newer talent, including Ifeanyi Kalu, Olumide Oworu, and Noray Nehita.
Beyond the film itself, Omotola’s interview touched on a tension that has been simmering in Nollywood for a while now: how movies are marketed in the age of TikTok. Addressing the growing expectation for actors and filmmakers to create viral dance content to promote their work, she didn’t mince words. The pressure, she said, is exhausting and unnatural.
For her, the industry wasn’t meant to function this way. Still, she was careful not to judge anyone else’s approach. Everyone invests differently, carries different risks, and should be allowed to promote their films however they see fit.
“Do whatever you can do. It’s exhausting, it’s not natural. For me, the film industry is not supposed to be like that. We are encouraging nonsense if we are doing that. It doesn’t mean that whoever is doing it is wrong.”
Her comments arrive not long after the public back-and-forth between Kunle Afolayan and Funke Akindele over marketing styles, a debate that quickly turned into a proxy war between prestige storytelling and viral strategy. Omotola’s stance sits somewhere calmer. She understands the shift social media has brought, but she’s also clear about her own boundaries.
Omotola’s critique about the lack of mother-daughter stories isn’t unfounded. In Nollywood, mothers often exist as symbols rather than people. They’re either saintly figures who pray endlessly for their children or villains whose cruelty drives the plot forward. What’s missing is intimacy, the negotiations, and the regrets. The love that exists alongside resentment and misunderstanding.
Films rarely sit with the emotional complexity of women raising daughters in systems that also failed them. There’s little room for mothers who made mistakes but are still trying, or daughters who love their mothers while questioning the damage they inherited. Mother’s Love attempts to occupy that space, offering a more grounded portrayal that reflects lived experience rather than archetypes.
That’s where the film’s potential impact lies, in the decision to centre a relationship that Nollywood has largely flattened. If it works, it could open the door for more stories that treat motherhood as a lived, evolving reality rather than a fixed moral position.
Mother’s Love, directed by and starring Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, had its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025. The film is set for a nationwide cinema release in Nigeria on March 6, 2026.
Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.
Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.
Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.
Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.
What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.
Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.
Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.
Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.
Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.
And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.
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