This year’s Nollywood Week in Paris has come and gone. The well attended International film event started on Thursday, May 3rd and ended Saturday May 6th, 2018 in Paris.
The star-studded event paraded seasoned Nollywood film makers, actors and other movie practitioners who competed favourably with their counterparts from other countries.
Highlights of Events
Thursday May 3rd, 2018 marked the beginning of the three days event with opening night ceremony attended by V.I.P guests and an opening night film, “The Wedding Party2”
The Wedding Party 2 (‘Ludus’, Playful Love’)
Synopsis: Nonso proposes by accident while on a dinner date and sets off a chain of events too powerful to stop. Deirdre’s upper class British family is against the pairing as are some members of the Nigerian clan. After a near disastrous introduction ceremony in Lagos, both families reluctantly agree for a wedding in Dubai-setting off another colourfully chaotic and memorable journey to everlasting love.
The wedding party 2 is a romantic cum comedy, directed by Niyi Akinmolaya, featuring Adesua Etomic, Banky Wellington, Richard Mofe Damijo, Iretiola Doyle, Enyina Nwigwe, Danicila Down etc. The movie is produced in Nigeria in 2017 with English and French subtitles.
Friday, May 4th, 2018
The following films were screened the second day and they were: categorized as official selection they included:
The Lost Café: “Philauta” – Self Love)
Synopsis: When a young woman decides to pursue her dream career and move to Norway, to further studies in film making, she becomes torn between two worlds. Family issues back at home in Nigeria and integration issues in Norway begin to take a toll on her studies, when the problem facing her start to become more than she can handle, she stumbles upon a café that provides her with more than just the best coffee.
The lost café belongs to the drama genures directed by Kenneth Gyong, featuring Tunde Aladese, “Confusion Na Wa”, Omatta Udabor Terje Lien. Produced in Nigeria and Norway in 2017 with English and Norwagian and French subtitles.
Isoken (‘Storge’ – Familiar Love)
Synopsis: Everyone in the Osayande Family worries about Isoken, although she is beautiful, success ful and well liked, Isoken is 34 and unmarried which in her culture is a serious cause for concern. All is forgiven when her mother finds her the ultimate Nigerian man, Osaze.
However, in an unexpected turn of events Isoken meets Kevin who she finds herself falling in Love with, but not only that he is not Nigerian, he is Oyinbo (white). Isoken is a romantic dramedy that explores cultural expectations, racial stereotypes and a bond that unites families.
It is directed by Jade Osiberu starring Dekore Egbuson-Akande, Joseph Benjamin, Marc Rhys, Funke Akindele and Amilola Adegbite produced in Nigeria in 2017 with English and French Subtitles.
Tolu (Short Film)
Synopsis: A young girl in Nigerian fishing village decides to help her family and learns to believe in her slef, the movie’s genre is fantasy, it is directed by Nadine Ibrahim. The casts are Wale Ojo, Somekele Iyamah Idhalama, Halimat Olarenwaju and Karibi Fubara; produced 2017 in Nigeria.
Alter Ego (“Eros”, Canal Love)
Synopsis: Ada Igwe is a highly revered Law Attorney who has focused a substantial part of her law practice on seeking justice against sex offenders even when the court room fails her. However, a dark secret puts her at odds with the very thing she hates most. How will she reconcile her own demons before its too late?
The movie is a drama genre, directed by Moses Inwang, starring Omotola Julade-Ekeinde, Wale Ojo, Kunle Rhemmy, Bobby Obodo, Charles Billion, Emem Inwang, Esther Eyibio produced in Nigeria in 2017 with English and French subtitles.
Saturday May 5th 2018
The day featured screening of the Wedding Party 2, short film titled ‘Wetin for Hassan’ followed by feature film ‘Kasola’.
Kasala (Philia, Brotherly Love)
Synopsis: Taking place in a Nigerian slum, Tunji a fast talking teenager borrows his no-nonsense uncle’s car and gets his friends, Chikodi, Effiong and Abraham to join him on a joy ride around the neighbourhood, things turn sour when they crash the car and only have five hours to raise the required funds to fix the car before Tunji’s uncle gets back. They resort to avenues known to each one of them in order to get quick money.
The genre: category is coming of Age, directed by Ema Edosio, featuring Jide Kosoko, Sambasa Nzeribe, Judith Audu fought, Chimezie Imo, produced 2018 in Nigeria with pidgin English and French subtitles.
Sylvia (World premiere): “Mama’ Obsessive Love
Synopsis: Richard Okezie is loyal when it comes to love which is good since Sylvia his childhood friend and the woman of his dreams takes loyalty seriously. The two have always been inseparable until the day Richard meets Gbemi the real love of his life.
Genre: Drama/Thriller, directed by Daniel Oriahi featuring Zainab Balogun, Chris Attohini Dima Okojie, Udoka Onyeka, produced 2018 with English and French subtitles.
Delivery Boy (‘Agape’, Sacrificial Love)
Amir, a young Nigerian terrorist goes rogue right before his final mission, in a romantic affair. A long way he joins forces with an unlikely comrade leading to an ending that non of them would have predicted.
The genure is drama, it is directed by Adekunle Adejugigbe, Charles Etubiebi, produced in 2918 with Hausa, English and French subtitles.
Sunday May 6th 2018 (Closing Formalities)
The closing day witnessed the screening of Banana Island Ghost, short film titled “Still Water Runs Deep”, the House wife, question and answer session, closing night ceremony announcing the winning film(s) and the world premiere of the Lagos landing followed by question and answer with the cast and crew.
Banana Island Ghost (Big) ‘Soul Love’
Synopsis: A ghost that is cared to go to headen because he never found his soul mate convinces God to give him three days to find love. He is paired with Ijeoma, a cantankerous fire cracker who will stop at nothing to save her late father’s estate in the most prestigious neighbourhood in Nigeria, Banana Island. The two of them must learn to work together to find what they each are seeking.
Genre, Comedy, director BB Sasore, cast Chioma Omeruah, Ali Nuhu, Danilola Adegbite, Saidi Balogun, Patrick Diabuah, produced in Nigeria, 2018, dubbed in French.
Lagos Landing-‘Cyber Love’
This love story inspired by true events centres around Jacqueline, an upright middle class Parisian woman who joins a dating site in search of the perfect novel like romance and adventure, she’s always imagined. She connects with Bayo, a self made young rich lawyer in far away Nigeria who has a seemingly boring life.
After a few weeks she finds herself in Lagos Nigeria to meet her outline lover face to face. The story takes a twist when Jacqueline upon arriving Lagos becomes a victim of mistaken identity.
Starring Rmasey Nouah, Kayla Eva, Emmanuel Ekubese.