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FilmOne in another groundbreaking deal with 20th Century Fox

By Shaibu Husseini
24 April 2016   |   2:51 am
Barely five months after it signed a deal to bring a wonderful cinema experience to Nigerian audiences with one of the world’s biggest cinema chain IMAX Corporation.
Group MD/CEO, FilmHouse Cinema and FilmOne Distribution, Mr. Kene Mkparu; President, Worldwide Theatrical Marketing and Distribution, Mr. Paul Hanneman and Group Executive Director, COO FilmHouse Cinemas and FilmOne Distribution, Mr. Moses Babatope at the recent signing of MoU with 20th Century Fox

Group MD/CEO, FilmHouse Cinema and FilmOne Distribution, Mr. Kene Mkparu; President, Worldwide Theatrical Marketing and Distribution, Mr. Paul Hanneman and Group Executive Director, COO FilmHouse Cinemas and FilmOne Distribution, Mr. Moses Babatope at the recent signing of MoU with 20th Century Fox

Barely five months after it signed a deal to bring a wonderful cinema experience to Nigerian audiences with one of the world’s biggest cinema chain IMAX Corporation, Nigeria’s leading theatrical distribution company, FilmOne Distribution, has entered into another agreement. This time, it is to distribute films by 20th Century Fox in Nigeria and West Africa.

FilmOne Distribution is a baby company of FilmOne, which majorly deals with theatrical distribution and production. Group Chief Executive Officer and President of FilmOne Cinemas and FilmOne Distribution, Mr. Kene Mkparu, said the agreement with 20th Century Fox involves distributing all Fox titles directly to cinemas in Nigeria and Ghana.

“This is the first deal of its kind in West Africa for 20th Century Fox,” Mkparu said, noting that as part of the agreement, FilmOne Distribution would release in 2016 such titles as Independence Day: Resurgence, Ice Age: Collision Course, as well as, The Birth of a Nation from the Studio’s Fox Searchlight Pictures division and Dreamworks Animation’s Trolls.

This agreement, which FilmOne has entered with the film production and distribution giant is being hailed by industry observers as groundbreaking and a bold statement from 20th Century Fox, reputed as one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures. The American film company produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world.

Mkparu stated that the agreement represents a bold statement in showcasing the interest of 20th Century Fox in Africa’s growing market. In his words, “20th Century Fox has today made a bold statement in showcasing their interest in the growing African film market of which the West African region, particularly Nigeria, has become a major player. We have no doubt in our mind that this partnership will not only surpass previous box office results, but with Fox’s diverse film slate, it will deepen and popularize the cinema-going culture in naturally receptive and entertainment-loving countries like Nigeria and Ghana.”

Also, Chief Operations Officer and Executive Vice President of FilmOne Distribution, Mr. Moses Babatope, expressed delight at the partnership. He said, “We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with such a dynamic and successful Hollywood Studio, which has already started 2016 on a remarkable note with box office hits like the academy award-winning The Revenant, animation franchise Kung Fu Panda 3 and recent comic book phenomenon Deadpool. We look forward to releasing franchise titles like Independence Day: Resurgence, Ice Age: Collision Course, potential franchise productions, such as, Assassin’s Creed alongside films from Fox Searchlight and DreamWorks Animation. We will market these films with innovative and engaging campaigns”.

Also, Fox’s Executive Vice President International Distribution (EMEA), Mr. Paul Higginson, also remarked, “We are delighted to be working with the entire FilmOne team on expanding our reach in Africa, particularly in the increasingly important market of Nigeria. Twentieth Century Fox has always sought out new opportunities and the best distribution partners in each territory with in-depth local knowledge, and we feel that we have found the perfect partner in FilmOne”.

Babatope stated that FilmOne would commence the partnership deal with the release of Independence Day: Resurgence in West Africa on July1, 2016.

Having secured these deals, including the one, which FilmOne entered with IMAX in December and which aims at bringing what Mkparu described as “never before seen cinematic experience to Nigeria,” observers say they expect that the next step for FilmOne would be to attract international production outfits that would be able to collaborate with Nollywood by investing in the production and marketing of films beyond the shores of Nigeria.

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