Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

Around and about Nollywood in one week

By Shaibu Husseini
06 August 2022   |   2:17 am
Two Nollywod actors, Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel, who were abducted a few days back have been released by their abductors. The notable actors were reportedly abducted while they were returning from a movie set ...

[FILES] Nollywood. Photo/ RockciryFM

It is just a week into August 2022 in Moviedom and here is a pick of events and personalities that made headlines…

Abducted Nollywood Actors Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel Released
Two Nollywod actors, Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel, who were abducted a few days back have been released by their abductors. The notable actors were reportedly abducted while they were returning from a movie set at Ozalla town in Enugu State on Friday, July 29, 2022.

The Director of Communication of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Monalisa Chinda who broke the news of their abduction stated that the actors were reported missing after their family members confirmed they didn’t come back from a film location at Ozalla Town, Enugu state.

According to the AGN image-maker, “the two members were suspected of having been kidnapped, which has increased fear amongst members about the safety of actors filming in the country.”

However, news broke on Wednesday that they have both been released “unhurt and in healthy condition.” A confirmation of their release came through a statement by the leadership of the AGN. “This is to gladly inform the public that the kidnapped actors Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel Agbogidi have been released unhurt,” the statement read.

“The Guild has arranged for medical checks and psychological support for the victims. On behalf of their families, the National President expressed our heartfelt appreciation to Nollywood industry and Nigerians at large for the support and prayers during the trying period.”

The statement by the AGN further urged members of the guild to be security conscious on and off film sets and always take precautionary measures on their personal security at all times.

From DIFF, Award For Nnaebue’s No U-Turn
THE documentary film by notable Nollywood filmmaker, Ike Nnaebue, has been awarded the 2022 Durban International Film Festival’s Artistic Bravery award. The international documentary jury commended the film for being very honest and touching.

“The director took a risk for both himself and the participants,” said the jury. The documentary had earlier received special mention at the 2022 Berlin International Film Festival in February.

Nnaebue’s No U-Turn follows the Nigerian director, Ike Nnaebue as he takes a journey through West Africa to North Africa – crossing Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco- in a quest to understand the motivations young people travelling to Europe through the back way. Nnaebue makes this journey 26 years after his own attempts to get to Europe the same way when he was young, which he abandoned on the way for fear of the dangers of the road. 

No U-turn is a Nigeria, South Africa and France co-production, produced by Christilla Huillard-Kann for Elda Productions (France), Don Edkins and Tiny Mungwe for STEPS (South Africa) and Okechukwu Omeire for Passion8 Productions (Nigeria). The film is produced in partnership with, among others, CNC & World Cinema Fund.

Bimbo Ademoye, Deyemi Okanlawon, Mr Macaroni Headline Hammer
HAMMER, the new movie by Emem Isong Misodi is now ready to grace the cinema screen. The movie, which features some of the industry’s talented actors such as Bimbo Ademoye, Deyemi Okanlawon, Linda Iheme, Mr Macaroni, Benjamin Touitou, Etinosa Idemudia and Chris Iheuwa, is set for release on August 26 and is being distributed in cinemas worldwide by Blue Pictures Nigeria.

A collaboration between Vantage Migration and Royal Arts Academy, Hammer is produced and directed by Emem Isong Misodi and Executive Produced by Dr Linda Iheme, with Mary Uye as Associate Producer. The screenplay of the movie that is promoted as a “life changing and educationally inspiring piece” was by award winning Anthony Kehinde Joseph.

In the words of the Executive Producer, “When the system gives you a reason to give in and give up, though you know that you have more than a million reasons to keep going, what do you do? Do you choose to ‘Japa’ or by all means ‘hammer?”

This is the question that will be answered in the movie, which, according the Executive Producer, aims at helping people achieve their dreams of furthering their education abroad in the proper and legal way.

Excitement In Moviedom As National Assembly Passes Copyright Bill
THE National Assembly has passed the Bill for an Act to Repeal the Copyright Act, Cap C28 LFN, 2004 and Enact a New Copyright Act 2022. This was sequel to the passage of the Bill by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in concurrence with the Senate, which had earlier on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, passed it.

The passage of the Bill by the Green Chamber followed a clause-by-clause consideration by the Committee of the Whole, consequent upon which the House had the third reading and passed it. The new Bill provides for the effective regulation, protection, enforcement and administration of copyright in the digital environment in line with global best practices.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Commission, Dr. John O. Asein expressed appreciation to the leadership of the National Assembly and the distinguished legislators for the commitment demonstrated throughout the legislative process. The DG described the emergence of the New Copyright Bill as a catalyst for revamping Nigeria’s creative economy.

Leading stakeholders in the copyright environment, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Pupa Oritz Wiliki and former General Manager of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), described the passage of the Bill as a watershed in the development of copyright law in Nigeria.

Ali-Balogun particularly described the passage of the bill as the first successful legislative intervention in the field of intellectual property since 1999.

“This is the first time we have had this kind of breakthrough in copyright administration since our return to democracy. Kudos to the National Assembly,” Ali-Balogun noted.

In this article

0 Comments