The 11th edition of Nollywood Week, a festival dedicated to promoting Nigerian and African cinema, is set to take place at the Arlequin Cinema in Paris from May 2nd to 5th, 2024. This highly anticipated event will feature film screenings, including both short and feature-length films, as well as professional meetings and panel discussions, shining a spotlight on the vibrant world of Nigerian cinema and the broader African film industry.
New Festival Highlights:
In a groundbreaking move, this year’s Nollywood Week will not be limited to traditional cinema experiences. The festival is embracing virtual reality films, alongside animation and video games, as key themes for this edition. Audiences can don their headsets to explore four virtual reality films from different regions of the continent, including the impactful “Daughters of Chibok,” which echoes the tragic abduction of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls in April 2014 and garnered recognition at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. Another noteworthy theme is the inclusion of LGBT representation in Nigerian film, as exemplified by the film “Toutes les couleurs du Monde” directed by Babatunde Apolowo. This selection offers a unique perspective in a country where homosexuality remains illegal.
“We are delighted to showcase this thematic and technological evolution, particularly as it extends beyond Nigeria. This year, more than 10 nationalities will be represented on the screens during the festival,” says Serge Noukoue, co-founder of Nollywood Week.
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Nollywood: The Second Largest Film Industry in the World:
Since 2009, Nigeria has held the distinction of being the second-largest film-producing nation in the world, surpassing even Hollywood. With an annual output of 2,000 films, Nigeria trails only India’s Bollywood in terms of sheer volume. Nigerian films have gained worldwide accessibility through platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. The quality and diversity of Nigerian productions have significantly improved since the industry’s inception in the 1990s.
About the Nollywood Week Film Festival:
Nollywood Week is organized by the Okada Media association, based in France and founded by Serge Noukoue and Nadira Shakur. For over a decade, they have been promoting African cinema on a global scale. The Nollywood Week Film Festival has been held annually each spring since 2013, aiming to introduce French and European audiences to the best of Nigerian and African cinema. It also serves as a platform for discussion and networking, addressing the major challenges and opportunities within African film landscapes through masterclasses, workshops, and opportunities to connect with industry experts in production and distribution.
Dates and Venue:
From Thursday, May 2nd to Sunday, May 5th, 2024
Arlequin Cinema
76 Rue de Rennes, 75006 Paris
