Nollywood's ups and downs

Just a decade after “Living in Bondage”, Nollywood films, made in some 300 languages, were being watched in both urban and rural areas, distributed on both the streets and online, and finding their way into international festivals. And since the 2000s, Nollywood films have only continued to proliferate and spread. We recently spoke to Witt about the cultural phenomenon, how it's spread, and how Nollywood films today are both distinctively Nigerian and globally influenced.

The majority of Nigerian films are, due to lack of facilities and resources, informal productions which are recorded on video format instead of being produced for theatrical release. Piracy plagues the Nigerian film industry as regulations on rights and distribution are deficient and this means that the filmmakers, who are already working on tight budgets, are incurring substantial losses.

Nollywood films have mostly been shot in the Nigerian megapolis of Lagos, a city of entrepreneurial spirit and indefatigable endeavour. They are widely available to both rich and poor across the continent and the African Diaspora in Europe, the Caribbean, and North America. Nollywood has also massively increased the role and visibility of women in African cinema. As veteran producer, Tunde Kelani, noted: “[…] our movies are definitely African. Their popularity shows that Africans have a lot in common socially, culturally, and politically.”