- John Boyega noted that Hollywood wants to work with Nollywood, but there are obstacles.
- He believes that the pride and ego of some Nigerian filmmakers make it hard to build a strong working relationship.
British-Nigerian actor John Boyega has shed light on the complexities hindering successful collaborations between Hollywood and Nollywood.
Speaking at the Africa International Film Festival, Boyega highlighted Hollywood’s genuine interest in partnering with Nollywood, despite existing obstacles.
According to Boyega, pride and ego issues among some Nigerian filmmakers, pose significant challenges to establishing fruitful working relationships.
He praised Nollywood’s unique storytelling approach, rooted in authentic experiences that differentiate their narratives from Hollywood’s often intense themes.
Boyega noted that Nollywood filmmakers frequently opt for South African locations, attempting to replicate a Hollywood aesthetic.
He cited the film “Woman King” as an example, which was initially slated for production in Nigeria but changed locations at the last minute.
Hear him:
See Reactions That Followed..
@jolloffbookclub: “I believe he balanced his points on all fronts. He was honest too, and you can tell he really does love Nigeria. Lol.”
@oyexville: “You can transfer everything he’s saying to every single industry. It’s great that he’s a Nigerian, cos the non Nigerians don’t want any smoke so they’d rather keep quiet and pull back than say the actual words. Even in corporate, Nigerians get extremely protective about turf.”
@leemah_le: “Okay. I understand his point but he should know that stories are made to resonate with the intended audience in mind which are primarily Nigerian first. For instance, ‘Gangs of Lagos’ is a prime example, every Nigerian understood the objective of that film and the message it’s passing across. However, themes about the human story are universal. Pain, love, happiness, trauma, Deceit, Ambition, Perseverance and so many more. Are there rooms for improvement? Of course Yes! But are all our movies trash or not to standard, that’s a baseless standpoint to make considering our portfolio.”
@sholakunmiblaze: “He hit the nail on the head. Una go write better story and portray rubbish eventually. And the “ego”part, very right about that too. Make una stop to dey pat rubbish, forget say dem spend money, if production no jell with story, call it out!”
@eniolatito: “Hmm. Interesting. He tried to be politically correct about some things but he still got his point across and he was right. Meanwhile, I didn’t know the gist of some Nollywood people’s ‘bad character’ had gotten to them abroad. Wonderful! .”