Welcome to Nollywood

I consider myself a bit of a film expert. After all, after reviewing nearly 19,000 things and watching films from dozens and dozens of countries, I thought I knew about the film industry around the world. Well, it turns out I am wrong...and that in Nigeria today they are making HUGE numbers of films according to the Netflix summary of this film! Huh?! How is it, then, that I've never seen a Nigerian film and what are there films like? And, are they a serious challenge to Hollywood and Bollywood? All those questions were answered when I saw this interesting (and occasionally boring) film.

It turns out that they do make hundreds of films each year in 'Nollywood' but referring them to films is perhaps a bit of an overstatement. They are NOT first-run films at all but are incredibly cheaply made pictures that are released straight to video or DVD...and the stuff they make would make the productions in "Bowfinger" look first-rate. Films in Nigeria are often made 'guerilla-style' (i.e., on the streets with no permits and very impromptu) and the actors are often just folks they pulled off the street.

All this is discussed in the first portion of the documentary. The second half consists of following a film shoot into the countryside and seeing it pretty much fall apart due to a complete lack of financing. Overall, mildly interesting to nutty film buffs like me and lovers of Nigerian films...otherwise, probably tough viewing.

Jamie Meltzer has made one hell of a documentary. Can't really compare it on others touching the same subject, but one has to say that the timing was great and anyone interested in a home-grown African success story, then this is the place to start.

The movie is at times hilarious, but you can also feel it oozing with optimism about the future. Too often do we deal with negative issues and this is one of the bona fide positive tales on Africa out there.

This documentary really gets you hooked on Nollywood and straight after viewing this movie I was hopping mad that I didn't have a Izu Ojukwu or Tunde Kelani movie in hand to follow up on the subject.

Riveting stuff!