The Past, Present, and Future: Nollywood Holy Trinity.
Some weeks ago, I put up a tweet saying this: “I have been reflecting on starting a three-month film project for a while now. And while what I intend to achieve is still hazy, I'm making it public. I believe that with time what I aim to achieve will take a grip of my consciousness. The gist: I want to start writing a weekly retrospective review of Old Nollywood titles. Starting from February to April, I will be watching and writing about these titles.
For this to be successful, I will need people to suggest titles of films I can watch and review. The review will sit between 500 to 700 words. I will be posting the weekly review on my Medium account.”
After putting up the above tweet, I enjoyed the good fortune of people recommending titles I can watch and review. Thus, for the next thirteen weeks, starting this week, I will be dropping a weekly 500-700-word review of the under-listed Nollywood titles. While this weekly goes on, I might embrace new initiatives and ideas I want to explore. But, for now, I can confidently assure myself of writing this weekly review. Depending on the online accessibility of any of the below films, I will be writing, without change about them in any other.
Films to Review
1. Saworoide.
2. Egg of Life.
3. Igodo.
4. State of Emergency
5. Two to Tango.
6. T’Oluwa Nile.
8. Guardian Angel.
9. I Belong
10. Yogo Pam Pam
11. Blood Sisters.
12. Fatal Desire
13. Eku Ida.
When I put up the above tweet about wanting to start this three-month-long review project, talking with Anita Eboigbe about it, and eventually writing this introductory piece, I was still unclear about what my intentions were. What I intend to do or achieve with writing the weekly review is still hazy and shrouded in mystery. But I'm starting nonetheless. I'm sure I will gain clarity during the writing process.
But, prior to writing this piece, I read a piece by one of my favorite film critics Marya E. Gates on Roger Ebert. Gates, whose interest in spotlighting and talking about women in cinema is well-documented, was talking about the future of cinema. She ended her 8-paragraph, history-filled, and well-thought-out essay with this paragraph, which, thinking about it, aligns with my intention as a film critic:
“With the precarious nature of film media today, it’s never been more clear to me that the future of the movies is going to rely on those outlets that remain, and their dedication to amplifying the contemporary voices that are pushing the medium forward, but also to continually reevaluate the medium’s past through amplifying the work of archivists, preservationists, and historians who are resurrecting and presenting the marginalized voices whose work continues to echo today. This is how we can keep the art vital and alive to be enjoyed by future audiences and the filmmakers who have yet to come.”
Reflecting on Gates’ words, I found a way in which her words accommodate my interest in starting this three-month journey. By continually writing about “contemporary voices that are pushing the medium forward( in my situation reviewing and talking about New Nollywood filmmakers and films), and “amplifying the work of archivist” and resurrecting and representing the marginalised voices(in this case Nollywood indie filmmakers), I’m gradually moving towards my unwritten goal of documenting Nollywood.
I’m looking forward to your recommendation, comments, and sharing.
An update: This weekly review will be published on In Nollywod.
Thanks.
