"Nollywood Week" has kicked off in the French capital. With this year's focus on animated film and virtual reality productions, the festival proves Nigeria has the goods when it comes to technology. It also holds a mirror up to a complex and evolving Nigerian society, says festival founder Serge Noukoué.
Eleven features and seven shorts make the line-up. For the first time since the festival was founded 11 years ago they include virtual reality films – an immersive 360° experience with headphones – and animation.
“We don't spontaneously associate Africa with these technological advances," says festival founder Serge Noukoué. "Yet the continent, and Nigeria in particular, is at the cutting edge of these new ways of telling stories."
That's something organisers wanted to highlight this year with new media as well as with mediums such as video games.
"It's really a kind of new expansion of African cinema,” Noukoué adds.
Among the virtual reality films is Daughters of Chibok, about the abduction of the Chibok high school girls just over 10 years ago in northern Nigeria. The film won the award for best virtual reality story at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.
“It was exactly 10 years ago, in 2014,” Noukoué told RFI’s Olivier Rogez. “And it's also a way of paying tribute to this tragic reality. Because today, 10 years later, some of these girls have still not been found."
Holding up a mirror
Thanks to Nollywood – a term used to describe the country's mass-produced, low-budget productions for streaming platforms – Nigeria has the second biggest film industry after India in terms of numbers, with 2,000 productions a year.
Developped in the 1990s, Nollywood is not afraid to take on social issues: many of the films deal with crime, police violence, poverty and corruption as well as love and romance.
"I think Nigerian cinema is certainly one of the best mirrors of Nigerian society," says Noukoué.
“You can make all the reports you want, all the documentaries you want, but you'll never have that closeness and at the same time that accuracy in dealing with certain issues ... Nigeria is such a complex society.
“That's why Nollywood is important. It allows the world to see what is happening in Nigeria, and also allows society itself to discuss certain issues that can sometimes be taboo."
Taboo subjects
One of those taboo subjects is LGBTQ identity. The festival is showing the film All the Colours of the World by Babtunde Apalowo – a love story between two men in a country where homosexuality is a crime. The film was first shown at last year's Berlin Film Festival.
"It's a rare film, because the theme isn't often dealt with. After all, homosexuality is banned in Nigeria and many other African countries," Noukoué notes.
“I think this film deals with the subject subtly, from the perspective of a friendship that evolves. It's not polemic, it’s based on a beautiful story between two people.”
Nigeria and beyond
Nollywood cinema is popular beyond Nigeria, as films circulate easily on streaming platforms.
"From time to time, African films, and particularly Nigerian films, are among the top 10 most viewed films in France," says Noukoué, adding there's surprising interest even in places such as Luxembourg and Uruguay.
But while Nigerian cinema is increasingly present on Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon platforms, he regrets that too few of the films are shown in French cinemas.
“Quality may have been an obstacle a few years ago, but that's no longer the case," Noukoué says. "Today we have completely international standards. Nowadays it's more a question of openness and curiosity.”
Nollywood week runs at L’Arlequin cinema in Paris through to Sunday 5 May, when there’ll be a special screening for young people.
It was important to also provide for a younger public, Noukoué adds.
“It allows young people of African descent and young Africans to identify with heroes who look like them," he says.
Check out the festival programming.
