07 Jun Chronicle of The New Nigerian Cinema

I found out that the New Nigerian Cinema which’s also known as New Nollywood or New Wave is an emerging phase in Nigerian cinema, in which there became a major shift in the method of film production, from the video format, which came about during the video boom, back to the cinema method, which constituted the films produced in the Golden era of Nigerian cinema history. It is such that the films in the New Wave are specifically characterized by improved narrative complexity, aesthetic nuance, much higher budgets and advanced overall production values, when compared to video films from the second generation of filmmakers. They are mostly released theatrically, although some are still released directly on DVD.

At around early 2000s, several discussions and conferences have been held, based on how to revamp the Nigerian film industry and bring about more professionalism like it used to be in the golden era. During this time, some other filmmakers, such as Tunde Kelani and Tade Ogidan tried to make “break away” films, which were supposedly different from the norm and to a great success New Nigerian Cinema finally emerged in the mid-2000s with the release of films such as Irapada (2006) and The Amazing Grace (2006). The Figurine (2009) by Kunle Afolayan is generally regarded as the break out film, which heightened the media attention towards “New Nigerian Cinema” revolution, due to its critical and commercial success in Nigeria, as well as screenings in notable international film festivals.

Nigeria then began to experience the growth of cinemas, which was initially structured for the middle and upper class. The Silverbird Group is the first company to launch a series of modern Cinema houses across major cities in Nigeria, mostly situated in affluent areas and districts. It launched its cinema chains in 2004, starting with the Silverbird Galleria in Victoria Island, Lagos. Not long after the establishment of Silverbird cinemas, Genesis Deluxe Cinemas and Ozone Cinemas were also launched, creating a competition in the cinema business. Much later, in the 2010s, Film House cinemas and Viva cinemas also came into the picture, leading into wider availability of cinemas in the country, and most importantly, availability outside the affluent neighbourhoods.

The Nigerian Government seeing this growth was moves and since 2006 there have been several “Project Nollywood” funds by the Nigerian Government, provided to filmmakers, in order to aid the production of high quality films, as well as to aid proper distribution infrastructure across the country. The grants have also been used to help more Nigerian filmmakers to go for formal training in film schools. As at 2015, the highest grossing film in Nigerian contemporary film history is 30 Days in Atlanta (2014), which grossed approximately ₦140 million. As of 2013, Nigerian cinema is rated as the third most valuable film industry in the world based on its worth and overall revenues generated.

Ref: Wikipedia