Nollywood Week Returns for its 11th Edition in Paris from May 2nd to 5th, 2024

 

The 11th edition of Nollywood Week, a festival dedicated to celebrating Nigerian and African cinema, is scheduled to take place at the Arlequin Cinema in Paris from May 2nd to 5th, 2024. This eagerly awaited event will showcase a range of film screenings, including both short and feature-length films, as well as host professional meetings and panel discussions, all aimed at highlighting the vibrant Nigerian cinema scene and the broader African film industry.

Exciting New Festival Features:

In an innovative step forward, this year’s Nollywood Week will expand beyond traditional cinema experiences. The festival will embrace virtual reality films, alongside animation and video games, as central themes for this edition. Viewers can immerse themselves in four virtual reality films from different parts of the continent, including the impactful “Daughters of Chibok,” which reflects on the tragic abduction of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls in April 2014 and received acclaim at the esteemed Venice Film Festival. Another notable focus is the representation of LGBT themes in Nigerian cinema, as showcased in the film “Toutes les couleurs du Monde” directed by Babatunde Apolowo. This selection provides a distinct perspective in a country where homosexuality remains outlawed.

“We are thrilled to present this thematic and technological evolution, especially as it expands beyond Nigeria. This year, we'll see more than 10 nationalities represented on our screens during the festival,” says Serge Noukoue, co-founder of Nollywood Week.

Nollywood: The Second Largest Film Industry Worldwide:

Since 2009, Nigeria has held the distinction of being the second-largest film-producing nation globally, surpassing even Hollywood. With an annual output of 2,000 films, Nigeria follows only India’s Bollywood in sheer volume. Nigerian films have gained global accessibility through platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. The quality and diversity of Nigerian productions have notably improved since the industry's inception in the 1990s.

About the Nollywood Week Film Festival:

Nollywood Week is organized by the Okada Media association, based in France and founded by Serge Noukoue and Nadira Shakur. For over a decade, they have championed African cinema on a global scale. The Nollywood Week Film Festival has been held annually each spring since 2013, aiming to introduce French and European audiences to the best of Nigerian and African cinema. It also serves as a platform for discussion and networking, addressing the significant challenges and opportunities within African film landscapes through masterclasses, workshops, and opportunities to connect with industry experts in production and distribution.