The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has granted Jade Osiberu’s comedy film, ‘Sugar Rush’, final approval for public screening.
This is coming a few days after the board banned the movie from screening in cinemas across the country because it temporary approval expired.
In a press statement issued by the board and obtained by TCN, the Executive Director of the board, Adedayo Thomas, noted that the past week had been eventful following the diverse speculations that surfaced in the media on the “perceived ban of the ‘Sugar Rush’ movie” while the board was working on its final approval.
“We are pleased to inform the general public that the movie has been classified and granted final approval for public screening,” the statement added.
Thomas also reiterated that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has been most supportive of the Nigerian film industry.
“As a result of Mr President’s interaction with industry practitioners, the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI), launched by the administration, has offered accessible funds to filmmakers, and the domestication of the Ease of Doing Business policy has been a major boost. Within 7days, filmmakers, cinema promoters and distributors can get their movies approved and acquire necessary licensing certificates. We have also introduced licensing certificates and labels with digital security features to curb counterfeiting and piracy of films and video works.
According to Thomas, the recent unprecedented successes of the industry and its huge potentials led to the nation’s award as the Emerging Film Market at the Official Convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) in Las Vegas, USA.
However, the board urged filmmakers, music and video producers, and other practitioners to join in its reform journey in order to improve the current success-benchmark of the industry by taking advantage of the 7-day window for approvals to get necessary licenses and submit their creative works in ample time for classification.