Steve Ayorinde, a former Lagos Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture has applauded Nollywood’s growing global competitiveness.
Ayorinde, who is also a one time Lagos State Commissioner for information and Strategy, spoke on Wednesday at the unveiling of nominees for the 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).
Known as one of Nigeria’s best-renowned film and art critics, Ayorinde credited the AMAA “for spotlighting the country’s filmmakers”.
Ayorinde, who has served on the juries for some of the world’s most recognised film festivals and awards, said: “AMAA has given Nigerian and African filmmakers confidence and a respectable platform to project themselves to the world that something great is happening here. Anyone nominated in any of the AMAA categories now has the world as their playground”.
“Hollywood, Cannes Film Festival, and Amazon Prime Video and the like are waiting to see AMAA winners this year so they can talk business. They are about let us see what you are working on. AMAA gives that platform to expose you to international collaborators. That is probably one of the biggest rewards you get as an AMAA nominee or winner.”
Ayorinde also said major global streamers like Netflix are patronsising Nollywood films because of “quality storytelling, unique narratives, and artistic and technical excellence”.
“In terms of the technical aspect and the artistic aspect of filmmaking, I think we can compete anywhere, with anyone in the world. But of course, we must acknowledge that, like in anything else in the world, there is global politics. There is global politics that may affect people coming from a certain part of the world,” he said.
“But in terms of artistic and technical competencies, our films display quality in the stories that we tell, our own stories that we put forward, and I think we can compete with others elsewhere, which is why Netflix and other pplatforms are interested in the stories that we are telling.”
Despite progress in Nollywood, Ayorinde however acknowledges challenges in global content distribution.
“Distribution might be a challenge. Which is a totally different scenario as to how our films are marketed. And we have to learn to play the politics too. To be at the table where stakeholders that matter are discussing.” he said.
“But in terms of the raw materials, I think we are there. The talents that are there, the technical expertise of our people who are trained all over the world in the best of schools with the best of filmmakers, I think they are ready to take on the world. But there will also be a need for improvement.”
