--
African women redefining the art of filmmaking on the continent --
Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:03
--
In the postcolonial period, filmmaking in Africa was majorly dominated by men with very few female directors emerging particularly in the realm of feature-length fiction filmmaking but that has changed. Luckily, the women who have just started venturing into the filmmaking industry, particularly in Nigeria, have faced very little to no resistance as Omoni Oboli said, when I got back into the industry in 2009, I am happy people welcomed me with open hands. This shows that the sector is open and moving forward, regardless of the number of people within it practically doing the same thing.
In the world today, women make up less than 10 percent of film directors and less than 15 percent of screenwriters internationally. However, as Nollywood takes centre stage at the Toronto International Film Festival this year, with eight Nigerian films premiering during its City to City Spotlight on Lagos, there isn t a better time to showcase some of the African women in filmmaking who have redefined the art of storytelling and those who still are.
Sarah Maldoror, Angola:
Born Sarah Ducados in 1938, Ducados is the very first female director of a feature-length film in Africa and she accomplished this feat with Sambizanga in 1972. The film, made at the height of the Angolan liberation war, by a woman who had worked on films such as The Battle of Algiers and had been involved in liberation movements across the continent, is a treasure trove of human history. And not only because of its artistic and creative merits, but also because of the significant events that had to be challenged in, and were integrated into, its production.
Kemi Adetiba, Nigeria:
Kemi Adetiba is a prolific director and filmmaker who was introduced into the digital media sphere as a child, before becoming a radio presenter with Rhythm 93.7 FM. She then transitioned to film and, after years of success in front of the camera, her love of storytelling led her to enrol in the New York Film Academy. Today, she is an award-winning director, producer and cinematographer. Her most recent body of work, The Wedding Party, follows a 24-year-old art gallery owner and only daughter of her parents who is about to marry the love of her life and the hassle that goes into pulling off a high-profile Nigerian wedding. Adetiba s take on a Nigerian wedding between two different tribes is as chaotic, hilarious and suspense-filled as the real deal and it premiers at the Toronto International Film Festival s City to City Spotlight on Lagos next month.
Omoni Oboli, Nigeria:
Omoni Oboli is a Nigerian actress, producer, scriptwriter and director. Her latest body of work, Okafor s Law, is set to premiere at this year s City To City Spotlight at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival. She is a phenomenal scriptwriter and anyone who has watched Being Mrs Elliott, The First Lady or Wives On Strike will agree. Okafor s Law follows the story of a promiscuous young man who makes a bet to rekindle his romance with three of his ex-girlfriends and things take an amusing, tumultuous turn from there.
Hawa Essuman, Kenya:
Hawa Essuman is a Kenyan actress and filmmaker whose first feature-length film, Soul Boy, has received numerous awards and recognition across the world. Soul Boy tells the rivetting story of a young boy who finds out that his father has sold his soul to a witch. He finds the witch who is impressed by his courage and sends him to complete a series of tasks in order to save his father s life. The film was received well by national and international bodies who applauded Essuman s storytelling. Essuman is the daughter of Ghanian parents who raised her in Kenya. She was introduced to the art through her appearances in theatre, then she moved to production work, television commercials before she landed a role in a local tv series. With the encouragement and assistance of Tom Tykwer, a German producer, she directed her first film in 2010. She is one of the women redefining the filmmaking space in Africa by telling stories that are typically African in a more nuanced manner than the bulk of African films currently in the market.
Safi Faye, Senegal:
Faye is a Senegalese filmmaker and ethnologist, that is, a person who compares and analyses the different characteristics of people and how they relate with each other. She studied filmmaking at the Lumi re Film School in Paris after studying ethnology at the cole pratique des hautes tudes. Faye s first feature film was Kaddu Beykat which means The Voice of the Peasant in Wolof and was known internationally as Letter from My Village or News from My Village. The film was released in 1975 and was initially banned in Senegal, however, the following year, it won the FIPRESCI Prize from the International Federation of Film Critics and the OCIC Award.
Bolanle Austen Peters, Nigeria:
In 93 Days, Nigerians utilise the opportunity which filmmaking affords, to tell their own story about the spread of Ebola to the country in 2014. In this movie, producer Bolanle Austen Peters, director Steve Gukas and their team lead the narrative on one of the most influential periods in Nigeria s most recent history, Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh s sacrifice and how the country was able to contain and eradicate the disease in a little over three months. 93 Days is a masterfully crafted incredible story of bravery and sacrifice and is definitely a must-see. It showcases the best of Nigeria, it s powerful, gripping and an emotive piece. I am proud, - Bolanle Austen Peters.
Source: Ventures Africa
Related Articles
-- --
-- --
-- Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. comments powered by Disqus
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
-- 
