NIGERIA-OCTOBER 1ST MOVIE Nollywood marks Nigeria’s Independence Day with release of thriller film “October 1”.

Record ID: 236894

  • Title: NIGERIA-OCTOBER 1ST MOVIE Nollywood marks Nigeria’s Independence Day with release of thriller film “October 1”.
  • Date: 1st October 2014
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT PREMIERE OF OCTOBER 1ST MOVIE VARIOUS OF BANNER READING: "OCTOBER 1, NOW IN CINEMAS" (SOUNDBITE) (English) KUNLE AFOLAYAN, FILM MAKER / ACTOR SAYING: "I think it's high time somebody you know pulled this off. We've done a lot of films about you know, marriage, you know a lot about you know domestic violence. But I think we should also talk about some sensitive issues that seem to be affecting the society and I am glad that you know we started this and we finished it."
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA48S6GDSLX3X2717OAY0JBT9XJ
  • Story Text: To mark Nigeria's 54th Independence anniversary, Nollywood has released the highly anticipated October 1st movie, to coincide with the celebrations.
    Set in September 1960 against the backdrop of Nigerian Independence from Britain, the movie tells the story of a detective, who is dispatched by the British colonial masters to a remote town in the Western region of Nigeria to solve a series of murders that caused outrage in the community.
    Upon arrival in the village, more murders are committed. The detective must do everything in his power to catch the killer before the British flag can be lowered on October 1, 1960.
    With three films under his belt and his reputation for high quality movies, producer and director Kunle Afolayan has made a name for himself in the world's third biggest film industry --Nollywood.
    Churning out about 50 low-budget movies a week often about sorcery and jealous gold-digging girlfriends among other popular themes, Nollywood is best known for quantity but not quality.
    But Afoloyan, who has been hailed as the Martin Scorsese of Lagos by the New York Times, hopes that October 1st, which is billed as a dark psychological thriller will help change the industry with film makers exploring more serious issues.
    "I think it's high time somebody you know pulled this off. We've done a lot of films about you know, marriage, you know a lot about you know domestic violence. But I think we should also talk about some sensitive issues that seem to be affecting the society and I am glad that you know we started this and we finished it," he said, while attending the movie's premiere.
    For British actor, Laurence Stubbings, who played speaker of Nigerian parliament before independence relished playing a rich and challenging character.
    "You can play characters where there's something redeeming about them … he's a nasty here, but he is okay here. This guy there was nothing redeeming about him, it was just really unpleasant, so yeah that was kind of challenging," said Stubbings.
    With a budget of over 1.2 million U.S. dollars, the movie is set to attract a large audience.
    Response from critics in Nigeria has also been positive.
    Popular Nigerian blog, todaysnaira.wordpress.com describes the film as "a piece of art and Kunle Afolayan has raised the bar once more."
    For fans of Afolayan, the movie is another example of the high quality filmmaking he's famous for.
    "Recreating that 1960's vibe with the music, the clothes, the whole design of the film was absolute perfection and I enjoyed it. It's quality film making at the highest level and I'm glad to see that it is made here with Nigerian money, by a Nigerian for consumption for the rest of the world, and I think it's going to do well around the world," said one movie goer,
    Afoyolan and his partners are looking international distributors to help market the film for global audiences.
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