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Celebrating Top 5 Female Directors in Nollywood In Commemoration of International Women’s Day.

todayMarch 8, 2024 16

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                                 MO ABUDU

Top 5 Female Directors in Nollywood

1). MO ABUDU

Mo Abudu, is  highly sought after for her knowledge of the African and global creative industry. She is an entrepreneur with an inclination for television, who launched EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first global black entertainment and lifestyle network, in 2013. Her primary goal for the channel was to create a more positive narrative around Africa. What followed was a string of inspirational series like “The Governor”, about Nigeria’s first female state governor; “Desperate Housewives Africa”, based on Disney’s original series; and “Sons of the Caliphate”, a drama about the rivalry between rich and powerful families in northern Nigeria’ and “Castle & Castle”, Africa’s first premium legal series among others.

In her quest to change global perceptions about Africa, Abudu took the plunge into film making with the creation of EbonyLife Films in 2014. She executively produced “Fifty”, directed by Biyi Bandele, produced by Tope Oshin Ogun, and starring Nse Ikpe-Etim, Ireti Doyle, Omoni Oboli, and Dakore Akande. “Fifty” was Nigeria’s highest-grossing drama and number 1 film in 2015. “Fifty” was also the only Nigerian film selected to screen at the 59th BFI London Film Festival. Fifty was acquired by Netflix in 2015.

In 2016, Abudu co-executively produced “The Wedding Party 1&2”, directed by Kemi Adetiba and starring Adesua Etomi, Banky Wellington, Richard Mofe Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Iretiola Doyle, Alibaba Akporobome, Zainab Balogun, Beverly Naya, Somkele Iyamah, Enyinna Nwigwe, Daniella Down, and Stephen Damien.

Abudu executively produced the new film “Oloture”, a feature film about a young, naive, female journalist goes undercover to expose the shady business of human trafficking in Nigeria and encounters a brutal underworld. The film was directed by Kenneth Gyang, starring Sharon Ooja, Omoni Oboli, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Omowunmi Dada among others.

 

Kemi Adetiba, a multi-talented Nigerian filmmaker, has proven herself to be one of the most outstanding movie directors the country has ever produced. Beyond directing movies, she is also an accomplished filmmaker and music video director.

In 2008, she wrote, produced and directed her first short film, ‘Across the Bloodied Ocean.’

The short film was screened at the 2009 Pan African Film Festival and the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. In 2016, she directed her first feature film, the popular ‘The Wedding Party,’ which was a huge success at the box office.

She went on to direct two other successful movies, ‘King of Boys’ and its sequel, ‘King of Boys: The Return of the King.’ The former remained in cinemas for 14 weeks straight and grossed ₦104 million.

In addition to her outstanding work in the movie industry, Adetiba is also known for directing music videos for some of Nigeria’s finest artists, including Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, Banky W, and Olamide.

Her work has appeared on popular TV channels such as Channel O, MTV Base, Sound City TV, and BET. Her diverse talents and exceptional skills have earned her numerous nominations and awards.

She was nominated for Best Music Video Director of the Year at The Headies in 2014 and won the City People Entertainment Award for Best Music Video Director of the Year in 2015. Adetiba also won the HNWOTY Award for Woman of the Year in Film and Television in 2017.

Mildred Okwo is a renowned Nigerian film director and producer, known for her exceptional contributions to the Nigerian film industry.

In 2005 when she shot her first film, ‘30 Days.’ The movie, which had nine African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) nominations, received critical acclaim, quickly establishing her as a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.

In 2012, she directed the romantic comedy-drama film ‘The Meeting,’ which topped the box office of Nollywood films in the country and earned numerous awards, including the Nigeria Entertainment Awards (AMAA), and Nollywood Movies Awards.

Her other directorial works include ‘Suru L’ere’ in 2016, which was another box office hit and won several awards at the African International Film Festival and the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

In 2020, she directed the highly anticipated ‘La Femme Anjola,’ which features Nollywood stars like Rita Dominic and Nonso Bassey.

Her movies have won numerous awards, both locally and internationally. She was nominated for the Best Director award at the 4th Africa Movie Academy Awards and was also named one of “50 Women Shaping Africa” by Elle Magazine in 2016.

In addition, she is a founding member of the Nigerian Oscar Selection Committee, which is responsible for selecting the Nigerian film that will represent the country at the Academy Awards.

In recent times, Okwo has been featured in several documentaries and interviews, including a BBC documentary about female film directors in Nigeria.

Her exceptional storytelling and directing skills have placed her at the forefront of the Nigerian film industry and made her a role model for young filmmakers in the country.

Funke Akindele is a multi-talented Nigerian film director, actress, and producer who has garnered widespread acclaim for her contributions to the entertainment industry.

Her style of acting quickly won the hearts of many movie lovers. She is best known for her role in the iconic TV series ‘Jenifa’s Diary,’ which has become a household name in Nigeria and beyond.

Akindele has produced and starred in several successful films, including ‘Omo Ghetto: The Saga,’ ‘Battle on Buka Street,’ and ‘Chief Daddy.’ Her movie, ‘Battle on Buka Street’ is currently the highest-grossing movie of all time.

In addition to her acting and production prowess, she has also directed several movies. Her directorial debut was in 2011, with the movie ‘Return of Jenifa,’ a spin-off from the popular TV series ‘Jenifa’s Diary.’

Since then, she has directed a few other movies, including ‘Your Excellency’ and ‘Moms at War.’

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Temitope Oshin is a talented director who has a knack for creating captivating stories that are brought to life on the big screen. Her directorial skills are unmatched, and she has established herself as one of the leading directors in the movie industry.

She majored in film directing at the Colorado Film School of the Community College of Aurora, Denver, before going on to direct episodes of some of Africa’s biggest drama series, like ‘MTV Naija Shuga’, ‘Tinsel’, ‘Hotel Majestic’, and ‘Hush’.

Oshin is also responsible for directing some of the most successful movies in the Nigerian film industry. Her directorial works include ‘New Horizons’, ‘Journey To Self’, ‘Up North’, and ‘New Money’.

Her directing skills have been recognised by some of the biggest names in the industry, and she has become a role model for aspiring filmmakers. With her passion and dedication to her craft, there is no doubt that Oshin will continue to make her mark in the movie industry.

Written by: Charles Flames

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