African Cinematography: Colonial Film to Nollywood Lecture 8 Derek Barker www.derekbarker.info Dr.Derek.Barker@gmail.com

Kingsley Ogoro (Nigeria) Born in Osoko, Nigeria Last film directed in 2005 Director and CEO of Klink Studios Last five years building a film academy called the Kingsley Ogoro Film Academy in Surulere, Lagos. The 1 billion Nigerian Naira (approx. 500,000 euro) project is being financed by Kingsley himself with the backing of a bank. The film school will teach sound, editing, directing etc will support from the French embassy and CEA in France.

Ogoro: Film(video)ography 2005 The Widow (video) 2004 Osuofia in London 2 (video) 2004 Veno (video) 2003 Osuofia in London (video) 2003 The Return (video)

Osuofia in London Released in 2003 in video format One of the most successful Nollywood films Popular comedy Osuofia (Nkem Owoh), an unsophisticated villager from Nigeria, travels to London, England to receive his share of an inheritance left for him by a deceased relative

Film view: Osuofia in London Post-screening questions Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? Is this film trash? Is this film sexist? Is this film racist? Is this film funny?

Role of film? Vehicle for cultural expression and dissemination? Didactic / education ? Leisure and pleasure ? Propaganda? Pure escapism?

Role of popular video film in Nigeria? Karin Barber: Primary role of popular arts in Africa is making sense of the experience of the city and modernity for the masses Emmanuel Obiechina: popular arts are a way address the dislocations of modernity and to provide some kind of guidance and direction to the masses of the people caught in the violence and confusion arising from these changes

Is cinema good for you? Collective experience Positively contributes to mental health Cinema is a safe environment in which to experience roles and emotions we might not otherwise be free to experience Exercise of personal preferences – empowering Conclusion: cinema attendance can be both a personally expressive experience, good fun, and therapeutic at the same time