Movie Making is Mirror of Society: Nigerian Actor on Nollywood & Russia
17:14 25.02.2025 (Updated: 17:31 25.02.2025)
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Nigeria's film industry, also known as Nollywood, started to grow rapidly in the 1990s and 2000s. Now, it's one of the leading film industries in the world, with about 200 new films released every month.
Cultural exchange is the key to progress for African countries and Russia, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Nigerian actor and lawyer, told Sputnik Africa.
"By the time we bring our strengths together, the stories we tell will shift our continents. We'll begin to see likelihoods. We're going to see differences, tolerable differences. We're going to enjoy our diversities. And I think it is a win-win situation for both continents," he said.
Kanayo also said that Nigerian and Russian cinema industries can learn from each other but shouldn't be directly compared until they understand what to adopt and discard to strengthen their own traditions.
He emphasized that when promoting Nigerian cinema, it's important to focus on unique cultural elements rather than comparing them to other cultures, as cultural understanding is key.
"There are certain elements that could be infused that would make the Russian Federation fall in love with the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In storytelling, in execution, in accent," the actor said.
Speaking about technical equipment, Kanayo said that Nigeria has a lot to take from Russia.
"Russia is more advanced than Nigeria. We cannot hide that fact. Russia has come a long way in terms of technological advancement and development. So, in terms of the trade, we have the resource, in terms of human resources for the acting. But we would depend more on Russia for technicals, cameras, and so on when we are to engage in any kind of partnership," he said.
He also suggested that Russia, as an "advanced federation," could offer valuable collaboration beyond just technical advancements to benefit both countries.
According to Kanayo, Nollywood has not only become a training ground for African cinema, but it also once surpassed Hollywood and Bollywood in film output, making it a central hub for other African countries seeking to learn the trade.
"I remember, and we were at the forefront of Ghana coming to Nigeria. I mean Ghanaian stars coming to Nigeria to learn the trade, Ghanaian producers coming here, collaborating in partnership with Nigerian producers, to produce and then go back home. They were understudying the industry, and after understudying, that's what you have in Ghana today. That's what you have in Cameroon. That's what you have in some parts of Africa," he said.
The actor said the most important thing to remember about Nollywood is that while it's not where it should be, it has made significant progress.
