The cinema of Nigeria, often referred to informally as Nollywood, consists of films produced in Nigeria; its history dates back to as early as the late 19th century and into the colonial era in the early 20th century. The history and development of the Nigerian motion picture industry is sometimes generally classified in four main eras: the Colonial era, Golden Age era, Video film era and the emerging New Nigerian cinema.
Genevieve Nnaji is a Nigerian actress, producer, and director. She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005, making her the first actor to win the award. In 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian government for her contributions to Nollywood. Her directorial debut movie, Lionheart, is the first Netflix film from Nigeria and the first Nigerian submission for the Oscars. The movie was disqualified for having most of its dialogue in English. After having spent decades in the movie industry, she was profiled alongside some celebrities and business executives in 2020 in two new books by publisher and Editor in Chief of Yes International! magazine, Azuh Arinze.
Jimmy Jean-Louis is a Haitian actor and producer. Born in Pétion-Ville, he moved to Paris at a young age with his family in search of a better life. His early roles were in French television commercials and Spanish musical theatre.Eventually settling in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, he had small roles in The Bourne Identity, Tears of the Sun and Arliss before breaking into larger roles in American television and film. He played the character of "the Haitian" on the NBC television series Heroes from 2006-2009. He played the title character in the 2012 French telefilm Toussaint Louverture.
Joseph van Vicker, better known as Van Vicker, is a Ghanaian actor, movie director and humanitarian. He is the chief executive officer of Sky + Orange production, a film production house. Van Vicker received two nominations for "Best Actor in a Leading Role" and "Best Upcoming Actor" at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2008.
Stephanie Okereke Linus is a Nigerian actress, film director and model. She has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress, including the 2003 Reel Award for Best Actress, the 2006 Afro Hollywood Award for Best Actress, and three nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010. She was also the runner up for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant of 2002. In 2011, she was honoured by the Nigerian government with a national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR.
The 5th Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony was held on April 4, 2009, at the Gloryland Cultural Center in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, to honor the best African films of 2008. It was broadcast live on Nigerian national television. Africa Movie Academy Award winner Kate Henshaw-Nuttal and Nigerian stand-up comedian Julius Agwu hosted the ceremony. Numerous celebrities graced the event, including Timipre Sylva and Nollywood actresses and actors. Special guests were Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker and Hollywood actor Danny Glover.
The 3rd Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony was held on March 10, 2007 at the Gloryland Cultural Center in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, to honor the best African films of 2006. The ceremony was broadcast live on Nigerian national television. Numerous African & international celebrities and top Nigerian politicians attended the event, including Nigerian musician Tuface Idibia and Ghanaian hiplife band VIP. Nollywood actor Richard Mofe-Damijo and South African actress Thami Ngubeni hosted the ceremony. Special guests of honor were Academy Award winners Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Mo'Nique. Nollywood's favourite acting duo Osita Iheme and Chinedu Ikedieze received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs,, known professionally as Olu Jacobs, is a Nigerian actor and film executive. He has starred in several British television series and international films. Olu Jacobs has been hailed by many as one of the greatest and most widely respected African actors of his generation. Together with Pete Edochie, he is considered by several media, film commentators, critics, and other actors to be one of the most influential African actors of all time, and is widely regarded as a cultural icon. He is seen as the bridge between the old Actors and the new ones.
Omoni Oboli is a Nigerian actress, scriptwriter, film director, producer and digital filmmaker. She studied at the New York Film Academy and has written several screenplays, including The Figurine (2009), Anchor Baby (2010), Fatal Imagination, Being Mrs Elliott, The First Lady and Wives on Strike (2016). In 2018 she starred and directed the comedy film, Moms at War.
Daniel Joseph "Dan" Davies is an American actor, screenplay writer and producer who wrote, co-produced and starred in the 2010 comedy film Ed Gein, the Musical, about the cannibalistic murderer and graverobber, Ed Gein.
Nkiruka 'Kiki' Omeililisten is a Nigerian actress, best known for her role as Lovette in the TV series Lekki Wives. She is also known for her role as Blessing in the 2015 crime caper, Gbomo Gbomo Express alongside Gideon Okeke.
Okechukwu Ukeje, known as OC Ukeje is Nigerian actor, model and musician. He came into prominence after winning the Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) reality show. He has received several awards including Africa Movie Academy Awards, Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Nollywood Movies Awards, Best of Nollywood Awards, Nigeria Entertainment Awards and Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards. He has featured in several award-winning films including Two Brides and a Baby, Hoodrush, Alan Poza, Confusion Na Wa and Half of a Yellow Sun.
Michelle Bello is a British Nigerian film director and film producer. She is also CEO of a Nigerian-based entertainment and publishing company, Blu Star Entertainment Limited. Bello was born in London, England.
Niji Akanni is a Nigerian dramatist, screenwriter, director, producer and filmmaker.
Femi Odugbemi is a Nigerian documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, cinematographer, director, producer and photographer.
Mahmood Ali-Balogun is a Nigerian filmmaker, cultural worker and the managing director of Brickwall Communications Limited. He directed the multiple award-winning film 'Tango With Me'. He is the Chairman of the Audio Visual Rights Society (AVRS) of Nigeria (2).
Moses Inwang is a Nigerian film director, producer, editor and screenwriter best known for classic films in the Nollywood mainstream that speak to societal ills and nagging live issues rarely documented in Nigerian movies. Inwang's first outstanding recognition came 2012 when he directed the psychological thriller Torn, also produced by him, and released in cinemas nationwide in 2013. With multiple nominations, award and recognition bagged from that movie, he went on to direct and produce other hits like Damage, Cold Feet, Stalker, Last 3 digits, Alter Ego, Crazy People, American Driver, Unroyal and lastly Merry Men 2; Ayo Makun(AY)’s blockbuster movie, which emerged the 2nd highest-grossing movie of 2019 in Nigeria with a sum of 240 million.
Toka McBaror is a Nigerian filmmaker, producer, movie and music video director born, raised and is based in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria but originally from Delta State. He is considered by many as the jack and master of all filmmaking tricks and trade. A multiple awards winning, prolific and intensively talented hyper creative, filmmaking coach and movie production consultant, McBaror is widely and saliently referred to as the Encyclopedia of Filmmaking with multiple awards to his kitty, including an award nomination for "Kada River" at the 2018 Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival in Canada, 6 award wins for the movie, Lotanna including: "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best Cinematography", "Best Art Director", "Best Costume" and "Best Sound Editor" at the 2017 Golden Movie Awards.
