From Adeyinka Olaiya, Sao Paulo, Brazil/
Nollywood, the Nigerian movie industry, has got a foothold in Brazil.
Breaking all barriers in the Latin American country, Nigerian movies are now receiving nearly as much attention as Brazil’s popular television soap operas (Novelas) beaming to over 180million population.
On October 20, the Brazilian audience received one of the newly shot movies reeled out by a notable group of Nigerian and Brazilian film directors and producers along with the Brazilian film industry. It was launched at the Teatro Municipal, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In an exclusive interview with NewsmakersNG, William Lemos, a Brazilian film producer, director and program coordinator, said that Nigerian Nollywood must not be restricted only to Nigeria and Africa but to the entire world.
According to him, Nigerian actors and actresses are waxing stronger every moment and their talents should not remain only in Africa but to the Latin American country too.
He mentioned notable Nigerian dramaturge, Prof Wole Soyinka and his exceptional talent, the few works of the late Prof Ola Rotimi, Chinua Achebe and the new generation of Nigerian writers doing well abroad, including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian-American literary dream.
The Brazilian Television man also spoke of the excellent performances of some Nigerian actors such as Richard Mofe Damijo, Olu Jacobs and the late Sam Loco Efe. He believes that the initiatives would bring the Nigerian movies closer to the Brazilian audience and such development would expand and enhance the marketing of the movies in Brazil and also promote the African culture and tradition among the Brazilians better than it is today.
While introducing the new movie titled “Unknown Destination” at the auditorium of the Arts Theater, Mr Chifex, a Brazil-based Nigerian actor, director and film producer, spoke of his joy in promoting Nollywood movies to the Brazilian audience and the good reasons why he decided to introduce the Nigerian home videos to the homes of over 180 million Brazilian people.
According to him the language barrier that has been the hindrance to conquering the Brazilian audience shall be put to past and resolved with easy and quick translation from English to Portuguese and even in the Spanish language if necessary.
Chifex said that most of the actors and actresses in the movie were fluent in both English and Portuguese language.
Among those at the event was a notable Brazil-based Nigerian film producer and director, Mr Ike Barry Egbujie, who participated in the production of the movie – “Unknown Destination”.
According to him Nollywood has been avoiding the possibilities of extending its movies towards the Latin American country simply because of the language barrier, but since there are several means of penetrating through the Brazilian audience then it is good and encouraging to explore the homes of over 180 million Brazilian television viewers making sure that the movies get to them in Portuguese the first official language in Brazil
Brazil that recently gave the Yoruba language an official status is doing its best to bridge the gap between the country and Nigeria through the Arts, culture and tradition of the African people.
Among the participating actors and actresses in the movie are Ifeanyin Linus Akwuba, Susan Silver Okechukwu, and Chibueze Casmir Nnabugwu.
According to the Brazil-based Nigerian International model, Ayodeji Timothy Adesiyan present at the occasion “Nigerians are penetrating”.
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