Nollywood movies can win Oscars if…

Nollywood is getting more nods of approval as Hollywood actor and producer, Lucien Morgan who’s best known for his roles in films like An American Werewolf, Return of the Don, Theft Unexpected among others, has predicted a brighter future for the Nigerian movie industry. 

However, there is a catch. The industry needs government support to be able to “change the world attitude towards the African film sector,” according to Morgan who predicts that “Nollywood in the next five years will be a major leader of the world film market.”

Morgan made this prediction last week, at the press parley ahead of the August release of the highly anticipated feature film, Shadow Parties produced and directed byYemi Amodu, in which the Hollywood actor starred per reports.

Also starring in the movie are Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Sola Sobowale, Segun Arinze, Prince Jide Kosoko, Ken Erics, Toyin Abraham, Saheed Balogun, Sola Kosoko, Rotimi Salami and Yemi Blaq as well as Paris-based actress Magdalena Korpas starred in the film.

Sharing his experience while on location, Morgan said he had a wonderful time. “The experience was fantastic, good script and wonderful locations to work. I was able to have a little bit of free hand with some of the costumes design which I think is quite important. Wonderful actor like Yemi Blaq to work with. I enjoyed every bit of it and I think it is going to be a very successful film.”

On the future of the industry, Morgan highlights the importance of government backing, which he says is presently lacking. In his opinion, government support could change the future of the industry to one of global acceptance.

“What I think is the problem with Nollywood is the fact that there isn’t enough government assistance to make films” he contends. “There isn’t enough of government encouragement to enable the director or the producer to make films that can hit the international market.

“Films in Germany, France and Italy are currently not in a very good shape because they don’t have the places to distribute the films. What you have here in Nigeria is a clear open market. It is going to be a boom market. I think it is going to take one or two Nollywood films to win major awards and gain international recognition at the Oscar, or Cannes festival,”  the actor concludes.