Nigeria gets a chance at Oscars

The approval paves way for Nigerian movies to be considered for the world’s most prestigious prizes for films ahead of the 2015 Oscars. The committee is expected to select one Nollywood movie each year to be submitted for the Oscars.A 12-member committee of Nollywood stakeholders who are the Nigerian Oscar selection committee members include Chineze […]

The approval paves way for Nigerian movies to be considered for the world’s most prestigious prizes for films ahead of the 2015 Oscars. The committee is expected to select one Nollywood movie each year to be submitted for the Oscars.
A 12-member committee of Nollywood stakeholders who are the Nigerian Oscar selection committee members include Chineze Anyaene, NgoziOkafor, OlumideAmure, Ramsey Nouah, Kene Mkparu, Emeka Mba, ChiomaUde, Akin Salami, Mildred Okwo, Biola Alabi, Charles Novia and Shuaibu Husseini.
Each year, countries with an approved selection committee submit one film for consideration for the Foreign Language Film Award Oscar. Ahead of the awards ceremony Academy members then pick only five films from over 85 other international submissions for Academy members to cast their votes and choose a winning foreign film for the coveted best Foreign Language Film Award.
Chineze Anyaene, filmmaker and committee chairwoman told Weekly Trust that: “This has been long overdue. The Nigerian movie industry has come of age and there has been tremendous improvement over the years. Nigerian movie getting a shot at the Oscars is the best thing that could have happened to the industry. As a director and producer, this is the best gift and news you can give us. This way Nigeria can prove that we have many things to offer the world. This is a great opportunity for Nigeria to have a voice in the international film arena. With this opportunity we are sure to go higher on the international scene of movies.”
Another member of the committee, Shuiabu Husseini, says: “The Nollywood film industry needs to play globally so people begin to look towards us.”
According to Academy rules, the members will consider submissions on seven criteria, which are: story, direction, acting, cinematography, sound, music and universal theme.
Nigeria’s movie stakeholders say this is the one good thing that can happen in the industry which has been recognised as one of the largest movie industries globally.