By Osagie Alonge
It seems to get better and better for Nollywood as the once heavily critiqued Nigerian movie industry is now shinning beyond the shores of the country. And this time, there’s news from far away Australia!
Sources tell us two Nollywood actors in particular have taken the Australian community by surprise. The seasoned actor-politician Ejike Asiegbu and star actress Monalisa Chinda who starred in a new movie called ‘Gossip Nation’ (directed by Australian-based movie director Daniel Okoduwa) are the ‘new kids on the block’ as far as Nollywood in Australia is concerned.
The movie which reportedly premiered at Australia’s biggest cinemas, Hoyts, in Sydney on Saturday, May 14, 2011 was widely received by the Aussie community especially Nigerian residents who are big fans of Nigerian movies.
A spokesperson for the producers say the premiere was attended by the opposition of the state of New South Wales Parliament, John Robertson, the Nigerian Ambassador J.C Ezema and several Afro-Australian actors, musicians and a host of main stream Australian entertainment and media personalities.
The premiere was described as the most ‘heterogeneous event in recent Australian history’ as different races from Chinese, Asians, to Africans, Whites to Aboriginal Australians to Indians and Pacific Islanders were all represented at the event.
‘They have written their names into the Australian history as the first Nollywood actors to film in Australia’, director Daniel Okoduwa talked about Asiegbu and Monalisa’s roles. And in the words of the ambassador Ezema, he simply had this to say ‘They are the true ambassadors of Nigeria’.
Gossip Nation, a movie set in Blacktown, Western Sydney is about a small but steadily growing African community which faced its greatest challenge – Gossip.
1 comment
Is been wondesful to hear this .Nigeria is Great.