Dare Babalola
Nigerian film enthusiasts have proven themselves to be highly discerning when it comes to different movie genres, according to actor Gabriel Afolayan.
Afolayan noted that ordinary Nigerians, including those outside the film industry, such as medical professionals, have a keen eye for detail and can dissect movies with impressive analysis.
According to Afolayan during an interview with Punch, this is because films belong to the audience, not the filmmakers.
“A film doesn’t belong to the filmmaker; they are just instruments the universe uses to put it together,” he said.
Afolayan emphasised that the audience’s appreciation and validation of a film are crucial to its success, stating that filmmakers won’t make any money from their work until the audience deems it “good enough.”
Afolayan is also of the opinion that criticism is needed for Nollywood to get better.
He said, “Criticism is needed. How do we get better if people are not ready to talk about what we are doing? Both the audience and filmmakers have to come together.”
On if Nollywood is ready for action films, he said, “Nollywood is ready for everything. Trust me, we just need to keep serving. You don’t know how intelligent people are until you create something that will blow their minds. Even if you believe you’ve made a great film, until an audience watches it and decides whether it’s good or not, nothing else really matters. I feel our audience is ready for everything we have to give them.”
