From Lagos to Rio: Nollywood on the Global Stage

EXT. THE CITY OF RIO

Rio hums with energy: the streets, the art, the people. Everything is alive. At Cidade das Artes, the Rio Creative Conference 2024 is in full swing. In the crowd are some of the continent’s boldest voices in film, television, music, advertising, and all kinds of live and prerecorded entertainment.

Enter Editi Effiong, never one just to spectate. He’s not only attending. He’s not only repping Anakle Films. He’s bringing Nollywood into the room.

EDITI EFFIONG ON STAGE

Cut to the panel titled “Nollywood: Creating and Financing African Stories for Global Audiences.” Editi sits alongside Viviane Ferreira, the force behind the Brazilian Association of Black Audiovisual Professionals. Together, they tackle the big question: ‘How do we tell African stories the right way, through African eyes?’

Editi points to his directorial debut, The Black Book—a Nigerian action thriller that didn’t just meet expectations on Netflix. It surpassed them, becoming one of the most-watched English-language films globally. It debuted in the top 10 in 69 countries within weeks and racked up over 17 million views. It even broke into the top three worldwide—a first for an African film.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE BLACK BOOK

Photo caption: Editi Effiong talking on the Rio2c panel

Editi doesn’t skip over the struggle. Getting the Black Book made wasn’t smooth. People told him to “simplify,” “Play it safe.” “Go more commercial.” Every push was a temptation to water down his vision.

He told the room, “I couldn’t let this story go into the world through someone else’s lens. If I wanted it told right, I had to tell it myself.”

That honesty was striking. Everyone in the room—creatives, producers, dreamers—felt the tension between artistic integrity and survival.

BUILDING A GLOBAL CONNECTION AT RIO2C

The talk at Rio2C was more than just about film. It was solidarity in motion. Conversations with black filmmakers in Brazil reinforced that African storytellers aren’t isolated. We belong to a global network of bold voices reshaping storytelling around the world.

As Editi put it: “We are not alone. We are many. And we are bold enough to build new worlds through storytelling.”

LOOKING AHEAD FOR NOLLYWOOD

The takeaway is clear. The world is ready—hungry—for stories with truth, identity, and soul. The Black Book and Anakle Films aren’t just plugging a gap. They’re setting the agenda. And this is only the beginning.