Tonight's Movie: LIONHEART, directed by Genevieve Nnaji.
8:30pm. Private Screening Room. Please Email For Address & Parking Info.
Genevieve Nnaji
Genevieve has parlayed her early success as an actress on Nigerian soap operas and commercials into a burgeoning film career, and has become a household name and prominent figure in Nollywood. Nnaji is a true multi-hyphenate: she starred in, co-wrote, produced, and made her directorial debut on the film LIONHEART, which follows a whip-smart businesswoman Adaeze (Nnaji) desperately trying to salvage her ailing father’s transportation company while mitigating her fraught relationship with her uncle. The film made history when it became Netflix’s first Nigerian original film as well as Nigeria’s first ever Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film. However, the film was disqualified for being mostly in English and only partially in Igbo—a creative decision Nnaji justifies as being an authentic portrayal of her homeland. The uproar and controversy around LIONHEART’s Oscar nomination has overshadowed the film’s message and significance: by eschewing derivative African cinema tropes, Nnaji illuminates the complexities of professional, autonomous Nigerian women in LIONHEART—a groundbreaking portrayal in Nollywood.
Watch the trailer for LIONHEART here!
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