Genevieve Nnaji, the screen goddess has been actively absent from the acting scene for a while but this doesn’t mean she has walked away from her love for movies; she’s been making big moves behind the scene. She, instead, has taken the role of a movie producer, writer and financier, through her production company – The Entertainment Network (T.E.N).
In a recent interview with Women and Hollywood, the multi-faceted actress talks about her directorial debut were she also doubles as the lead actor in the movie, “Lionheart”. She also shares her inspiration for the story-line.
“I want people to reflect on the endless possibilities of growth and success that come with men and women, the old and the young, working together: a world where insecurities are tackled and equality is encouraged. We need to be more open and accepting of competition instead of feeling threatened by it.”
…And her inspiration for becoming a filmmaker.
“I’ve always had a hunger for visual storytelling. There is so much material out there that is still untold — countless real-life stories from within and outside Africa, and today, we have the chance to tell it ourselves. My hope is that Africans will have adequate representation globally, and be given a seat at the table in big studio productions as we continue to grow and improve from within the continent.
I also believe that my generation of women needs to continue to work at paving a path better than the one that exists today for the future generation of women in film.”
“Lionheart” which marks the first Netflix original from Nigeria will begin screening at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival today.