Create or Criticize

It had been ages since I laid eyes on my long lost friend Mill. Our meeting over dinner was shadowed by good old tales to the extent that time seemed insurmountable. During our interesting conversation I could not help but question silently, what if this and that story was turned into a screenplay? Wouldn’t it make a great movie?  The same is true of African stories. Our continent is rich of tales but sadly the few recorded ones are either left in shelves to dust and read by minority or are written by others not of African origin who may not get the story exactly as it happened or may write it in a different angle as reflected by his or her culture. 

 Looking at African movies which have become blockbuster hits in Hollywood for example Last King of Scotland (about Idi Amin), Blood Diamond (sierra Leone) just to mention but a few, they all seem to revolve around a central theme and many Africans whose subject is closer home tend to sharply criticize the movies on the basis that the events were not recorded or told as precisely as it happened.  But then I am left wondering, if we are keen to criticize what are we doing about it? Why don’t our lovely or sad stories hit Hollywood or the major film industries worldwide?

As I delve in the screenwriting process dubbed “African stories written and told by Africans” a number of challenges hit the desk. Who are the major audiences? What do they expect of me? Who is behind production?  The bitter truth in the top notch film world is hard to swallow but there is a system or procedure set up that far and wide has to be followed no wonder most movie genres about African  true stories seem to take a particular path.

The bitter truth to swallow is that there is a rule and the screenwriting rule has to be followed and in that case may end up distorting a lot in order to either suit particular audiences or the money makers. Another issue revolves around production. I must admit that I am not an ardent fan of Nollywood movies and this is because of the level of production. 

The theme may be central and good but fails at execution. Though successful, Nollywood is a clear example of what we need to be able to tell our stories in our own way by our own people.