Nollywood Babylon - photo by Don Lobel, courtesy of MoMA

From July 3rd through the 9th, the Museum of Modern Art in NYC will be showcasing ‘Nollywood Babylon’, a fantastic documentary about the vibrantly exotic and colorful world of the Nigerian film industry. Born just over fifteen years ago, Nollywood — a play on the names of its cousins Hollywood and Bollywood — is now the third largest film producer in the world, after India and the US. And this in a country where the few movie theaters that were built in the Seventies, today appear to be more like ghost towns than actual entertainment halls. 

So how does a nation struggling with some of the highest unemployment numbers in the world, a dreadfully humid climate, unbearable bureaucratic corruption, unsafe urban conditions and limited filmmaking resources become the producer of more than 2,500 films a year? By operating mostly within budgets under $10,000 per film, by keeping wildly creative and inventive directors and producers at the helm and by blending ‘traditional mysticism and modern culture’ as the documentary’s filmmakers — Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal — point out. And last but not least, by embracing the biggest obstacle known to movie makers today — the ’straight to DVD’ conundrum. Indeed, Nollywood films are only available on video CDs and only distributed through the dark alleys of Nigeria’s local street markets.

Followed by the infectious opening credits to the sound of Fela Kuti’s famous afrobeat, the film begins with Lancelot Imasuen, one of Nollywood’s most beloved and prolific filmmakers, praying over his filming equipment, surrounded by his crew. He is the perfect representative of an industry that successfully blends the lack of monetary resources of Nigeria, with the inventive, creative power of its people. As it is later pointed out ‘Art is communication. Whatever story you are telling, 1001 Africans around the world are relating’. And with titles like ‘Back from America’, ‘Toronto Connection’ and ‘Desperate Billionaire’, it is clear what story Nollywood is telling.

It was impossible for me not to draw on my own fascination with the Indian film industry while watching ‘Nollywood Babylon’. Aside from the geographical similarities between Lagos and Bombay — some of the tropical landscapes of Nigeria’s capital reminded me of the Maximum City during monsoons and both sprawling metropolis are made up of large shantytowns and outrageous traffic  – there is little comparability in the finished film products. While Bollywood is mostly glitz and beautiful make-believe, Nollywood stays true to the social status of its country, telling African stories of anguish, redemption and spiritual salvation. But there is a similar flavor in the joie-de-vivre of the cast and crew working on the films, that great spirit of improvising on a dime and making do with below-than-state-of-the-art resources, which I naturally equate with their Indian counterparts.

Whether or not you are interested in filmmaking, or Nigeria as a country, or even the struggle of the people of this West African nation, this film is a MUST-SEE. Partly because of its rocking soundtrack — available on the ‘Nigeria Special’ CD — partly because Nollywood is going to prove itself as a force to be reckoned with — by introducing the Africa Movie Academy Awards, which have already created a buzz on CNN’s ‘The Screening Room’ — but primarily because of the twist revealed, which in my typical fashion, I shall not disclose here. All I can say is that it explained the film’s title and solved for me the mystery of why I found the soul of Nollywood so familiar, so close to that Bollywood state of mind I enjoy so much. Now, if only I could find Lancelot’s ‘Bent Arrows’ at my local DVD shop…