Nate Parker: Man of Moment, Birth of a Nation
In the movie world, it is no longer news that Nate Parker’s movie, ‘The birth of a nation, is a true story about an enslaved Baptist preacher known as Nat Turner, who was made to sermonise to his fellow slaves in order to quell any form of uprising or rebellion in the different counties where they had a plantation, until he fell a victim and realised it was time to fight back. His quest for justice, after seeing and witnessing the horrendous treatment meted on his fellow slaves, led to a historic violent and tragic rebellion. This movie, which leaves you speechless and probably makes you cry, had Nate Parker as the lead actor, playing the role of Nat Turner. He is also the director, screenplay is by him, and he is one of the producers. The movie also featured stars like Gabrille Union and other big stars. There was cocktail section for guests to meet the stars before everyone headed to the premiere.
The recently concluded British film festival saw Fox searchlight partnering with the Senior Management of FilmOne in Nigeria, Kene Mkparu, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer; Kene Okwuosa, Group Deputy Managing Director; and Moses Babatope, Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer FilmOne. They invited entertainment journalists from Nigeria to attend the British Film festival, where the movie was premiered. These are the faces of the actors and guests at the cocktail premiere
About FilmOne
FilmOne Limited is an independent distributor of filmed entertainment, providing top-end film release services with emphasis on English-speaking West African territory. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, it distributes a wide-range of mainstream, commercial pictures, including international and indigenous titles. Its business operations are modeled in line with international best practices, covering Feature Film Rights acquisition, Film Sales, Theatrical dating and Exhibitor relations, P& A consulting, Marketing Strategy implementation, DCP generation and encryption, as well as Box Office Reporting and Analysis. FilmOne’s objective is to maximise box office revenues from film titles, to the benefit of both Studios/ producers and exhibitors. In June 2016, FilmOne signed a landmark distribution deal with Hollywood Studio Twentieth Century Fox to release its films in West African Cinemas. FilmOne is the sister company to Nigeria’s largest cinema chain Filmhouse Cinemas.
Film One Distribution is responsible for hit films, such as A Trip to Jamaica, FIFTY, Wives on Strike, and its Production arm has co-produced known titles such as When Love Happens, Taxi Driver and, soon to be released, ‘The Wedding Party’
FilmOne and The Birth of a Nation
Having signed the landmark distribution deal with Twentieth Century, FilmOne, as part of its innovative strategies to champion cinema-going and appreciation in Nigeria, partnered with Fox Searchlight Picture, the studio behind the critically acclaimed film ‘The Birth of a Nation’, to organise the first of its kind media parley at the BFI London Film Festival.
This initiative was done to kick-start the media campaign of an important film to the important territory of West Africa, currently comprising Nigeria and Ghana. Carefully selected media practitioners that speak directly to the core audience were picked for what was a thoroughly successful outing.
FilmOne, The Birth of a Nation and AFRIFF
As a result of FilmOne’s partnership with Twentieth Century Fox, it is able to use this access to unearth possibilities that seemed not to be in existence before to Studio Executives.
FilmOne’s sister company Filmhouse Cinemas has played host to Africa’s biggest festival twice before and, naturally, there has been a very close working professional relationship.
Once it was established that the themes of ‘ The Birth of a Nation’ resonated strongly with the values of AFRIFF as festival, the rest was history, a few phone calls between principal parties to establish terms and mutual benefit and, just like that, for possibly the first time in the history of the continent, a studio film is opening an indigenous festival put together by Africans, what a triumph!