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| Isaac Izoya |
Isaac Izoya will surely come first in the aspect of uniting the Nigerian entertainment industry with Africans in Europe. This did not only pave way for a lot of artistes but has now engendered a film festival aptly called Nollywood Film Festival in Germany, NFFG, which holds every September. In this interview, with NGOZI EMEDOLIBE he explains the preparations being made for this year’s edition of the festival as well as his journey in the entertainment industry. Excerpts:
What has been put in place for the next edition of the Nollywood Film Festival in Germany?
Preparations for this edition of Nollywood Film Festival Germany are on. You know it is a platform to showcase films made by Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora and also the third edition of Nollywood Europe Golden Awards NEGA, designed to honour those that have contributed to the growth of Nollywood. Someone asked the director of Frankfurt FilmForum Höchst, the venue of NFFG, Mr. Klaus-Peter Roth and he said, “we’re good to go again for this edition of NFFG. We’ve acquired some sophisticated machines to play some low or best standard Nollywood materials during the festival. I mean, we have the best machine any modern cinema can boast of in the world. Though, we’re really glad with what the programme director Isaac Izoya of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment e.V and his team have achieved, film festival wise, we only hope that the Nigeria government will see the need to support this noble project financially through Nigeria consulate or Embassy like the Cuba, Japan and Venezuela film festival also using our cinema to enable the organizers have enough money to translate some of these movies for screening into German language.”
That’s a white man thinking for our industry in that manner?
Yes, and it has to do with the impact the festival has made in such a short time. Germany is a cultural society and they appreciate a good event when they see it.
How is this year’s event going to be different from the ones previously held?
We’ve gone extra miles this time to include Nigeria’s best comedians and musicians with Nollywood stars in this year programme. We want Nollywood fans to laugh, have handshakes with the Nollywood stars and later dance to have unlimited fun at the NEGA Awards gala-night which marks the closing ceremony.
Unlike the first edition when people have to drive about 12km from cinema to awards gala-night venue, we are lucky enough to have secured both cinema and awards gala-night venue within the same vicinity of about 500 meters walking distance. We also have some additional reliable partners working with us both in the media and on the field. NTA Channel 10 -Exclusive Live Boris communications Ltd and African Tide Union e.V are some of the viable new partners we’re working with now.
Other partners are Hessen State Filmforum Höchst VHS-Frankfurt Am Main, Stadt Frankfurt Kulturamt – (Ministry of Art/Culture Frankfurt City), Amt für multikulturelle Angelegenheiten – AmkA (The Office for Multicultural Affairs), City- 2-City Atnun Ogadriva Ltd, Moviedom and many others.
How is the Nigerian embassy receiving the event?
Unlike the last year’s NFFG event, when the Nigeria Embassy under the leadership of the then Ambassador, His Excellency, Mr. Abdu Usman Abubakar operated closed door policies and refused to support any Nollywood activities, the newly appointed Consul General His Excellency, Mr. John C. Ejinaka of the Frankfurt base Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has expressed his willingness to partner with Nigerians across Germany positively as it ought to be. The wind of change at the mission was practically confirmed during our recent NFFG project presentation courtesy call (02/06/2015) to the new Consul General His Excellency, Mr. John C. Ejinaka with his assistant, Senior Counsellor, Economic and Culture Desk, Mr. Zayyad Abdussalam said Izoya: “we’re here to supports and facilitate such laudable projects that will project Nigeria in a very good light. Nollywood undoubtedly, is like entry identity card for even the diplomats around the world. I personally love and watch Nollywood films and can’t wait to see our stars here in the city of Frankfurt during the festival. Nigeria is changing for good and entertainment has played a lead role in becoming Africa economy number one nation of today. I really appreciate what you are doing for successfully planting Nollywood seed in this part of the world based on your track record Mr. Izoya. We’re very much interested to contribute our quota for a successful NFFG event. In fact, Mr. Zayyad Abdussalam has been appointed to work with your organisation for a successful event”.
Who can participate in this festival?
The NFFG event will hold in September and for three days, the arena will be busy with works made by Nigerians who are scattered all over the world making the black race proud with their films. At the moment, Nollywood film makers from all over the world who wish to see their films screened in Frankfurt Am Main, Germany from 10th to 12th September 2015 are invited to send their films for assessment; The event will hold at the prestigious Filmforum Höchst VHS Cinema, Emmerich-Joselstr 46A, 65929 Frankfurt am Main.
Any deadline for submission of works?
The deadline for registration is August 1st, 2015. By this date, the registration form (www.ehizoyafilms.com) must have been filled out and validated). One of the accepted formats for NFFG films submitted for selection must be received by the festival jury not later than August 25th, 2015. The event would culminate in an awards ceremony on 12th September 2015 where Nigerians who have contributed to the growth of the industry would be recognised at the Nollywood Europe Golden Awards gala-nite.
Take me through the journey of your first show with Nigerian artistes?
My first show in Germany was after I connected with Nollywood’s director, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen who has done well in the Nigeria movie industry. First of all, it was a forum for Nigerian stars to meet their fans in Europe, because as at that time, there was nothing like it. The initial shows had seen star artistes Ngozi Ezeonu, Empress Njamah, Victor Osuagwu, Mr. Ibu, Jim Iyke, Patience Ozokwor, Aki and Paw-paw, Sheddy Baba, comedians like Basket Mouth, Julius Agwu, I Go Dye and host of others in shows across Europe beginning from Germany to Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Greece to Holland.
How much does it cost to put this kind of show together?
It costs a lot of money. You have to put into consideration issues of logistics, which includes flight tickets, hotel accommodation, and in some cases, we make the white people realise how important our artistes are by treating them like real celebrities. Some of them have come here and were driven about in limousines, with body guards, so that the white man would know they should accord them respect. It takes a lot to do all these. When you bring all these aspects into consideration, you will realise it costs a lot of money.
How profitable is it?
Are you talking of profit margin or loss margin? To be frank with you, it is difficult to organise this kind of show and make profit without corporate sponsors or even government sponsorship. Some of my friends from Europe always ask me what my government has been doing to support my efforts, but I tell them nothing and they are always surprised and ask how I manage to do it.
Government support in your business?
I don’t see it as my business. I see it as my passion. If it was just a business I would have quit since. I am just doing it because I like promoting Nigerian culture, and there is nothing bad in asking for government support to do that. My friends from other European countries get grants for their activities. I have continued to pursue this, because it is my passion. I love what I am doing and I am not in it because of the money. Have you been to the French Cultural Centre in Lagos? Or the Goethe Institute? They are worldwide spreading their countries’ world view through arts. But I have been spending my personal money to create fun for our people without Nigerian government’s support. The Germans will tell you that it’s funny; but it’s the true.
Have you approached Nigerian companies?
That is the ultimate goal. The great days are closer, because like most Nigerians resident in Europe would tell me, the show must go on. We will continue with what we are doing. I wish to use this opportunity to state that some of the shows we host in Europe are good avenues for some products and services seeking recognition amongst Nigerians in the Diaspora. The figures at our shows will testify to this.
I heard some of the artistes do not collect fees because of their quest to travel to Europe?
I will just laugh at that. I cannot think of any artiste that would not call what he is doing a job because he wants to travel to Europe. The best they could do is to reduce their fees, when we explain to them how far we go to promote them here, because our activities rub off on them as well. But this is show business. There is the show and there is the business. I will say that I have worked with some artistes who understand my perspective. On some instances, we have had to shoot movies, which I produced and acted in alongside some of these actors. I will say the artistes I work with know my desires; I try as much as possible to bring them into the picture.
What was it like working with Timaya?As a showbiz promoter, I am moved by the need to create fun and happiness for fans. We had been trying to reach him for a long time because his fans wanted him to come to Europe and entertain. Stories kept coming of how he is rude towards show organisers. But then the people desired to see him. We took the bull by the horns and started discussing with him. We provided him with all he wanted and I tell you he had a great show.
Our show took him to Dusseldorf and returned to the Surprise Nite Club in Berlin, Germany. It was a day after that we took him to Frankfurt and Mainz for the world opening of Female World Cup before moving to Sinsheim, a community near Heidelberg, Germany where he was on hand to welcome the Super Falcons for the Women World Cup that year. It was a great show. We fulfilled Timaya’s obligation and he also fulfilled ours. Let me tell you, our own Abami Eda, Fela always had problems with promoters who didn’t do what he wanted but there were also promoters who promoted his shows and he was on good terms with them.
What is the worth of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment?It’s worth cannot be measured in terms of Euros or dollars. Its value can be quantified in terms of what it has been able to achieve. You see, our inspiration comes from the fact that we believe that arts and culture would sell Nigeria’s image better than all public relation activities put together. It was in 2000 that the idea started hitting my brains. I felt that Nollywood was growing in Lagos and we needed to use it as integration platform for Africans in the Diaspora. I felt that there were so many Africans who hadn’t been home for long and needed to connect with Nigeria. The numbers of white Europeans who storm these shows are not measurable. That means more to me than what the bank account says. Everyone was born for something. The Dangotes and the Adenugas will make their money; the Izoyas will help promote African culture.
What will I do if I want to host a successful show?There are several factors that produce a great show and they differ locally and internationally. The International promoter must have good records to procure travel documents for his artistes. If you do not have good reputation, the embassies would never give your artistes visas to travel.
Secondly, you must have your contacts right because we have promoted shows all over Europe -Greece, France, Spain, Belgium, Holland; so your contacts matter.
Aside from this, your eyes and ears must be on the ground to hear what the fans want. We regularly sound the fans out and give them the artistes they want and these make the shows very successful.
You have not produced a movie for some time?We are working out the logistics. Everyone is raising the bar in movie-making, so is Ehizoya Entertainment. We have projects lined up in this direction, and at the appropriate time, we will unfold them.
Let us get personal; how is your wife?It is an area I don’t like dwelling on. I have my kids. Some are in UK, some in the US. The story of my wife is long and boring and we just need to leave it at that.
You are still a young man?You should have said a young-looking man, not a young man; not when I am thinking of money for tuition in higher institutions for the kids. Honestly, I do not know about the actresses running after me
Posted By: Nipponcy Richard Source: NGOZI EMEDOLIBE
