Welcome to Nollywood

In 1990, there was no Nigerian film industry. As of 2009, Nigeria was the world's third-largest producer of movies, churning out more than 2,400 a year (all shot on shoestring budgets and released straight to video), generating $286 million annually for the Nigerian economy. Spanning everything from action flicks to social dramas, love stories, and crime films, the common thread in Nollywood films is an African identity and a cultural grounding that make them more popular than their Hollywood counterparts for Nigerian audiences. Director Jamie Meltzer profiles this little-known enterprise in this lively documentary that focuses on two of Nigeria's most successful directors: Chico “Mr. Prolific” Ejiro, who has made 100 movies (by one estimate) since his debut in the mid-1990s, and action movie auteur Izu Ojukwu, who here embarks on the most expensive and ambitious undertaking in Nigerian film history. Meltzer keeps the tone light with some humorous on-location scenes (the generators keep shutting down through Ojukwu's auditions and shooting) in this entertaining look at a relatively unknown but burgeoning film industry. DVD extras include an informative audio commentary by Meltzer. A fine documentary that complements similar efforts such as Nollywood Babylon (VL-1/10) and This Is Nollywood (VL-5/08), Welcome to Nollywood is recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Axmaker)