…set to hit Nigerian cinemas
Movies are dreams on screen, the actualized fantasy of the eternal romantic, so argues the cynic stereotype. The latter earnestly contradicts what constitutes the essence of film; pitching wildly and quite methodically, the damning perspective against the nature of movies, disparagers of the art genre, regard it as a defective vehicle for numbing reality.
Nonetheless, the archetypal filmmaker seeks to awaken consciousness to a hidden layer amid the folds of reality in order to depict it or recapture its fast-fading resonance. This is what top politician and businessman, Prince Tonye Princewill seeks to achieve by bankrolling ‘76’, a movie. Nigeria’s movie industry also known has Nollywood, in recent times has continued shift, albeit slowly, from the ridiculous to the sublime.
The industry has seen the production of critically acclaimed movies that have continued to wow many Nigerians and foreigners. Princewill recently broke the bank with the production of multi-award winning movie, ‘76’. Following this trend of production of quality movie, Africa Magic, in collaboration with Adonis Production and Princewill’s Trust, produce 76, a tale of love, trust, faith and family set against the backdrop of war and nation building. 76 is an assemblage of talented Nollywood stars like Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic, Chidi Mokeme and many others.
The movie is set six years after the Nigerian civil war also known as Biafran War. The movie tells the story of a young officer from the Middle Belt who gets entangled in a romantic relationship and eventually marries a beautiful student from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. Their budding romance is threatened by endless military postings, and they face the ultimate test when news of the soldier’s involvement in a botched coup attempt hits the headlines.
The Director, M-Net West Africa, WangiMba-Uzoukwu, said: “76 is an adventurous foray into filmmaking in Nigeria. It’s an exciting, compelling storyline that many Nigerians and indeed Africans will relate with. The directing and production quality are top notch, and the themes celebrate values including courage, loyalty, patience, trust and sacrifice. 76 takes filmmaking up another level in Nigeria and we at Africa Magic are indeed excited to partner with Adonis Productions and Princewill’s trust in bringing this movie to viewers across Africa.”
Directed by award winning director, Izu Ojukwu, 76 is inspired by events which led up to and followed the botched 1976 coup d’etat, and features real life, archived, actual footage that contributes to the movie’s overall authenticity. The execution of the movie was also done with approval and support from the Nigerian Army.
The director of the movie, Izu Ojukwu, said: “76 tells a tale of love in the time of war.
The movie deals with a range of issues including the plight of the African woman, and the usually invisible pain of a soldier’s wife. 76 highlights the enduring Nigerian cultural values of courage, resilience, patience, loyalty, faith and family and the nation’s ability to surmount all challenges.” The release of 76 comes 40 years after the actual events, and follows four years of work by the director and the production duo of Adonis Productions and Princewill’s Trust. 76
