Geneviev Nnaji ‘s Lionheart Rejected by Oscar – It’s the Money – By Emeka Chiakwelu

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By Emeka Chiakwelu | NNP | November 8, 2019 – Genevieve Nnaji is a brilliant and impressive filmmaker. To be frank I
never anticipated from her the level of sophistication and intellectual
audacity she has exhibited since her emergence on a global stage. She
deserved a lot of credit for rewriting the perception of Nollywood female
stars that are more occupied with vanity and carnality. Her rational
compass and worldview are pointing to a new, high quality and energetic
Nollywood.

Yes, the movie “Lionheart” directed and stirred in by Genevieve Nnaji was
rejected by Oscar for best international movie due to “too much English”
conversation. But there were underlying reasons beyond the aforementioned
and stipulated reason that propelled the rejection. It’s all about the
money and competition.

Although, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives
Oscar awards, changed and replaced its outdated global category from
“foreign language,” to “international feature film.” But the guidelines
and criteria for acceptability remained unchanged. Eligible films must
come outside the United States and dialogue must be mostly non-English. By
this act of commission, Hollywood puts a face of tolerance but
simultaneously, intolerance for competition. This is superb thinking and
unabashed public relation and capitalism at its best.

For those whose naivety and insularity have precluded them from
understanding Hollywood and its Oscar Academy, they must be made to see
crystal clear what this entertainment institution is all about. First and
foremost, Hollywood that birthed Academy award is a business venture that
is why it is commonly labeled show business. Hollywood is in
entertainment business to make money and carved out a huge market for its
movie industry. Hollywood will do anything with its power to ward off
competitors and continues making the largest dividends for its owners and
investors.

Hollywood primarily produced English language based movies and any other
region of the world be it Nollywood or Bollywood that is also producing
overwhelmingly English based movies will be dissuaded and discouraged
from sharing the market with Hollywood. The Hollywood gatekeepers maybe
sentimental on making movies but they are stern and shrewd business men
and women who are in business to win.

Rendering global limelight to movies like “Lionheart” from Nollywood with
mostly English based dialogue is a threat to financial integrity of
Hollywood. The Hollywood gate keepers are shrewd enough to realize that
another film institution outside their sphere of control will cut into
their profit immensely. It’s all about the money.

Emeka Chiakwelu, Principal Policy Strategist at AFRIPOL. His works have
appeared in Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Forbes and many other
important journals around the world. His writings have also been cited in
many economic books, publications and many institutions of higher learning
including Harvard Education and Oxford University. Africa Political &
Economic Strategic Center (AFRIPOL) is foremost a public policy center
whose fundamental objective is to broaden the parameters of public policy
debates in Africa. To advocate, promote and encourage free enterprise,
democracy, sustainable green environment, human rights, conflict
resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa. [email protected]wp_posts