Nollywood bigger than Bollywood
Which film center produced more commercial movies in 2005: Hollywood (United States), Bollywood (India), or Nollywood (Nigeria)? If you guessed Hollywood, guess again. America produced only 611 commercial films in 2005.
Ok, Bollywood then. Nope. Although India outshone the United States, producing 964 films, they produced less than half the output of Nollywood, which released more than 2000 films. (Hollywood comes out on top when the criteria is gross sales income.)
Admittedly, the Nigerian film industry operates on different principles from those of America and India. Most films are low-budget, often costing less than $30,000 to make. They are shot in 10 days or less by hand-held video cameras, and distributed directly to DVD without ever seeing the light (or is it the dark?) of a movie theater. Most films made in Nigeria sell for about $3 and rent for 50 cents.
What is interesting about Nigerian films is that one of the most popular plot lines features the clash of religions, old and new. The key characters are villains who use aspects of traditional African religions, often characterized as witchcraft or voodoo, to work their wicked ways.
In the end, however, Christianity triumphs by redeeming the victims and vanquishing the evildoers, although they may be forgiven upon conversion to Christianity
