phone swap

This weeks’ movie schedule has been made available by cinemas across the nation, and yet again, your award winning movie “Phone Swap” has got not only more cinema slots for viewing pleasure, but also added NollyWood Cinema as part of its release platforms, with additional location now in Kaduna, Benin City, Owerri and Warri.

 With promises kept, as regards nationwide cinema release, Movie lovers throughout these cities can now watch Phone Swap- a comedic drama with a twist of romance, which stars seasoned professionals like Nse Ikpe-Etim, Wale Ojo, Joke Silva, Chika Okpala, and Hafiz Oyetoro amongst others, this week, from May 4^th – May 10^th, 2012.

See below in full, the film schedule for this week, May 4^th – May 10^th, 2012.

Genesis Deluxe Cinema- Lagos, The Palms

Location: The Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, Lagos.

Show Time: Fri & Sat: 3:55pm, 8:30pm.

Sun – Thur: 3:55pm, 8:30pm.

Genesis Deluxe Cinema- Port Harcourt

Location: Genesis Center, 52 Tombia Street, GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt.

Show Time: Friday and Saturday: 10:20am, 3:00pm.

Sunday-Thursday: 10:20am, 3:00pm.

Genesis Deluxe Cinema- Enugu

Location: Polo Pack Mall, Enugu, Nigeria.

Show Time: Monday-Thursday: 11:50am, 2.05pm, 8:o0pm

Friday- Sunday: 11:50am, 2.05pm, 8:o0pm

Silverbird Cinema- Accra, Ghana

Location: Accra.

Show Time: Monday-Sunday: 6:15pm

Silverbird Cinema- Galleria, Lagos.

Location:  133, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Show Time:  Monday-Sunday: 12:00pm, 6:20pm, and 8:30pm

Silverbird Cinema- SEC, Abuja

Location: Plot 1161, Memorial Drive by Musa Yar’adua Center, CBD, Abuja

Show Time: 11:20am, 1:40pm, 3:50pm, 6:20pm, 8:30pm

Ozone Cinemas- Lagos

Location: E-Centre 1-11 Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos.

Show Time: Everyday: 5:30pm.

News is that 2Face Idibia has secretly married his long time girlfriend, Annie Macaulay in Lagos.

When contacted on phone, 2Face’s publicist claimed ignorance of such news.

He told us that he got the information from the same blogger’s post online few hours ago. He told us, “it (the 2Face/Annie Marriage story) is not confirmed.”

2face on February 14 this year proposed to Annie at JayJay Okocha’s Club 10 in Lagos. 2Face reassured Annie of his love at his concert on Monday, April 30.

The Power Issue of StyleMania Magazine features Biola Alabi, the MD Mnet Africa; she speaks on the innovations at Mnet presently as well as Big Brother Africa-the Couple Game, which begin in a few days. This issue also features fashion editorials with Oluchi Orlandi, Ojy Okpe, Millen Magese and profiles of such notable figures as Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Evelyn Oputu, Deola Sagoe, Tara Fela-Durotoye and many more.

Ngozi

The most anticipated Hollywood movie in the month of May, Avengers will hit the screens this week in Nigeria on Thursday, a day earlier than the worldwide release date. Avengers features superhero characters; Iron Man, Thor, Incredible Hulk, Hawkeye, Captain America and Black Widow.

The movie which will hit the theaters in the U.S will be shown to the Nigerian cinema audience on Thursday 3rd May as an exclusive costume premiere will hold at Ozone Cinema, Yaba, Lagos. Fans will have the opportunity to purchase costumes of their favorite superhero characters on the night or days before at a give-away price.

This is a first-of-its-kind exclusive costume premiere in this part of the world and it has been brought about by Ozone Cinema in partnership with Fanta, Blue Pictures, Walt Disney and Crimson Media. The costumes for the movie are already selling at Ozone Cinema; they include all sorts of costumes ranging from face masks, shields, full regalia of Iron Man and Thor, Captain America and others.

The costume premiere will start 5pm on Thursday 3rd May, 2012 with the Avengers red carpet but before then there would be different activities an hour before where there would be an auction of some of the Avengers collections, brand placements amidst other activities.

For those who would like to win free movie tickets to the event, they are enjoined to buy any meal worth N1000 with 2 bottles of Fanta, at Sweet sensation Alagomeji, Allen Avenue, and Apapa road, Chicken Republic at Ikeja Mall and E-center and win instantly a free ticket.

Speaking on the Avengers costume premiere, the General Manager of Ozone Cinema, Mr. Patrick says ‘’the Avengers is a rare movie in that it brought together six superhero characters which most people know about, Nigerians will love this movie, the costumes are now selling and we implore our cinema audience to get theirs early before they sell out’’.

The distributor of the movie in West Africa, Joy Lilbeno of Blue Pictures shed more light on the movie and why her company played a part in bringing the costume premiere to Nigeria, ‘’we distributed the movie, Avatar and it sold 80million Naira, since then we realized the kind of huge market we have here. Funke Akindele’s Return of Jenifa also sold 35million Naira, a figure which is very huge for a Nigerian movie; those movies have thought us that the cinema culture in Nigeria has improved tremendously. Avengers will do well because most Nigerians grew up reading the Marvel Comics, my brothers and I used to have them when we were much younger’’.

The movie will be in all cinemas nationwide from Friday May 4th, 2012.

Singer-songwriter Zahara won big at the main event of the 18th annual South African Music Awards, scooping five statuettes.

Zahara also opened the awards ceremony, held at Sun City on Monday, with her award-winning single, Loliwe.

Her album Loliwe won in the Best Smooth Urban Music Album, Special Award: Best Selling Album and Album of the Year categories.

The Eastern Cape-born artist was also named Newcomer of the Year as well as Female Artist of the Year.

Finally, the Best Collaboration SAMA went to Zahara featuring Georgy for Incwad’Encane.

Here is the full list of winners at the 18th annual South African Music Awards:

Best Alternative Album
The Dirty Skirts for Lost In The Fall

Best Kiddies Album
Wendy Oldfield for Singalong Kidz Volume 2

Best Smooth Urban Music Album
Zahara for Loliwe

Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
The Plain Truth – We Are The Shining Ones

Best Classical and Instrumental Album
CH2 for Ping

Best Collaboration
Zahara featuring Georgy for Incwad’Encane

Best Jazz Album
Jimmy Dludlu for Tonota

Best Pop Album
Lloyd Cele for One

Best African Adult Album
Zonke for Ina Ethe

Best Rock Album
Shadowclub for Guns and Money

Best Traditional Music Album
Soul Brothers for Amaphutha

Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Solly Mahlangu for Mwamba Mwamba

Best Street Urban Music Album
AKA for Altar Ego

Best Sokkie Dans Album
Snotkop for Ek Laaik Van Jol

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Elvis Blue for Elvis Blue (2CD Special Edition)

Best Maskandi Album
Thokozani Langa for I-Protection Order

Best Kwaito Album
Big Nuz for Pound for Pound

Best Dance Album
Mi Casa for Mi Casa Music

Special Award:  Best Selling Album
Loliwe by Zahara

Special Award:  MTN Best Selling Mobile Music Download
Facebook by DJ Cleo

Newcomer of the Year
Zahara for Loliwe

Duo/Group of the Year
Mi Casa for Mi Casa Music

Male Artist of the Year
AKA for Altar Ego

Female Artist of the Year
Zahara for Loliwe

MTN Record of the Year
Mi Casa for These Streets

Album of the Year
Loliwe by Zahara

Source;- News24

Sandra Omo Idugboe

The highly acclaimed PBS America TV series, ‘Secretes of the Dead: Slave ship Mutiny’, has for the first time featured a Nigerian actress. Nigerian international model and actress, Sandra Omo Idugboe, featured in the highly rated historical TV series as the only female cast, playing the significant role of the slave whose child died on board as well as the interpreter between the slaves and slave masters. “This was a very challenging role as I had to learn Madagascar for it”, says Sandra for whom the film was her very first trial at acting. Known names involved in the film include American actor Liev Schreiber (Salt and X-Men Origins: Wolverine), directors Nic Young and Joe Kennedy, and an additional interview with South Africa’s leading human rights advocate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Sandra was the first black girl to win the prestigious face of Brighton modelling competition in the UK, as well as the first Nigerian in Diaspora to return home and win the MBGN model crown in 2008, and was honoured with a high achievement award by the Nigerian High commission in the UK. In 2010 she was named Nigeria’s most outstanding model by the Nigerian models achievers Award (Click here). Having done all the international fashion weeks and featured on Gossip TV UK, BBC’s documentary on Black Beauty 2008, Channel 4 UK, SABC 3 South Africa, and numerous commercials, the model turned actress says falling in love with acting was the best thing she gained from being a part of the film. “All I want to do since then is act. I am still a model, modelling is my first love but acting is just the passion that drives me crazy right now.” Sandra has also featured in two Nollywood movies to be released later this year.

This historical film is about the slave ship Meermin, whose fatal voyage tells a lost chapter in the history of the slave trade and one of Africa’s first freedom fighters: Massavana, whose story began 250 years ago when the Meermin set sail from Madagascar carrying slaves to South Africa. However, in a dramatic twist of fate, the ship never made it to its final destination. Instead, one man, who refused to become a slave, led his fellow prisoners in a mutiny and took over the ship. They then ordered the Dutch crew to sail them back home to freedom. But the experienced Dutch sailors deceived the slaves and steered the boat towards Cape Town anyway. When the slaves realized what had happened, a bloody battle with militia on shore left the surviving slaves captives again and the Meermin a sinking wreck.

Slave ship mutiny which was also nominated for an Oscar is an Off the Fence production for THIRTEEN in association with ARTE and WNET.ORG for PBS. Joe Kennedy is Writer/Producer. Katharina Pechel is Producer.

D'banj @ Nneka & Asa

In the now widely read interview where he spoke about the split, D’banj is quoted as saying thus: ‘Other labels were springing up. So if we could conquer America, London when no one had done it before. Most of our people stop in Germany, or Paris. But this is America, this is the big league; it makes us the strongest, the biggest. We had already made the money. And who best to introduce me to the rest of the world? Kanye did not want to change anything about my music, my style of dressing, or my brand. It is God’s favour. But Jazzy was and is very scared. Something had worked for eight years, so he wanted to maintain the status quo. People are afraid to try new things.’

The entertainer could only have been referring to Asa and Nneka when he made mention of Paris and Germany. Asa is signed to a France based label, Naive and Nneka is partly German – where she relocated to when she was 18 years of age to live with her mother who is German.

Indeed, it was a world class showcasing of African films on the big stage on Sunday, the 22nd of April, 2012 at the annual and most prestigious symbol of movie recognition in Africa, The African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).

It was a memorable night for every nominees and eventual winners, but most of it all, an unforgettable moment for the cast and crew of Phone Swap as the Director of the Movie, Kunle Afolayan stepped up to pick the “Achievement Award in the Best Production of Design (Pat Nebo)” category amidst stiff competitions at the star studded event.

The film, Phone Swap is unarguably a Classic Movie, with exceptional theatrical and artistic display, and it’s such a joy in our hearts to know that relentless efforts, put towards making the film a success didn’t go unnoticed, and the AMAA Awards came to crown it all up.

“As far as filming in Nigeria goes, a yet-to-be-equaled standard has been set and as the achievers of such feat (Golden Effects Pictures), it’s up to us to either maintain such standard or surpass it” says Kunle Afolayan.

Also, it will surely intrigue fans and movie lovers across the United Kingdom that Phone Swap’s World Premiere will hold in May 2012. This is the first time the movie would be shown and targeted at the Nigerian Community in UK to over 2000 viewing audience.

eLDee kicks off his Undeniable Tour in Accra on the 5th Of May at the dome Conference centre, Accra. He will be performing on stage alongside some of the best musical acts in West africa including Wizkid, Sarkodie, Dr Sid, R2Bees, Sheyman and many more. The tour is set to promote his upcoming 5th Studio album “Undeniable” that is set to hit the shelves later this month.

Check on the promo video below:

Executive Producer - John Abua

‘ADESUWA- A Wasted Lust’ a movie owned by John Chukwuma Abua, was premiered in March at the Renaissance Hotel by Alausa, Ikeja Lagos. The long awaited blockbuster is set for release in cinemas nationwide and here is what the Executive Producer has to say about the movie:

Q: Can we meet you?
I am John Chukwuma Abua, the MD/CEO of Johnsources Films, a production company founded on the 7th of july 2010. I am into music and film production. Born into the family of John Uche Abua of Ibusa, Delta state, Nigeria. I studied Law at the University of Benin. As a single child, I took after my dad’s Real Estate & General Contracts businesses. Also, I am the Executive producer & Co-producer of the highly anticipated movie, “ADESUWA – A Wasted Lust”, a movie directed by Lancelot Oduwa- Imasuen.

Q: What inspired you to produce ADESUWA?
My foray into the African film business is borne out of a driving desire to discover, develop and expose talents into the Nigeria mov industry in order to move it to the next level in terms of quality and increase in revenues. Also I want to contribute my quota to the Nollywood phenomenon and ADESUWA is that contribution. Hence, as the Executive producer of ADESUWA, I bought the movie script at the cost of three hundred thousand naira (=N=300,000) from Mr Ossa Earlice, who is a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt and i got intouch with Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen to direct and also produce my movie ADESUWA, and I paid him for his services.

Q: When will ADESUWA be releasing at the Cinemas?
On the 4th of may 2012 Adesuwa will be released at the Cinemas nationwide.

Q: Is ADESUWA the first movie you executive produced?
ADESUWA is my first movie I have Executive produced and Co-produced. Like I said earlier, I bought the script and called Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen to direct and produce it, of which I spent eighteen million naira (=N=18 million naira) to achieve ADESUWA – A Wasted Lust.

Q: What were the challenges?
Unfortunately, I have noticed from my experience that some directors in Nollywood seem to take all the credit without acknowledging the role of the Executive Producers, and that is too painful.

How do you feel about ADESUWA’s mulitple AMAA award nominations?
I am very happy with the awards nominations attached to my first african audio visual production, the nomination categories include (i) Best Most Outstanding Film 2011 (ii) Best Director (iii) Best Cinematography (iv) Best Editor, e.t.c. Altogether, it was nominated in Ten categories at the upcoming AMAA Awards. It has received also received the NIGER-DELTA ADVANCEMENT AWARD and it won at the TAVA AWARDS 2011 bagging four various Awards: Best Director, Best Editor, Best Cinematographer and Best Outstanding Movie 2011. Needless to say that I am most elated and excited and looking forward to bagging awards from the nominated categories.

Q: When should we be expecting your next project?

It’s in the works and I assure you it will change the face of Nollywood, but I will keep the press abreast of its development.