The Story⚡

The first Nigerian film to grace 100 cinemas in the UK Blackmail by Obi Emelonye is coming to prime video on 12th September.

Tell Me More

Blackmail was written and produced by Obi Emelonye which tells the story of a struggling actor’s career and family being put in jeopardy when cyber-criminals attempt to blackmail him over his internet history.

Starring in the movie are O. C Ukeje, Allessandro Babalola, Julia Holden, Natalia N, Ivan Papovec, Frances Walker, Jelena Borovskaja, Judy Akuta, Raquel Appiah, Hannah B, Samantha Bailey, Emma Fletcher, Anthony Crockett and many others.

The executive producers include Olatunbosun Amao, Linda Ikenga, and Chiamaka Obi-Emelonye.

Blackmail was produced and released in 2022 to over a hundred cinemas in the United Kingdom. The title has been confirmed to hit Amazon Prime streaming service on September 12th.

Tangent

Most diasporan Nollywood filmmakers usually come down to Nigeria to make films as well as distribute them through cinemas or streaming services. According to them, Nigeria has a huge market for almost every movie genre while there are strict restrictions on how to penetrate film industries in countries like the UK and the US.

Now, there’s a filmmaker Obi Emelonye, a Nigerian filmmaker who successfully made and distributed his award-winning thriller film Blackmail to about 100 cinemas in the UK. This truly is evidence of what is possible and an eye-opener for diasporan filmmakers.

Key Background

Obi Emelonye is a former footballer, law professional and Nigerian film director. He is known for directing award-winning films such as Last Flight to Abuja, The Mirror Boy, and Onye Ozi.

In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, which shut down businesses globally, Obi Emelonye became the first film director to make a movie via Zoom, by working remotely with cast members in London and Lagos. The movie, Heart 2 Heart, received critical acclaim from major media outlets worldwide.

In December 2022, Obi Emelonye was presented with the British Urban Film Festival honorary award by producer/director Don Omope for a 20+ year outstanding contribution to cinema at a ceremony in London.

In Summary

Tackling timely data protection and cyber security themes, this film shines a light on the dark underbelly of online interactions, where one misstep can have devastating consequences.

Though OC Ukeje is the only Nigerian cast in the picture, how audiences will engage with the picture will be interesting to observe.

Thanks for Reading.

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