Katung, Sophy Aiida, others storm Nigeria for UNWANTED GUEST

U.S-based actress, Sophy Aiida

Big Brother Nigeria 2009 winner, Katung

U.S-based actress - Leigh-Ann Rose

U.S-based actor, Chet Anekwe

Nollywood Director, Daniel Ademinokan

U.S-based film maker, Chuck Ajoku

Katung, Sophy Aiida, others storm Nigeria for UNWANTED GUEST
• Premiere holds Sept 30

By Samod Biobaku
Sixthsense34@yahoo.com


Barely two weeks to the premiere of Nollywood America’s Nigerian movie shot in New York in the United States of America, ‘Unwanted Guest,’ former Big Brother Nigeria (2009) winner, Katung Uduak and a host of U.S-based actors and celebrities are expected add colour to the highly anticipated premiere of the movie.
Also expected to return to the Nigeria for the premiere is the Producer, Unwanted Guest, Chuck Ajoku who maintained that the movie was born out of a need to tell a Nigerian story in another part of the country.
Interestingly, besides his immense contribution towards ensuring that the movie emerged a success, Katung also doubles as the Director of Photography (DOP) of the Unwanted Guest movie.
Besides Katung, Ajoku also told National LIFE that the entire cast of the movie including U.S-based Sophy Aiida, Leigh-Ann Rose, Chet Anekwe and others would arrive in the country a couple of days to the premiere.
Speaking at the media screening of the movie in Nigeria, popular Nollywood Director, Daniel Ademinokan maintained that Katung’s role behind the scene played an integral role in the successful wrap-up of the movie, which has been receiving rave reviews.
To state that popular Nollywood director, Daniel Ademinokan has carved a niche for himself in the ever-competitive world of film-making in Nigeria would resort to stating the obvious. Rather, the director has always remained on top of his game with nothing short of sterling results from any movie project or picture he gets involved in.
However, the award-winning director recently came under the media spotlight again following his role in Nollywood America’s maiden project; ‘Unwanted Guest;’ a Nigerian movie shot in the United States of America.
The dark-skinned director reiterated the fact that the Nigerian movie industry popularly known as Nollywood had clearly expanded beyond the shores of the country as made visible in the influx of movies shot outside the country with the involvement of Nigerians either in the capacity of producers, directors, DOPs, actors and so much more. I trained in America as a film maker so it is not a new terrain. I wanted something big but not mega budget. Shooting a movie in New York; in Central Manhattan was a big one for me. I was particular about telling a good Nigerian story in America. Katung of ‘Big Brother Nigeria’ was Associate Producer and also Director of the movie. It was good for me collaborating with him and it was phenomenal. He made my life easier. Katung is a ‘New Yorker.’ He’s a Brooklyn boy and he knows everywhere. It was good for me having someone like him on my crew. The producer, Chuck Ajoku was also very open and he let me have my way. Back here, producers want to control every singe factor. Chuck let us coordinate the audition and paid for a major studio in Manhattan for that.”
The award-winning film maker also disclosed how he and the rest of the team were besieged by talented actors and actresses in the United States during auditions. “In New York, per square meter, there are 200 actors who are good. People came from Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. People came from as far as Atlanta to audition for this job and it was just phenomenal how it turned out. The only people I specifically called to come were Chet; the lead character (who was also in Phat Girls with Monique) and I had seen him in a couple of movies in America. I also called Vivian; the Ghanaian actress. Every other person in that movie; from the white people to the extras was picked from he audition.”
The fact that Ademinokan directed the movie hardly came as a surprise. Rather, it only added another golden feather to his already feathered cap but when he was spotted playing a role in the movie (which was screened to the media at Ozone Cinemas in Lagos with the MD/CEO, Blue Pictures, Joy Ilibeno also on hand), members of the fourth estate of the realm were naturally curious and asked the most obvious of question. Is Ademinokan tactically or gradually switching from directing to acting?
In his reaction, the director cum actor however, made it clear that despite his role in the movie, which is expected to premiere on September 30, 2011 in Nigeria, he is not crossing over.
“No I’m not switching from directing to acting. For those who know me, I started as a writer and then became an actor. In the movie I acted with my wife, we worked in front of the cameras and lights together. Now, acting doesn’t come to me. I don’t like the attention. As I am, I can easily buy ‘Boli’ (roasted plantain) from across the road and nobody would notice because nobody knows me. I can hop a commercial motorcycle to a location and I wouldn’t have any problem but Ramsey Nouah can’t do that. Acting in ‘Unwanted Guest’ was a small thing. We actually had somebody for that role but he didn’t show up.”
According to Ademinokan, the movie will be premiered on September 30 at cinemas across the country. “We’re also going to be in DC (District of Columbia, New York, Dallas and other states.”
The actor has also stated that the bridge between Nollywood and Hollywood has already taken root and will eventually sprout into something much bigger in the not-so-distant future. “People are tired of watching the same old thing they’ve gotten used to for years. We’re advancing in terms of technology and the kind of stories we tell. We’re trying to go up there. Kunle Afolayan did it with Figurine and look at where that movie took him. Chinasa did it with ‘Ije’ and look at where it took her to. Mirror Boy also exploded.