Netflix’s first Nigerian Original series, Blood Sisters, launched on Wednesday with a red carpet of stars from Nigeria’s movie industry, known as Nollywood.
KAMPALA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Netflix first Nigerian Original series, ‘Blood Sisters’, was launched with a night of glitz and glam on Wednesday as Nigeria’s movie industry stars, known as Nollywood, walked the red carpet.
- On Wednesday night, Nollywood stars strutted the red carpet at the Netflix premiere of its first original series in Nigeria, ‘Blood Sisters’.
- Among the Nollywood stars who appear in ‘Blood Sisters’ are Kate Henshaw, Uche Jombo, Ramsey Nouah, Segun Arinze, and Joke Silva.
- Newcomers Nancy Isime and Ini Dima-Okojie appear in the crime thriller Blood Sisters, which is about “two friends, a dark secret, and an unforgiving family,” according to Netflix.
- Mo Abudu, the founder of EbonyLife Studios, said the series was filmed during the pandemic in Lagos, a process Abudu describes as “unique and intense.”
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Nollywood stars turned out in style to launch the new series by EbonyLife Studios, a leading Nigerian production company.
The premier theme was ‘Red and Fugitive’.
A number of veteran Nollywood actors/actresses have lent their talents to the movie ‘Blood Sisters’ such as Kate Henshaw, Uche Jombo, Ramsey Nouah, Segun Arinze and Joke Silva.
‘Blood Sisters’ also stars newcomers Nancy Isime and Ini Dima-Okojie as friends in the crime thriller. According to Netflix, the thriller revolves around “two friends, a dark secret, and an unforgiving family.”
The Minister of Information and Culture of Nigeria, Lai Mohammed, was also present at the premiere and lauded the event as evidence of the growth of Nigeria’s creative sector.
“It’s not easy to put your movie, talk less of a series on Netflix. this is one of the clear indications that our creative industry is going places,” Lai said at the premiere.
In a statement, EbonyLife Studios founder Mo Abudu said the series was filmed during the pandemic in Lagos, which Abudu describes as a “unique and intense experience.”
Besides ‘Blood Sisters,’ Abudu’s other Netflix productions include “Oloture,” which was a global hit, and an adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s “Death and the King’s Horseman.”
The Nigerian film industry has grown into a multi-million-dollar industry and has gained international recognition. Other streaming platforms are interested in Nigeria’s movie market as well.
Recently, Amazon Prime Video agreed to collaborate with Nigerian filmmakers Inkblot Productions and Anthill Studios so that Nigerian movies would be streamed on their platform.
CNN reported that Amazon has contracted original series with Nigerian and other African partners, revealing Amazon’s decision to sell them in its marketplace.
“Amazon has commissioned projects and original series from Nigeria and other African partners”, the company confirmed to CNN.
As Africa’s most prolific filmmaking hub, Nigeria is considered a major hub of film production. According to Nigeria’s Federal Bureau of Statistics, they are producing thousands of movies a year.
