Genevieve Nnaji Appointed Ambassador For Toronto International Film Festival 2020

Nollywood actress, Genevieve NNaji has been appointed an ambassador of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2020.

The movie star recently joined the list of 50 celebrated filmmakers and actors invited as the ambassadors of the TIFF.

The Toronto International Film Festival will start from September 10 to September 19, 2020, and is opting for digital screenings and virtual red carpets in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Senior Director of Industry & Theatrical, Geoff Macnaughton had this to say, “In a time of disruption, professionals from around the world still look for occasions to come together, share innovative ideas, buy and sell content, and find creative ways to collectively forge ahead towards a safer, healthier, and inclusive future. This year, delegates can expect to find community, connection, inspiration, and talent — the foundation that will serve as the way forward.”

What do you think?

Nollywood is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term dates back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in The New York Times. Due to the history of evolving meanings and contexts, there is no clear or agreed-upon definition for the term, which has made it a subject to several controversies.

The origin of the term “Nollywood” remains unclear; Jonathan Haynes traced the earliest usage of the word to a 2002 article by Matt Steinglass in the New York Times, where it was used to describe Nigerian cinema.

Charles Igwe noted that Norimitsu Onishi also used the name in a September 2002 article he wrote for the New York Times. The term continues to be used in the media to refer to the Nigerian film industry, with its definition later assumed to be a portmanteau of the words “Nigeria” and “Hollywood”, the American major film hub.

Film-making in Nigeria is divided largely along regional, and marginally ethnic and religious lines. Thus, there are distinct film industries – each seeking to portray the concern of the particular section and ethnicity it represents. However, there is the English-language film industry which is a melting pot for filmmaking and filmmakers from most of the regional industries.