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Nine female directors to watch this year

By Shaibu Husseini
18 January 2020   |   4:22 am
A few years back, it will be difficult to count more than three female movie directors in Nollywood. But today they rule the space and have signed some of the critically acclaimed movies in Nollywood.

A few years back, it will be difficult to count more than three female movie directors in Nollywood. But today they rule the space and have signed some of the critically acclaimed movies in Nollywood. Here is a shortlist of some top female to watch in 2020.


Emem Isong- Misodi
Prolific filmmaker Emem Isong-Misodi has started the year well, already. The writer, producer, director and proprietor of the Royal Arts Academy just authorized the release of a romantic comedy titled ‘Special Jellof’. The movie, which was shot on location in the United States and in Nigeria, features a mix of foreign and top Nollywood actors such as Chinwetalu Agu, Uche Jombo and Joseph Benjamin. Emem, producer, writer and director of a couple of critically acclaimed hit flicks including Ayanma, Champagne and Code of Silence disclosed from her base in the United States that the movie will be making its cinema rounds this February.

Kemi Adetiba
Celebrated music video and movie director Kemi Adetiba was busy through out 2019. She was not just busy with promoting the best selling thriller ‘King of Boys’, (KOB), which she helmed and produced, Kemi, best known for directing the first part of the award winning romantic comedy ‘Wedding Party 1’ got back to work on another project titled ‘Brotherhood’ which is a follow up project to her web series ‘King Women’. ‘Wedding Party 1’, which Kemi helmed is listed as Nigeria’s highest selling box office movie of the last decade. Kemi’s KOB also had an impressive cinema run and closed the year with a listing on Netflix and the award of Best Nigerian Film by the organizers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).

Tope Oshin
There is hardly any year that prolific producer and director Tope Oshin does not handle one or two big projects either as a director or producer. This year will not be any different for the alumnus of the Colorado Film School and director of several series ‘New Horizons’, ‘Journey To Self’, ‘Up North’, ‘New Money’, ‘Hotel Majestic’, ‘Tinsel’, and several seasons of the popular ‘MTV Shuga’.

Mildred Okwo
Notable movie director and talent manager Mildred Okwo was busy the whole of 2019 helming her latest project titled ‘La femme Anjola’. The director of award winning movies such as ’30 Days’, ‘The Meeting’ and ’30 Days’ spent the yuletide on post- production work on the movie that is promoted as a tale of love, sex, greed and the Nigerian dream. The movie is ready and should be in cinemas soon. Fans who have followed the shinning career of the University of Benin theatre arts graduate and a US trained Attorney say they cant wait to see the classic ingredients like love triangle, sexy scenes, and forbidden romance she has crafted into ‘La Femme Anjola’, which stars Rita Dominic, Femi Jacobs, Battle ground actor Nonso Bassey and other top rated actors.

Jade Osiberu
Award winning director Jade Osiberu has a new work ‘Sugar Rush’ which hit the cinema in December 2019. However, the movie which was gaining significant box office numbers had its cinema showing suspended, last week, on the orders of the Adedayo Thomas led National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). The Board maintained that the temporal exhibition approval granted the movie expired hence the suspension. But the Board, which accepted responsibility for the delay in issuing the final approval, promised to work speedily with the producer and distributors of ‘Sugar Rush’ to grant the final approval. The romantic comedy stars some notable Nollywood actors including Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Omoni Oboli, and Bisi Aiyeola. An alumnus of the University of Manchester, London where she studied Computer and Systems Engineering and the Pan Atlantic University where she obtained a Masters degree in Media and Communications, Osiberu is best known for her 2017 directorial debut ‘Isoken’, which has won several awards including the award for the best Nigerian film at the 2018 edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA)

Patience Oghre-Imobhio
Notable film and television director Patience Oghre-Imobhio had a good year in 2019 and 2020 will not be any different. It was in 2019 that the graduate of theatre arts of the University of Jos helmed the hilarious movie by Wale Adenuga productions ‘Knockout’. The comedy showed in major cinemas across the country. Also known for helming critically acclaimed television soaps and series including ‘Dominos’, ‘Everyday People’ and ‘Dear Mother’, Patience had earlier helmed two movies ‘ Three Wise Men’ and ‘Busted’.

Omoni Oboli
A gifted writer, actress, producer and director, Omoni Oboli had a busy year in 2019 working as a writer, producer and director on two movies- Love is War and Wives On Strike: The Revolution. Both movies were released in 2019 and they were well received by fans who are always on the look out for movies by Omoni Oboli considering the box office returns of movies the award winning actress has signed as producer and director. Her other directing credit include ‘Okafor Law’, ‘Moms At War’ and ‘Being Mrs. Elliot’.

Blessing Effiom Egbe
Prolific writer, producer and director Blessing Effiom Egbe is one filmmaker who is always on call. The actress and former model Actress who is famous for directing and producing the popular ‘Lekki Wives’ was busy in 2019 writing, producing and directing ‘Ten Virgins’. The writer and producer of the hit movie ‘Two Brides And A Baby’ has earlier helmed critically acclaimed productions including ‘Iqou’s Journal’, ‘One Room’ and ‘The Women’.

Judith Audu
Actress, producer and later day director, Judith Audu had a busy 2019 writing, producing and directing and she is already on set working on a new project, a follow up to her last project titled ‘’Diary Of The Damned’’. The CEO of Judith Audu Productions who had her directorial debut on a short film titled ‘Mirabel’ had earlier worked on ‘The Family’, a movie, which she produced and directed. An alumnus of the London Film Academy, London, Judith’s debut feature film ‘Just Not Married’ was one of the eight Nollywood movies officially selected for the City to City project of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

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