‘Lionheart,’ Genevieve Nnaji‘s directorial debut has made it to global stage, the 2020 Oscars, 13 months after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The group announced the selection following a statutory vetting and subsequent voting of entries received from Nigerian filmmakers at home and in the Diaspora.
Produced by Chinny Onwugbenu, Chichi Nwoko, Genevieve Nnaji, and directed by Genevieve Nnaji, ‘Lionheart’ premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was acquired on September 7, 2018, as first Netflix original film produced in Nigeria.
The film stars Pete Edochie, Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, Onyeka Onwenu, Kanayo .O. Kanayo, Chika Okpala, Kalu Ikeagwu, Sanni Mu’azu, Yakubu Mohammed, Ngozi Ezeonu, Peter Okoye (P-Square), and Chibuzor Azubuike (Phyno).
Released worldwide on January 4, 2019 after a December 2018 theatrical release in Nigeria, ‘Lionheart‘, which is Nnaji’s directorial debut, tells the story of a young woman, Adaeze Obiagu (Genevieve Nnaji), who becomes saddled with the responsibility of running her sick father’s business under the suffocating supervision of an uncle, played by Nkem Owoh. Adaeze’s competing business instincts and family obligations become a catalyst for drastic change not everyone is ready to embrace.
The 12-man team boasts of notable Nigeria’s film industry stakeholders of international standing.
The team is Chaired by Chineze Anyaene, Producer and Director of ‘Ije,’ and foremost filmmaker and Chairman of the Audio-Visual Rights Society (AVRS) of Nigeria, Mahmood Ali-Balogun as Vice Chairman.
