FilmOne Distribution & Production will be collaborating with Empire Management to produce their first original story, entitled – ‘Greenland’. The flick will be FilmOne’s first attempt at taking an original story idea through the script writing process and into production.
“We decided to get involved in this project because of our passion to inspire the younger generation to believe in themselves and to believe that dreams come true for those who are determined to overcome the challenges along the way. We expect ‘Greenland’ to inspire, educate and entertain – that’s our goal in filmmaking,” Chief Executive Officer of Filmhouse Group Kene Okwuosa and Managing Director FilmOne Distribution & Production, Moses Babatope shared in a joint statement, expressing their excitement about the impact they hope the flick will have on the youth.
Inspired by true-life events, ‘Greenland’ is a coming-of-age story. The narrative follows the travails of Tunji – a 21-year-old from the slums of Ogun state, Nigeria – who attempts to change his destiny. Tunji has always dreamt of breaking free from his everyday reality – family woes, poverty and the death of his only sister – but his only escape is his passion for football. A series of impulsive decisions takes him on an unforgettable journey that ultimately shapes him and those around him.
According to Toyosi Oyetunji, a Director at Empire Management; “Sports is sometimes used as a guise to perpetrate human trafficking, instead of encouraging young people to hone their talents and make a living from them. At Empire Management, we could not think of a better partner for this project than FilmOne. They have proven that stories from Nigeria can inspire everyone and they understand the importance of world-class production values.”
An authority in movie production in Nigeria with a backlog of successful projects; ‘The Wedding Party 1 & 2’, ‘My Wife & I’, ‘New Money’ and ‘Moms At War’, this will be FilmOne’s third feature this year and its first in collaboration with Empire Management. This will be Empire’s first foray into cinema, after success in television, music videos and commercials. Award-winning Movie Director, Kenneth Gyang (Confusion Na Wa, The Lost Café and the upcoming Òlòtūré), will reportedly be working on the project which is to commence and production in July 2019.
