The Black Book: A Game-Changer for Nollywood
The film “The Black Book,” directed by Editi Effiong, has more than lived up to its considerable hype. Dubbed “Nollywood’s best film yet” by CNN, this cinematic masterpiece made its debut on Netflix on the 22nd of September and has swiftly become one of Africa’s most successful films of all time. It currently holds the Number 1 spot in Nigeria, South Korea, Poland, Argentina, Jamaica, and astonishingly, it sits at Number 4 worldwide. Furthermore, it has secured a place in the Top 10 rankings in 38 other countries.
“The Black Book” has achieved the remarkable feat of being the highest-charting African title on the world’s largest streaming platform, Netflix, all within just one week. This achievement marks a groundbreaking milestone for Nollywood.
In the words of Editi Effiong himself, “The Black Book” stands as his most ambitious project to date, boasting a budget exceeding 1 million US dollars. The creation of “The Black Book” as Editi Effiong’s debut feature film was not originally part of his plan, but he was well-prepared for the task. He took on the director’s role because none of the three directors he initially approached were ready to commit to a project that would span at least a year. An illustration of this commitment is Richard Mofe-Damijo, who portrayed Paul Edima, the film’s central character, and dedicated 13 months to the project.
Although Editi Effiong had previously established his career in the tech industry, he always possessed a talent for storytelling dating back to his early childhood. He cultivated his storytelling skills by creating advertising campaigns for various brands through his advertising agency.
As Editi Effiong looks to the future of his career as a filmmaker, his vision extends beyond simply telling stories. He is determined to assist aspiring filmmakers in realizing their own projects. In his role as the founder of Anakle Films, he has established a fund designed to support emerging filmmakers by either acquiring intellectual property (IP) rights or providing financial backing for their endeavors. One of the promising young filmmakers they are collaborating with is Akay Mason, renowned for directing the time travel film “Day of Destiny,” the critically acclaimed “Elevator Baby,” and the recently released “Superstar.”
