Is Nollywood finally embracing the Christmas market?

Earlier this year in January, I’d asked Why Is Nollywood Missing Out on the Christmas Market? The Christmas market is huge worldwide and it’s an event that must hold every year.

Even in a place like Nigeria, there’s money to be made around the Yuletide. It isn’t that there are no Nollywood films released in December. In the past, some producers and filmmakers have always managed to capitalize on the December rush or what’s now detty December. Back in the day, Silent Night (a 1996 film directed by Chico Ejiro) used to be released in December.

Then The Wedding Party (2016, Kemi Adetiba) and Wedding Party 2 (2017, Niyi Akinmolayan) came along. I was actually waiting for that to become a December ritual. I suspect there are more single films released in December than the ones I’ve just mentioned. Although I must clarify that none of these films had Christmas stories as far as I can recall. So perhaps they can’t really be called Christmas films but their being released in December was a way to start to create a tradition.

On the international front, Hallmark, the American cable TV channel appears to have the Christmas movie market on lockdown. Beginning from the end of October to January 1, the channel begins its ‘Countdown to Christmas’ where only movies about Christmas are shown.

This tradition that dates back to 2009. Musicians also cash in on this holiday trend from Mary J. Blige to Ariana Grande to Lil Nas X to Justin Bieber. But it’s Mariah Carey who is the undeniable queen of Christmas. Her ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ leads every holiday season and reportedly made $60 million in 2017 in royalties.

Netflix has also now joined the Christmas movies tradition. From South Africa, we’ve had two from the series “How to Ruin Christmas-The Wedding” (2020) and “How to Ruin Christmas-The Funeral” (2021) directed by John Barbuzano. I’ve enjoyed this series which is a comedy even though some serious issues are treated.

Still on Netflix, on December 16, 2021, A Naija Christmas directed by Kunle Afolayan, premiered on Netflix. It stars Mercy Johnson Okojie, Carol King, Ade Laoye and appears to be actress Rachel Oniga’s last film before she passed on. Oniga as the Agu matriarch sets an ultimatum before her three sons, Ugo (Kunle Remi), Obi (Efa Iwara) and Chike (Abayomi Alvin): Get married by Christmas and you get to inherit the family home. A Naija Christmas is set as a comedy. Are we going to see ‘A Naija Christmas sequel’ next December? This’ll be the real test of whether Nollywood has truly landed on Christmas movies, or not.

I also see that there’s some new Christmas music on air: Tunde Ednut features M.I, Orezi and Falz on a song called ‘Jingle Bell.’ I am not sure whether we can recreate the iconic “Odun Lo Sopin,” by The Good Women Choir from CAC, Ibadan originally released in 1979 that used rule the airwaves back in the day during the ‘ember’ months.

There’s still the question: Why has Nollywood (make that Nigerian entertainment) found it difficult embracing the Christmas genre? I’m really curious about how an industry/culture notorious for jumping on anything that looks like a trend, especially from ‘the abroad’ has managed to ignore this one. Remember when the word ‘love’ had to be on every Nollywood film? I don’t Nigerians saw a bandwagon they never wanted to get on. Consider that some Nigerians now celebrate Halloween, in a country that’s already barometer for horror or make that a horror-meter. However, I feel we must brace ourselves because as soon as one person produces a successful (or perceived to be successful) film, expect a barrage of Christmas films. But before then, here’s some advice: You don’t have to copy the Hollywood/Hallmark Christmas story. We have our own Christmas stories.

There are many elements in the foreign Christmas that can never been recreated anyway. For instance, you can never have a white Christmas in Nigeria. But there are certain elements important to the Christmas movie: Many have come expect to it to be light and generally positive. Don’t expect it to win an Oscar. It also helps for the film to have a Christmassy feel. This includes showing the decoration and other festive things. In the Nigerian context, shooting the film in December could help. Or liaising with banks and churches, who go all out especially in Lagos, to use some of their environment. What’s a Christmas film without the shine shine?

Speaking of which, someone is sitting on films about the Igbo Christmas exodus, all the stories therein and potential blockbusters. Don’t look at me, I’m just the messenger.