The producers of a new Nollywood movie in the making entitled, Caged in the Creeks, Leke Akinrowo and Elvina Ibru, have expressed their desire to use the movie to correct certain negative notions often held about Nigeria outside the country.
The movie will be directed by multiple award-winning Irish actor and director, Terry McMahon.
Well known for his role in the production of chart-busting movies, such as Batman Begin and Charlie Casanova, among others, McMahon is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear on the production of the much-anticipated African action thriller.
The movie director, in a meeting with journalists recently held in Lagos, said he was excited to be given a part to play in the movie, which is expected to help Nollywood to rewrite Nigeria‘s story.
“It is about perception. But I think it is a history that I want to be part of the Nollywood history. And my coming into Nigeria is to bring the Western character into Nollywood. I have got to bring in quality into Caged in the Creeks, to meet the industry’s expectations. We are about to create a revolution in Africa’s movie industry with this project in ways never achieved before in this part of the world”, he said
For Akinrowo, who has spent a significant period living and working in the Niger Delta, the movie will not only capture his personal experience, it will also afford him the opportunity to correct some misconceptions about the region.
“There have been misconceptions about Niger Delta. When I got to Port Harcourt, I met people like me who were living there peacefully, despite the horror stories that we were fed in Lagos.
“I have also had this desire to do something really ambitious in Nollywood. Maybe not in terms of money, but something that has real depth, which is one of the major problems our stories tend to have,” he says.
Also, co-producer Ibru said it was high time somebody changed the Nigerian narrative for good.
Lamenting that the rest of the world had always portrayed the country in the negative light, she said, “We did this to ourselves and we want to undo it with this movie. We are going to portray ourselves as true heroes and that is what is different about this movie. Several characters will confront their worst fears and right the wrongs created by their actions. Their dilemma will serve as a lesson on how Nigerians can break away from the errors of the past,” she said.
Meanwhile, the production crew of the movie has started a recce of key locations within and outside the country, while the producers have continued to discuss with some notable Nigerian actors and actresses about the movie project.
Written by Akinrowo, Caged in the Creeks tells the story of international terrorists and local militants whose collective actions threaten the well-being and the future of the country. It also shows how the main character, who happens to be a former United States marine, forms an alliance with a former Nigerian Army captain and ECOMOG veteran to save their love ones entangled in the web of intrigues and save the country from a catastrophe being plotted by the terrorists.