Film producer and group CEO of The Nile Media Entertainment Group, Moses Babatope, is backing the upcoming epic Osamede to make a cultural and commercial statement beyond Nigeria.
Speaking from Toronto, where he was attending the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as an advisory board member, the Nile Entertainment boss said his focus was on finding new ways to get Nigerian films globally monetised.
That ambition drove his decision to take on Osamede, a project produced by Lilian Olubi. Babatope explained that Olubi kept him updated from the film’s development stage and eventually brought it to Nile after his exit from FilmOne.
“She was kind enough to bring it to us because I was vested and very interested from the beginning,” he said.
The film will premiere in Nigerian cinemas on October 17 before expanding to Francophone Africa, the UK, the US and France. Babatope said the strategy was designed to reach Edo communities abroad.
“We’re really pushing, even in France, because of the tightly knit Edo community across Europe and the world. It’s about cultural pride,” he noted.
Directed by James Omokwe, Osamede features William Benson, Ivie Okujaye, Etinosa Idemudia, Paul Obazele and others who are of Edo heritage. The cast spent two weeks in Benin to prepare for their roles, with much of the dialogue delivered in the Edo language.
“We’re light in terms of superstar power but heavy on technical execution and cultural representation,” Babatope said.
For him, the film is not just about box office numbers but about stories that can travel. “I’m really excited about this and hopeful for a very good run,” he added.
