Who dares a Lionheart?

Genevieve Nnaji, whose home country may have been secondary to her career status, has been dishonoured, for trying to be nice to fans.

Having achieved so much in a short while for her directorial debut, Lionheart, Nigerians should have a taste of their own local stew, hence the return of the movie, after long departing Enugu film location to international acclaim.

Coming home must have been a well-thought out plan. But alas, she was hit hard by cinema owners that she sought public sympathy through a campaign of serious indictment against the gods of cinema exhibition space in Nigeria.

Who are these local players that tend to demystify a CNN-profiled Nigerian filmmaker, owner of first Netflix ‘original’ movie from Nollywood and two-time TIFF profiled African female influencer? Who else but the almighty FilmOne/Filmhouse with perhaps similar place of pride or self-sufficient branding attitude as the diva…

Genevieve does not deserve our sympathy; she only needs to play by the rules, and where this is not in her favour, swallow the bitter pills with the same pride and not amplify the distributors’ shortcoming to score some cheap points.

FilmOne/Filmhouse is not new to this controversy and cannot claim to be totally objective in its business dealings. The case between both parties is that of a ‘Gambari’ killing the ‘Fulani’, as it is of a Yoruba cliché. But I see FilmOne winning this, no matter the emotions.

Lionheart is a good film. I have seen it, and I can so conclude. And because a good film will sell in any season, Genevieve should have graciously taken the queue instead of spoiling for war. You don’t win all the time using star power, worse for a celebrity who is either high or low on complex.

Whereas there is no law that says a film cannot get screening slot a week to release date, the rule is at the prerogative of the distributors who probably didn’t find Genevieve romantic enough, and so is her film. ‘Romantic’ here means her ability to negotiate convincingly without the mien of thinking she has brought an irresistible product.

Who is a lionheart where chief daddy, who not only tames lions but keeps them as pets, is on the sprawl? Perhaps you need the power of the king of the jungle, which is superior to king of boys, to want to displace some homeboys. Who you be?

Like I wrote in September, after seeing Lionheart at TIFF, it is a good movie, because from the same old bottle, Genevieve serves a slightly different wine, and unashamedly says – it can only get better. Now, that’s how to earn some trust for a brand (Nollywood) that is undermined in some quarters.

It is a different feeling that the film got a landmark deal with Netflix; a retroactive contract of original acquisition. It also matters less that Genevieve’s evasiveness, her famous disproportionate privacy, and branded solitude is a social minus in the estimation of those who deserve her attention. Lionheart exudes an emotional appeal that may stand in the way of those obvious, but arguable shortcomings.

However, in the context of this cinema release brouhaha, if the rule was not bent for her sake, she deserved what she got and should remain on her high horse. After all, how many people had Genevieve bent her rules for, even the filmmakers who gave her opportunities in her career? How many?

At the risk of sounding sentimental, how many industry events has Genevieve attended this year? Don’t even count AMVCA as one of them.

How then does she expect her colleagues to stand with her in this obvious blow that has caused an evasive, reclusive, and less sociable thespian to suddenly cry out in an epistle of lamentation that not only reeks of sentiment but indicting and boastful.

At the end of the day, the Silverbird Cinema she alleged backed out of the plan is showing her movie (so I heard). Could raising false alarm be part of the late publicity strategy for a film with limited exhibition?

I see someone whose ego is running riot after being so put in her place. Did she secure all the international endorsements by not playing by the rules?

People queue up to have their films released in the cinema. Genevieve’s late arrival with a lionheart appears to be an afterthought. And what she got was what happens when you go to war late or half prepared, after the enemy must have laid siege. Even if you have the hearts of two lions put together, aren’t you bound to fail?

Genevieve must be advised that being pained by a verdict that refused to displace others is not fair. And having a taste of one’s medicine is good for social reevaluation.