Wednesday, August 22, 2007

This is Kannywood



In light of the recent brouhaha, this series of photos is in honour of Kannywood and the many hardworking and talented actors, directors, script writers, cameramen, makeup artists, costumiers, welfare folks, producers, editors, songwriters, singers, dancers, etc. who have, with very little high tech equipment or funding aside from the mostly Kano market to which they sell, created a thriving film industry.
It was July 2006. We were on the set of Abbas Sadiq's film Albashi 3 in a garden/park in Kano commonly used as a film set. There were three other movies being shot there that day. At one point there was a loud uproar and every one left their scenes and rushed over to a corner of the garden where there was much shouting and trading of insults. What had happened, I was told later, was that some "politicians" had come into the garden trying to "pick up" some of the actresses, who would have nothing to do with them. The "politicians" then started shouting at the male actors and saying that they were all homosexuals--look at how they were shaped like women. One of the older actors, who had been praying in a small mosque in the garden, came out and gave the men a piece of his mind, and then the rest of the actors came rushing over in a mass of solidarity--insulting the "politicians" with great zest. Everyone came back to do the next scene gleefully laughing at particularly sweet insults that had been traded and ranting about hypocrisy and sleazy big men.





















































11 comments:

Christian Writer said...

I'm piqued.I've only seen ONE Nollywood film and it was traumatic, all that shouting. And you know how I feel about 'noise.' Your support for Kannywood's got me thinking that perhaps I am missing something. The questions is: do they shout?

Talatu-Carmen said...

Hmmm... well yeees... there is some shouting, and, recently, which I'm not at all fond of, a lot of slapping and kicking. But the stories are well told and well acted--and what I love the most are the singing and dancing numbers (usually about three, a lot like Bollywood but with a "Hausa" flair).

Bahaushe Mai Ban Haushi! said...

Really sad what happened to Kannywood. But I know it'll bounce back - with even more force. It's a matter of time.

uknaija said...

Nice photographs

Talatu-Carmen said...

@ Malam Ibrahim, yes, it is such a shame. Please do keep us posted on the latest developments. I was planning to come back to Kano in February and I'm wondering what sort of complications there will be if the industry is not back on their feet by them. I'll try to email you soon for more advice on this.

Uknaija, thanks... Maybe I'll try to post the rest some time. I had broken my digital camera early in the summer last year, and didn't want to go about with my big huge film camera everywhere I went (especially not until I'd gotten to know people a bit), so I was just able to get a few days worth of real photos before I left. Hopefully, I'll be able to do more when I'm back next year.

myabubakar said...

Thanks for those pictures of Kannywood in action. And why do I prefer Kanowood? Makes better sense to link everything to Kano?
Coming in february to kannywood to ....produce, act or direct? Would be interesting to have people like you joining the industry

myabubakar said...

How come my comment is not published here? tell me the secret talatu

Talatu-Carmen said...

myabubakar,

hi, I'm actually in a PhD programme, so I'll be coming in February to carry out research on Hausa popular literature and film, although, that may involve some "participant observation" in the industry itself... {-; We shall see what happens with the current wahalla.

As for the comment moderation... sorry about that. I just like to be able to make sure I'm not getting spammers before I post an item, but I post almost all comments, barring those with personal contact information from people, spam, or obscenities. And they get posted whenever I check my email.

Talatu-Carmen said...

P.S. I like your use of Kanowood; sounds a little more recognizeable than Kannywood.

babangida said...

Dear Talatu,

It's part of human insatiable desire to fall in love with so many things in life. i urge you to trudge on. you are indeed on the right track.
On the Hayana scandal- No matter the way we want to look at it, in as much as they committed a sinful act, the society has been unfair to them!We should be seen to be a forgiving society. Allah love those who forgive.

babangida said...

Dear Talatu,

It's part of human insatiable desire to fall in love with so many things in life. i urge you to trudge on. you are indeed on the right track.
On the Hayana scandal, no matter the way we want to look at it, in as much as they committed a sinful act, the society has been unfair to them!We should be seen to be a forgiving society. Allah love those who forgive.