Nollywood Stories

Nollywood (Nigeria’s version of Hollywood) is said to be the third largest film industry in the world, releasing onto the home video market approximately 1,000 movies each year.With so many films being churned out, some of them are produced, marketed and shown within a space of a week.

These movies contain very basic scripts, actors are cast on the day of shooting and directors use “real life” locations. Despite the low cost production values and improvised methods of filming, these films continue to fascinate audiences.

In Africa, Nollywood movies are a rare instance of self-representation in the mass media.

Photographer Pieter Hugo became fascinated with their style of constructing fictional worlds where everyday and unreal elements continually work in syncopation together. He asked a team of actors and assistants to recreate Nollywood myths and symbols as if they were on movie sets. These images he captures are haunting, mysterious, dark and beautiful. [via]