8th August, 2012
The cross-continental co-production of the film adaptation of Chimamanda Adiche’s classic Half Of A Yellow Sun will gulp a whopping $8 million (N1.2b) out of which $6.4million of the budget came from Nigerian investors, Showbiz Trends learnt.
The international production, a Nigeria/United Kingdom joint-production with actors from three continents in starring roles, was completely shot in Tinapa Studios in Calabar, Cross River State, with mostly Nigerian crew, who got the experience of working on the full-scale, high-budget feature film production.
The movie cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Genevieve Nnaji, Anika Noni Rose, Zack Orji, Joseph Mawle and John Boyega.
The film is based on Adichie’s novel about Biafra’s struggle to establish an independent republic in Nigeria. Andrea Calderwood and Gail Egan are the producers of the feature debut of the Nigerian theatre director, playwright and novelist, Biyi Bandele, while the executive producers are Yewande Sadiku and Muhtar Bakare.
The crew includes award-winning cinematographer, John de Borman, production designer, Andrew McAlpine (BAFTA winner for The Piano), award-winning songwriter, Cobhams Asuquo and singer/songwriter Keziah Jones, who will compose original music for the film.
Industry analysts believe the financial success recorded by Half of A Yellow Sun will have some impact on future productions. It is said it might make the country more attractive to international productions and encourage other potential non-Nigerian filmmakers and investors on the prospects of shooting films in Nigeria.