Filmmaker believes she will win an Oscar very soon

chibumga izuzu

August 4, 2017 10:00 AM

"The Wedding Party" director Kemi Adetiba says she has given herself two to three years to win an Oscar.

Kemi Adetiba

Kemi Adetiba, who helmed

On the latest episode of CNN’s African Voices, the Nigerian filmmaker talked about the success of the romantic comedy, her web series, "King Women," and winning an Oscar very soon.

Adetiba who started off with presenting on radio and TV explained why she decided to go behind the camera as a director.

“I was questioning my longevity in front of the camera. I'd also find it intriguing when I would go off for shoots with the cameramen.

"I said: ‘Instead of just wasting a couple of years, how about I learn a new craft while I’m doing that? What is the thing that I want to learn now? What is the thing that will take my career to the next level? - being a director."

An alumna of the New York Film Academy, Adetiba credits her rapid success and interest in the creative industries to her childhood and her father, Dele Adetiba, a veteran of Nigeria’s advertising and broadcast industries.

Talking about her first feature film "The Wedding Party," which is currently the highest grossing Nollywood movie, she said, “I knew it was going to break the record, I knew it was going to do very well, I felt it, I sensed it.

"The greatest thing you can do for yourself is every time you have the opportunity to handle someone's project, knock it out the park, and that is what I live by every day.”

On her latest project "King Women," Adetiba said she launched it because she wanted women to see these role models of the earth.

"I wanted them to see them in their glory, but also understand that they have also gone through life, and life for them was not easy.

"People need to hear these stories, and I'm so grateful to everyone who gave me their time to make this series.”

On her future projects, an Adetiba who is interested in international success said, “I honestly do believe that winning an Oscar is going to come very soon, I've given myself two to five years.”

A sequel to "The Wedding Party" has been shot in Dubai and Lagos, with Niyi Akinmolayan taking over from Adetiba as the director.

chibumga izuzu