Nollywood biopic Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti gets a strong start as it raked in ₦71 million at the box office.

 

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During its opening weekend, it gained ₦32 million shattering the record for the highest-grossing opening of a biopic in Nigerian cinema history. The film also follows a trend of successful Nollywood films in 2024, with local productions topping the box office charts for 11 out of the past 21 weeks. 

 

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Another huge opening for a Nollywood movie.

That makes it 11 weekends out of 21 weekends in 2024 that a Nollywood movie has topped the box office.

For context, last year had 14 weeks out of 52.

2022 was just 9 weeks out of 52. pic.twitter.com/c9n4YUvTXO

— Nigerian Box Office (@NGAboxoffice) May 20, 2024

Directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti chronicles the life of the legendary educator, activist, and women’s rights advocate Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, mother of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. The narrative follows her opposition to injustice, culminating in the founding of the Abeokuta Women’s Union. It features Joke Silva, Kehinde Bankole, Omowunmi Dada, Adunni Ade, Ibrahim Suleiman, Iyimide Ayo-Olumoko and Iremide Adeoye.

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was first screened at the 12th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in 2023, where it won the award for Best Overall Feature Film and Best Screenplay. The film even got nominated for Best Costume Design and Best Writing at the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA), the continent’s biggest celebration of film and television talent. It won the award for Best Writing.