The city of Lagos will take center stage at theToronto International Film Festival [TIFF] Thursday. The commercial capital of Nigeria has been chosen as part of the 'City to City' programmer. Each year a city is selected and filmmakers living and working there are showcased. Previous featured cities include London, Mumbai and Seoul, this year eight Nigerian films will be screened. Lagos is entirely unique, said Cameron Bailey the programmer curator in a statement. The city of Fela Kuti's music has also given birth to one of the world's most vibrant film industries.
The 1,000 low-budget features 'Nollywood' produces each year generate about $1 billion in box office. Now, from that commercial hotbed, a new generation of filmmakers is emerging to both advance and challenge.