Kannywood Aims for Global Recognition Amid Censorship Challenges. Kano, Nigeria — Kannywood, Nigeria’s northern film industry, is striving to break out of its domestic confines and chase international fame, a goal that comes with its own set of challenges, including censorship and limited resources.
The Kannywood cinema industry, named after Nigeria’s northern Kano state, produces approximately 200 films monthly, according to local reports.
Young filmmakers are eager to expand their audience beyond Nigeria’s borders, with actor Adam Garba noting the industry’s aspirations to emulate its more prominent southern counterpart, Nollywood. “Kannywood is aspiring to be Nollywood right now, first before it branches out, “Garba. “
At Nollywood they have more budget, more equipment, they have more sponsors, more investors, and even foreigner tend to come in the country to shoot mostly in Lagos, mostly in Abuja.
So I think that’s what Kano is aspiring to be, “he added.
Kannywood’s potential market is vast, with an estimated 80 million speakers of the Hausa language spread across west and central Africa, along with a significant Nigerian diaspora.
However, reconciling international expectations with local constraints is no easy task. Islam’s sharia law code runs alongside common law in Kano state, where a government censor board reviews music and film production.
Filmmakers still manage to focus on themes that dominate Nollywood, such as love, vengeance, and treason, but they must navigate restrictions on nudity, sexual scenes, and content deemed contrary to customs, traditions, and religion, according to Abba El — Mustapha, an actor and director who also serves as the executive secretary of the Kano State film censorship board.
To reach a broader audience, filmmakers can rely on Arewaflix, a new streaming service launched by Abdurrahman Muhammad Amart, CEO of a Nigerian production company. “We decided to come up with our own platform, at our own level, using our own resources, to enable us to stream our northern films all over Nigeria, “Amart.
The service aims to feature films in various languages from northern Nigeria, including Nupe and Kanuri, with subtitles in English, French, and Arabic. Despite the industry’s scrappiness, director Umar Abdulmalik believes that with high-quality stories and production, the language barrier will not be an issue. He points to India’s Bollywood as an example, noting its popularity in Nigeria despite language differences. “.
Because they are carried away by the characters’emotions, “Abdulmalik. For now, Kannywood seems poised to continue its tradition of doing more with less, facing challenges but driven by extensive creativity. Further details are expected as the industry seeks to carve out a global presence.
