Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, met a delegation from Vision Invest Progress Media Company (VIP Media) in Shanghai on 18 September, with talks focusing on film cooperation and cultural exchange between Nigeria and China.
The meeting brought together Musawa, VIP Media General Manager Jones Lin, board director John Zhang, and film director Ben Huang.
During the talks, the two sides exchanged views on film production and wider cooperation in the cultural and creative sectors. VIP Media also briefed the minister on preparations for a proposed film project involving Nigeria and China.
Both sides agreed to continue discussions and further develop the proposed project.
VIP Media, a subsidiary of MCG, operates in media production, cross-cultural communication and international content development.
“We hope to use film to tell more authentic stories about China-Africa cooperation and cultural exchange, and bring those stories to wider international audiences,” Huang said.
Huang is involved in the creative development of the project. He studied film and television at Columbia College Chicago before receiving a master’s degree in photography from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
His credits include writing and directing the independent film Little Things, directing the online film Island Beasts, and serving as director of photography on A Century of Xiangya, a documentary for China Central Television’s documentary channel. His work has also received international recognition.
The talks come against the backdrop of Nigeria’s established film industry and cultural diversity.
Nigeria is home to Nollywood, one of Africa’s most prominent film industries, with productions reaching audiences across the continent and beyond. The country’s more than 250 ethnic groups also offer a wide range of languages, music, festivals and cultural traditions that have long influenced film and documentary storytelling.
Following the Shanghai meeting, both sides are expected to continue preparations for the proposed project and further talks on film and cultural cooperation.
