BLACK MARKET SET TO MAKE NOLLYWOOD HISTORY AS 50,000-PERSON GUINNESS WORLD RECORD BID TAKES CENTRE STAGE

Nollywood is set for a major cinematic moment today, September 26, as the team behind the highly anticipated film Black Market heads to Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, for an ambitious Guinness World Records attempt.The event is designed to bring together 50,000 people for a single screening, with organisers aiming to surpass the existing record for the largest number of people watching a film at one location. Recent reports put the existing benchmark at about 43,000 attendees. Directed by Fatimah Binta-Gimsay and written by Gimsay alongside Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, Black Market features a star-studded cast including Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Omowunmi Dada, Itele D Icon, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok and Uzor Arukwe, among others. The Guardian Nigeria‘WE WANTED SOMETHING MORE ICONIC’ — OMOWUNMI DADASpeaking about the decision to pursue a Guinness World Records attempt rather than stage a conventional movie premiere, actress and executive producer Omowunmi Dada said the team wanted the project to become bigger than a normal cinema experience.“We just thought, instead of the regular ‘take your film to the cinema’, let’s do something more iconic with it, something that goes beyond Nollywood…”Dada added that the team wanted the project to serve as a cultural statement for Lagos, Nigerian creatives and young Nigerians generally. According to her, the record attempt was considered from the early stages of production, with the team securing TBS even before principal photography began.“Right from when we were writing, way before casting or going on set, we knew this was exactly what we wanted to do.”She described the production journey as stressful but rewarding, while thanking the cast, crew and Nigerians who have supported the project. Punch NewspapersA STORY OF SMUGGLING, FAMILY AND SURVIVALBeyond the record attempt, Black Market tells the story of five women involved in a cross-border smuggling operation amid fuel scarcity. Their operation takes a dangerous turn when a rival group kidnaps the daughter of one of the women, forcing them into a high-risk mission. Punch NewspapersThe film was shot in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and is being produced in collaboration with FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios and Switch Visuals Production. The Guardian NigeriaThe event has also attracted support and partnerships involving organisations including MTN, Puma, Swoop, PlaystreetNG, Oraimo, Shuttlers and the Lagos State Ministry of Culture. The Guardian NigeriaInterestingly, a September 16 report from The Guardian said organisers were also projecting an audience of approximately 75,000 people for the wider event, while the official Black Market campaign has publicly promoted a 50,000-person target for the record attempt. The Guardian Nigeria +1As Lagos prepares for the massive screening, all eyes are now on Tafawa Balewa Square to see whether Black Market can turn its ambitious plan into a Guinness World Records achievement.#BlackMarket #LateefAdedimeji #LindaEjiofor #OmowunmiDada #Nollywood #GuinnessWorldRecords #NigerianCinema #EntertainmentNews #NigeriaEntertainment #XanderXO