A moment with Film Director - Lonzo Nzekwe of Anchor Baby

A couple of months ago, we did a brief review of the movie 'Anchor Baby'.  The general consensus was that this is a movie to  add to anyone's must see list.  Fortunately, the world agrees.  This movie has gone ahead to win multiple international awards (more than 10 as of the last count) around the world.  If you are talking about a movie that will keep you hanging on to the end with its twists and turns, this is one of them. This movie definitely deserves all the awards that it has gotten and more.   We were lucky enough to get a hold of this busy director and writer, based in Toronto, Canada for an interview.  Enjoy this interview.

On writing this story:
I started writing the movie around January of 2010.  I wanted to write  a story about the term Anchor Baby which is a real term for babies that are born within the united states to illegal immigrants.  It is said that they have these babies so that they can stay in the United states.  It is also a derogatory term.  I wanted to talk about the struggle that parents go through to get the American Dream. 

 
Response of viewers:
This is my first screen play.  It was originally a short film of 52 pages.  I wrote the script and I looked at it and a lot of people advised me to make it a feature film and three months later we were shooting it in Toronto Canada.

On attraction to the world of film making:
At first I  wanted to be an editor.  While doing that I started getting the buzz to direct and write.  So, I found myself in the world of film making.

Educational Background:
I was first in IT but it wasn't my passion.  I did music back in the day, so I lost the passion for producing music.  I think film is it.  This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

On Omoni Oboli and shooting the movie:
It was shot in Canada.    I didn't know Omoni Oboli prior to writing the script and putting the movie together.  It was great working with her.  She is definitely an A Lister in Nollywood circles.  She was also in the movie - the Figurine.

On the issue the film tackles - immigration and its impact:
What are you scared of?  If you stick to the truth you feel inspired to continue.  There is a way to present things so people take things away from it and ask questions.  This movie is definitely getting that to happen.  People are asking so many questions, and we've won several awards.

Challenges/Hurdles:
No track record it was hard to get top actors and actresses to get on that project.  I didn't have the chance to prove myself prior to making this movie.  Trying to get funding.  Ended up using private funds.  Financing to shoot movie, the economy is bad and not everyone has the patience to wait for a year.

Are there people more critical of your work:
That's what creative people do . I don't really care about all of that.  You might watch the movie and it might not be all that to you.  I understand that.  I don't expect everyone to fall in love with it.  It is in their nature- that's their job.  There is a thin line between being critical and player hating on other people's work. I make my movies for people that will enjoy my movie - those are the people that I make my movies for.

Thoughts on Nollywood:
Nollywood is improving.  A lot of great films are coming out from the industry.  You have a lot of movies that people are making that you can sit down and watch.  They are actually taking their times to make these films.  These films cost a lot of movie. That's the problem - we need good money to make good films, great cameras and higher good casts. We have a lot of great actors but sometimes, because there aren't a lot of good script or good directors  - they jump unto things that are offered to them.   Sometimes, you can see through these people.