Growing up in Brooklyn, Ugonna Nwabueze ’18 was introduced to Nigerian films by her parents. “That’s how they stayed connected to the continent and their childhood memories,” she says. “That’s a common experience for many Africans across the diaspora. We grew up on the same films. We know the same actors and the same lines. That was the creative world I grew up in.”
After graduating from Princeton where she majored in English and earned Certificates in African studies, African-American studies, and theater, Nwabueze earned an MFA in film and TV production from the University of Southern California. In 2022, she started Ugonna Village, a streaming program for African films and TV shows, where she is the CEO and studio head, making her the youngest global distributor of African films.
Other streaming platforms host African film content, but their libraries are often limited. Nwabueze says many Africans in the diaspora seek out African-owned “mom and pop” video stores for a wider selection. That’s how she and her parents got Nigerian films when she was growing up, but when Nwabueze moved to Los Angeles for her MFA, the African “mom and pop” video stores weren’t as accessible as they’d been in Brooklyn.
“I had to travel way out of my way to get there,” she says. “If you’re not around neighborhoods with those stores, it’s hard to get the newest African films. Our goal is to expand access.”
Nwabueze says she is currently focused on growing the content library on Ugonna Village. “With the first batch, we wanted to lean into the nostalgia of ‘Old Nollywood,’” she says. “Nollywood” is a nickname for the Nigerian film industry.
“It’s not shot with the best equipment, but it’s story-driven. It’s stories that Africans can really relate to: land struggles, land disputes, and all of that.” She’s currently excited about a drama about the Lagos real estate industry, titled Nigerian Real Estate Gets Dangerous,” which was released on the platform this month.
Nwabueze’s admiration for the “Old Nollywood” films she grew up on extends to the industry as a whole. “African filmmakers have been able to build such a huge industry, largely independently,” she says. “It allows for a lot of freedom and creativity. These filmmakers are telling stories they’re really passionate about. You have to be extremely driven to make a movie with your own funds. The creativity of Africa, and its tenacity, is something to spotlight and celebrate.”
Nwabueze says she sees African film as a whole finding a broader international audience in the near future. She recently spent a month participating in a program that brought together veteran filmmakers from Nigeria and Brazil. “What I’m noticing with the continent in general is that we’re grouping together to expand outside Africa,” she says. “I see a lot of room for collaborations. We’re very interested in South America.”
Nwabueze says responses to the platform from viewers throughout the diaspora have already been resoundingly positive. “We’ve gotten really good feedback. They’re really enjoying the films and can’t wait for us to expand the library … What I also like is the feedback from the actors and filmmakers themselves that we’ve partnered with. I love seeing how excited they are with the work we’re doing.”