In a recent article in The Guardian, Phil Hoad writes that ‘maverick’ Nigerian director Jeta Amata is perhaps ‘Nollywood’s gift to Hollywood’, for Amata’s recent feature is a Hollywood-friendly big budget epic, delving into the horrific situation in the Niger Delta and the havoc that the oil industry leaves behind. Hoad’s article is a nice survey of Amata’s current status, yet it fails to truly explore how Nollywood could affect a wider cinematic context. Hoad is writing about Amata’s upcoming feature Black November, a gritty epic of oil-fuelled conflict, collusion and unrest, which features an all-star cast, both from Hollywood and Nollywood (Billy Zane, Vivica Fox, Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Anne Heche, Hakeen Kae-Kazim and Razaaq Adoti).

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