Aniebiet Francis is a dynamic and rising Nollywood actor, script writer and a producer from Akwa Ibom State. She is a graduate of Genetics and Biotechnology from the prestigious University of Calabar.
She has featured in blockbuster Nollywood flicks like Hush, Hotel Majestic, Daddies Girls, Newman Street, Iquo’s journal.
Francis has also produced two movies: One Bright Morning and The List.
She is the founder of Conscience Alive Foundation- A non-governmental organization advocating for a right over wrong attitude amongst Nigerians irrespective of trend, tribe, religion, societal belief and a whole bunch of defects.
She also started an Orange Film Boot Camp: A capacity building initiative and empowerment platform that offers free trainings for young aspiring and budding nollywood practitioners.
In this interview with The Next Edition, Aniebiet Francis, talks about being in the Nollywood industry, her projects and her controversial “car” which was a gift from Governor Udom Emmanuel.
TNE: What do you enjoy the most between acting and producing?
I enjoy both differently because I get different feelings from both.
I love acting because it keeps me before the camera, people that love attention will understand the feeling, trust me, love for attention is at a crescendo.
Producing, on the other hand, satisfies my desire to be a ladder people can climb and reach the zenith of their dreams. I am a product of love and support, I want to give back in every way possible.
Secondly, For someone that runs an NGO that is advocating for right over wrong attitude amongst Nigerians, producing movies gives me a good platform to lend my voice to issues that affect our society using films as a medium.
TNE : What made you venture into film making?
Many reasons, primarily, audiovisual is one of the most effective instrument of change. If you want to change the narrative, make a movie. Look at what the movie YESTERDAY did for the campaign of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Film making is a very effective tool for empowerment, job creation and wealth creation. Statistics has it that Hollywood is the second highest employer of labour after agriculture. If you want to create jobs, invest in film business. Film business makes my dream of taking people out of poverty through job and wealth creation easier.
TNE : What roadblocks did you encounter when you started out as a filmmaker?
The role of good capital in producing a good film can’t be over emphasized. Capital was a major setback, nonchalant attitude of partners was another serious one and also acquiring the skills for human management.
TNE : Your movie “The Final List” which was in the cinema recently, features top actors like Ruth Kadiri. How was the journey for you? What made you come up with that idea for your movie? What did it cost you?
The journey was hell, as I didn’t run mad or collapse on that set, no stress will ever break me again. My partnership for the project while on set, that was a major setback and that negatively impacted the project.
My idea for the movie came from my relatives’ and friends’ experiences during their marriage rites and I knew posterity would not be fair to me if I swept this disturbing trend under the carpet. The movie was shot at locations within Uyo, Akwa Ibom. I spent roughly four million Naira on the project.
TNE : You premiered your movie at the cinemas, what does it take to get your movie to the cinema?
It takes God’s grace and favour, good picture quality, good sound, good story, good delivery and popular cinema faces.
TNE : There are some beliefs out there that to succeed in Nollywood, you might have to exchange your body for a role. Especially for the female actors. What’s your take on this ? Do you think it is happening?
Yes it is happening, and it is happening in every other fields of human endeavours; politics, banking, modeling, music etc. But, only impatient and untalented people subject themselves to that and most times their fame is always short lived.
To reign, you must train. When you jump the steps, you will miss a vital lesson that would have sustained you at the top.
TNE : You started something which looks like a film school recently, what inspired you to venture into this project?
Orange Film Boot Camp is not a film school, it is a capacity building and empowerment platform that offers free trainings for aspiring and budding Nollywood practitioners in Akwa Ibom State.The Dakkada Creed of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, inspired this project. It ignited my passion to build a viable film industry in my state, for my generation and generations unborn.
TNE : Which filmmaker in Nigeria has inspired you the most?
Mo Abudu. She makes blockbuster and box office hit and has been very consistent.
TNE : What would you love to change about your movie “The Final List” if given the opportunity?
Hmmmmm…The end bit. Some people didn’t love the way I left the story without a definite conclusion.
TNE : Away from filmmaking, it’s very obvious that you are a strong supporter of Governor Udom Emmanuel who also gifted you a car last year that has put you in a very controversial state, how does this make you feel? Do you feel pressurised to clear the air on the type of relationship you have with the Governor?
Hahahahaha…”My Controversial Car.” The air is already cleared by the same people that started the controversy. When a story has too many versions, it points people to the truth. The truth here is people are just being lazy and mischievous. Let me help recap the different versions of the controversial car: “The Governor gave her a second hand car,”
“a married man she is in sexual relationship with gave her the car not the Governor,” and “Someone in the Governor’s cartel gave her the car to package the Governor.”
In cases like this, I don’t want my energy to dignify this pettiness by granting interviews to clear the air, I allow them enjoy their fools paradise.
For my support of the Governor, it was borne out of personal conviction. The first thing that endeared me to him was the DAKADDA CREED, which is a major inspiration for Orange Film Boot Camp and “The Final List.” His leadership prowess, peaceful disposition later added to the list.
TNE : What advice do you have for young filmmakers?
Stay focused. Never be in a haste. Be humble to learn from people that have the experience. Learn to work in partnership.
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TNE : Do you think it’s necessary to go to a film school before you pursue that career?
It is necessary because knowledge and its application is power…power to make good movies.
TNE : Please tell us about your upcoming project?
According to available statistics, the population of women globally, outnumbers that of men. For someone that has been following women trend, I can say this categorically, this population size of women is a pointer that by default, the onus of building a better, safer, peaceful and prosperous society lies on the shoulder of women.
Mother nature had blessed women with extraordinary strength, intellect, foresight and every other virtue that gave birth to these powerful quotes:
“Behind every successful man, there is a woman.”
“When women participate in the economy, everyone benefits” – Hillary Clinton.
“There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women”- Koffi Annan.
“If women understood and exercised their power they could remake the world.” -Emily Taft Douglas.
If the success of a man is tied to a woman behind him, trust me, that woman must be an emotional, financial and intellectual support to that man.
Imagine a society women are united for the purpose of supporting, empowering and building each other intellectually, financially, emotionally? I bet you, we will have more than enough women playing the role of “the woman behind a successful man” playing the role of pillars to their fellow women, of course, this will have a ripple effect in the society at large.
The problem of Nigerians is, they want government to do it all. Even in developed countries, government is not doing it alone. Reason we have Bill Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation championing different humanitarian services.
In my little capacity, I am launching U40 EVEPRENUERS on my birthday April 21, 2019. This platform seeks to unite under forty women entrepreneurs or aspiring under 40 women entrepreneurs, for the purpose of networking for exploits.
Yes, there are several bodies giving grants and interest free loans to women, a few women have been able to access these facilities individually, I believe coming under a registered body will make the process much easier.
For a start, my plan is to empower 31 rural women with a small token of 50 thousand Naira seed capital, one from each local government.
For existing business owners, it is a fact that the role of marketing and advertisement can’t be overemphasized in any succesful business. For this purpose, we intend to interview them, put their businesses on our website, social media platform, U40Eveprenuers Online Tv; while liaising with TV and radio houses to give us slots for the contents. This will help showcase their businesses for increased patronage and clientele.
Pundits say, “Information and its application is power,” to ensure that business owners are not deficient in poor business management, we will partner with Microfinance and Enterprise Development, to run business clinics for our members, especially in the rural areas.
Our Annual U40 Evepreneurs conference will give this women the opportunity to learn from the success stories of internationally recognized Under Forty Females CEOs like, Dr. Ola Orekunrin, the owner of Flying Doctors, Tara of Makeup, etc.
Complaints and blames don’t solve problems, ideas in concert with actions do. I pray this little input will produce remarkable result.
