Nollywood actress and filmmaker Omotola Ekeinde has opened up about the financial realities of releasing a movie in Nigerian cinemas, revealing that her film A Mother’s Love generated more than N103 million at the box office but left producers with only N22 million.
The actress made the disclosure in a video shared online, where she detailed the movie’s theatrical journey and explained how several deductions significantly reduced the amount eventually received by the producers.
Where Did the N103m Go?
According to Omotola, A Mother’s Love recorded a total cinema gross of N103,094,633 during its theatrical run.
However, the full amount did not go to the filmmakers.
She explained that deductions were made for exhibitors, distributors, print and advertising costs, Value Added Tax (VAT), entertainment tax, withholding tax and other expenses associated with the cinema release.
“At the end of our run, we had made N103,094,633,” Omotola said.
After all the deductions, she revealed that just N22 million accrued to the producers.
Entire N22m Donated to Charity
Despite the financial outcome, Omotola said the N22 million received by the producers was donated entirely to Slum to School, an organisation that supports children from disadvantaged communities.
She explained that the donation was part of a commitment previously made by Red Hot Concepts.
The actress described the cinema experience as both challenging and rewarding, noting that the film’s final day in cinemas was April 19.
Why Omotola Pulled the Movie From Cinemas
Omotola also explained that she eventually withdrew the movie from cinemas because of pressing personal issues.
According to her, she did not want the film to remain in theatres when she was unable to personally promote it and engage with audiences.
She noted that filmmakers are expected to play an active role in promoting their movies throughout their cinema runs, something she said she had not initially realised would be such a demanding responsibility.
Despite the challenges, A Mother’s Love attracted considerable attention during its release, including at its Lagos premiere.
The premiere was attended by several notable personalities, including actors Rita Dominic, Toke Makinwa and Nosa Rex, as well as former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Source: Omotola Ekeinde / Online video
