From the stables of Black Ivory Communications and from the hands that brought us “Back to Africa”, “American Dream” and “Crazy like a fox”, Tony Abulu, comes a movie that will not only affect Nigeria or Africa alone, but the entire world at large.
Starring great names like Isaiah Washington, Vivica A. Fox, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Bern Cohen, Genevieve Nnaji, Victor Browne, Stephanie Okereke, Andrea Leigh, and many others, Doctor Bello promises to be a blockbuster.
SYNOPSIS: Brilliant Cancer specialist Dr. Michael Durant is emotionally troubled, wrestling with the traumatic loss of his 10 year old daughter from Cancer. Immersing himself in his work in the hospital, away from his wife who blames him for their child’s death, he forms an unlikely bond with a sick, loving, but rambunctious seven year old boy Sam, the son of a rich Jewish couple who are major contributors to the Hospital’s Cancer Research Fund.
Unfortunately, Sam’s health deteriorates drastically, and soon, he slips into a coma, with only a few days to live. Dr. Durant becomes desperate, willing to risk anything to save the child’s life. A surreptitious Nigerian Nurse convinces him to seek the help of Dr. Bello, an uncertified Nigerian Doctor, known in the Brooklyn-African underground as a miracle worker. Dr. Bello, an introvert with a controversial past, secretly visits the child at night and administers a strange African potion, replete with incantations and by the next morning, miraculously, the child begins to recover, the Cancer speeding into remission.
The Hospital Medical Board immediately orders an investigation and soon the secret is revealed and Dr. Durant is suspended. Dr. Bello is arrested and charged with medical malpractice. Dr. Durant soon falls into depression after his wife leaves him. Meanwhile, Dr. Bello has fallen critically ill in jail and can only be saved by the ingestion of the same potion that can only be found in the mysterious “Garden of Life,” nestled on the peak of Nigeria’s sky mountains. – Official Synopsis
http://youtu.be/NOT5U5C9clc
Scheduled for release in Summer 2012, Doctor Bello is positioned to showcase Nollywood’s cross-marketability within the international spectrum as the first movie project financed in part by the recently established Nigerian Intervention Fund for the arts and entertainment industry administered by NEXIM Bank.
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MY TWO-CENTS: And now that I’ve seen the trailer, I’m not getting the “This is an African movie” vibe from this film. I feel almost like this is an American movie in which they just managed to throw in a couple Nigerians. It’s almost like they (the Americans) are doing us (the Nigerians) a favor with this movie. Which is really silly because, we’re the ones financing it yet the “foreign” aspect of the entire thing is a little over glorified, in the trailer and with the propaganda of this movie, for my liking. I wish it would be more AFRICAN! I wish it would be more true to the roots. Truth be told, I’m more excited about “Half of a Yellow Sun” and “Lions of 76” than I am about this.
COMING SOON: Farming
Lionheart
This movie is out in cinemas and it is so wack beyond belief. Genevieve Nnaji played some silly wakapass role. WTF!!
It’s about time I saw this movie so I know where I stand
Nollywood REinvented. I love your take on this trailer. Again, this is just a trailer and not the entire film. So I think while you within your educated rights to double down on the under exposure of Nollywood actors in this trailer, I can assure you that the entire plot, and the setting for this film is 100% Nigeria. I was on the set of this film and I am also part of the team that helped behind the scenes to put this wonderful project together. 80 percent of this film was shot on location in Ogun state with all Hollywood and Nollywood actors. It wasn’t an easy undertaking and everyone, including the Hollywood actors, gave 110% to make this project a successful one. Your critique is on point and believe it or not, the Director’s (Tony Abulu) intent with this project is to encourage conversations within ourselves in finding ways to firmly put Nollywood on the global stage where we would not require Hollywood actors in order for us to gain notoriety. Nigerians are brilliant. We have wonderful stories to tell but the resources that we have right now in Nollywood cannot facilitate world class films. In order to get where we want to be, we have to channel this course for now.
Your are doing a fabulous job with your blog. Keep it up and I am a fan. BTW, the premiere for this movie is on Sept. 27th, 2012 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. There will also be a premiere for this movie in Lagos at a later day.
Please follow us on Twitter @doctorbello, FB: http://www.facebook.com/doctorbello. ….and if you think that I am cool enough to follow, I would be honored. @igowordu
I emailed you already and tweeted a reply @ you but once again, thanks Igo for the clarification because I’m almost 100% certain that many people, like me, were becoming quite apprehensive of the entire production… especially after seeing the trailer
nice
I’d love to see this. And about American movie with a couple of Nigerians thrown in, it will sell 🙂
Thank u for the comment u dropped on my blog. I appreciate it.
You’re welcome Ms. Tizzle 🙂
I love the answer you gave to that idiot,smart answer,i cant do without this blog
😀 Thank you very much!
My concern with Nollywood films is the obsession with America. Why can’t we concentrate on telling stories that are locked to this land. Every major production, with perhaps the exception of Figurine, had something to do with America or the West. At the end of the day, it’s not about big names and budgets, but about simple and exceptional storytelling and scripting. Perhaps we should take a leaf out of the book of the Iranian film industry, whose films have both won and been nominated for Oscars as well as prestigious awards around the world. I’m afraid this won’t be the film that will take Nigeria to the Oscars. Sorry.
You know what? You are absolutely right! If the Iranian Oscar winners are anything to go by then indeed making a Nigerian movie like every other American movie really won’t get us anywhere.
So true… it’s about time we focused on telling our stories in our country with amazing expertise, then and only then would we gain international recognition. Afterall one does not get applauded for redoing what everyone else has been doing but for doing something new, different and exciting.
Thanks for your comment Umar
My Ore dont mind the first person that came to comment here,the person is either a horrible actress or actor,trust me,the person cant act,u go don tell am the truth which he or she should even appreciate that u always write,thats whay the person cant be a star,i can put my money down thats its a failed or bad actress,ah me iacnt do without ur blog anyday,am even suspecting that Beverly Naya or someone that we told the truth here,i love u My Ore,ur blog rocks
lmao thank you jare… to each his own. Make dem talk, after all na dem get their mouth
your blog is nice , dont mind that idiot keep doing it.try wordpress one u become popular
lol thank you jare
Nollywood REinvented please do not listen to that person that left a comment and I like your reply as well. Keep doing what you are doing, am sure if they start their own website it would not be as nice as yours. Peace.
Hehe, thanks dear… I’ve become immune to negativity but I definitely appreciate your comment
Your blog looks so cheap and its horribly presented. No idea why I stopped here, I can’t take it seriously. Back to Bella Naija I go to read about Dr Bello. I don’t like your style of writing either. Then again, I really shouldn’t expect that much.
Abi? Only God knows what possessed you to expect “that much”.