N103m Cinema Gross Reduced to N22m for Producers

Omotola Ekeinde, a renowned Nollywood actress and filmmaker, recently revealed the financial details of her movie 'A Mother’s Love' at the cinema. According to her, the film grossed a staggering N103,094,633 at the box office, but the producers of the movie only made N22 million from the profits.

### Deductions Reduced Cinema Profits

According to Omotola, the film's total cinema gross was reduced significantly after various deductions involving exhibitors, distributors, print and advertising, Value Added Tax (VAT), entertainment tax, withholding tax, and other expenses. 'At the end of our run, we had made N103,094,633,' Omotola said, explaining that after the various deductions, the amount accrued to the producers was N22 million.

### Full Donation to Slum to School Organisation

100 per cent of the N22 million made by the producers was donated to Slum to School, an organisation supporting children from disadvantaged communities, in line with a commitment made by Red Hot Concepts. Omotola explained that she had to withdraw the movie from cinemas due to pressing personal issues and did not want the film to remain in theatres without her being available to promote it and engage with audiences.

### Challenging Cinema Experience

Reflecting on her cinema experience, Omotola said the movie’s final cinema run was on April 19, describing the experience as challenging but rewarding. The actress explained that she had to be actively involved in promoting her films during cinema runs, but this proved to be a challenge she had not initially anticipated.

### Nollywood Cinema Runs

A Mother’s Love had earlier attracted attention with its premiere in Lagos, which was attended by several personalities, including actors Rita Dominic, Toke Makinwa, and Nosa Rex, as well as former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Nollywood continues to face challenges in its cinema runs, including the high cost of production and low returns on investment.

### Red Hot Concepts' Commitment to Social Change

Red Hot Concepts has demonstrated its commitment to social change by donating 100 per cent of the movie’s profits to Slum to School, an organisation that is working to improve the education and welfare of children from disadvantaged communities in Nigeria. This move is expected to raise awareness about the challenges faced by children in these communities and inspire others to follow suit.

The financial realities of running a film production company in Nollywood are stark, and this story serves as a reminder of the challenges that filmmakers face in Nigeria. By shedding light on these realities, we hope to inspire more discussion and action to support the growth of the film industry in Nigeria.