Exclusive: “We are organizing the biggest Film Festival ever seen on the African continent” Reginald Ebere tells Diamond Celebrities

Reginald Ebere is not a stranger in the entertainment industry as he has been around behind the camera ever since the early days of Nolywood before it became what it is now. The ever busy Nollywood icon talks about his big project which will have big hollywood stars gracing Nigeria for what is known as film festival and his recent poetry work which will soon be in the stand of the bookstore in designated cities in Nigeria for all lovers of the great land. Enjoy his excerpt interview with your Diamond Celebrities as he bares it all for you.

By Akapbio Aniema

Brief about your new project?

I am part of an organization that is working on the biggest Film Festival ever seen on the African continent. We are expecting over a thousand guests during the opening night and we have well over fifty films lined up for screening. We are also expecting a couple of Hollywood stars to grace the occasion. Right now I am not at liberty to disclose their names but they are amongst the biggest. The festival will hold in September.

A brief insight of the Soap ‘Eye of the needle’ you are shooting for your church and why the church?

Eye of the Needle is a soap about a dysfunctional family that have the appellate Christian but do not really understand what being a Christian is all about. It tells the story of every other wealthy Nigerian family where the father is too busy making money, the mother is too busy chasing her career and the children are left on their own to pursue their course in life. Of course a lot of mistakes are made and people wonder why God doesn’t answer when they call on him. It is an intense, emotional, high action drama that we plan to use to redefine soap and series making in Nigeria. We are going to start shooting in TINAPA in May. We have Kunle Coker, Ethelle Ekpe Aderemi presenter of Tunring Point Niaja, Wale Macauly, Naya Amobi and some others as part of the cast and crew.

Why Church? I try to think of myself as a son in the house of my father so whenever my father calls I answer him. I preach the gospel, so every opportunity I have to share my Christian belief is an open door to win souls for God and that’s the essence of being a Christian.

Target audience and your intention?

The target audience is the world. The bible says ‘go ye into the world and the preach the good news of the gospel to all creature’’… Like I said earlier, the intention is to win souls for God and teach people how to live a better life in Christ.
Why work behind the camera in the background and not in front of the camera?

I studied Theatre arts in school with a bias to film script writing and directing. It is what I have always wanted to do and that is what I am doing. I don’t like the attendant publicity that being under the klieg light brings to you. I am a very private person and I enjoy creating behind the scenes. I love watching people being affected by what I do without them realizing that I am the one shaping their thought processes and world view.

You did a poetry work recently; can you give us an insight to it?

“BOUNDARIES OF HEAVEN” is a collection of poems like I have said “is a metaphor for my country Nigeria. We are regarded as the most blessed black nation in the world. With our gifts and potentials we can literally live in heaven but we are not able to make it due to the a failing in our national character and the lines that divide so we exist on the boundaries of heaven, so near yet so far away. So the collection is about my thoughts and insights about Nigeria over the years. We are presently working on the hard cover edition and we are hoping we can round off in the next one week. We are planning on delivering a high quality cerebral work that will engage the minds of those who care for this country.

How do you manage your job as a director, scriptwriter, poet and also as a family man?

I don’t know my sister, but if you like what you do then you don’t need to manage anything. I love being a movie director. I actually grow fat when I am on set. I don’t talk too much so my Job as a screen writer gives me the opportunity to express myself in full and I absolutely love it. As a poet, there are those I need to insult who if I insult openly they will take me to court so I do that in poetry, (laughs). But really it’s about expression and for me it is another way of expressing all that is inside me. My greatest and most important job is that of taking care of my family and it is one that I do with a lot of pride.

What do you have to say about the recent trend of nudity and pornography that has taken over Nollywood?

Nothing really. All that I need to say I have been saying on my blogs and in my columns in the newspapers. It is a very personal thing. We live in a society where we are catching up with the rest of the civilized world with alarming speed, so values will naturally fly out of the window. And that’s what is happening in Nollywood. If the society did not demand for those things in our movies, nobody will put them there.

Word to your fans and aspiring artistes out there?

Knock on every door. If they refuse to open them for you, push them down. Remember the world does not owe you anything and will not give you anything, so stand up and take your place and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it because you can.