The Love Portion for Filmmakers

The Love Portion for Filmmakers

Vanessa Obioha

Tucked in a tranquil part of the Sangotedo area of Lagos state is the new creative facility by filmmaker Ike Nnaebue. The serene and lush sits on three plots of land (half-acre) and is a minute drive from the Lagos Business School (LBS). Called ‘The Love Portion’, the filmmaker describes the facility as a creative gift to Nollywood.

“It is a place where one will instantly fall in love with,” gushed the filmmaker.

The facility is beautifully landscaped with greenery that gives it an Edenish vibe. The towering trees, the fragrant garden walkway at the backyard, the gentle sway of plants lined up in the compound, the cooing sounds of birds and the invitingly sparkling blue conjures an orgasmic image of nature’s colours and sounds. The magic continues inside where art and design beautifully transform spaces into a magnificent abode.

There is a master bedroom with a jacuzzi, a tastefully furnished living room, a massive executive office where great ideas can be conceived, and a bedroom equally lavishly designed. If one decides to take a break from work or host some friends at the facility, they can either hang out at the bush bar under a tree at the backyard or clink glasses at the classy bar inside. They can also bask in the sunlight and nature on the hammock situated in the backyard too.

“Portion here denotes a part of the whole,” explained Nnaebue, “So our space is the love part of the whole industry; The Love Portion of the Nigerian film industry. It is also a portion of land that makes you fall in love with or rekindles your love for creativity. The hub has spaces for all the most commonly used locations in films. It is one place where a filmmaker can walk in with her briefcase and come out with a full film a few days or weeks later, depending on the type of film he is making. The hub is ideal for film screenings, training, weekend getaways, and other creative activities”.

Nnaebue may likely be on his way to becoming the Tyler Perry of Nollywood with this latest ambition. He disclosed that the hub will serve as the primary production hub for the COTSeries originals. COTSeries is the name of the streaming and video-on-demand platform he and his partner will be launching later in the year.

“Our platform is a homegrown global brand with a great passion for supporting the local industry. So the creative hub is one of many gestures we will be extending to the industry periodically,” he said.

The filmmaker was recently invited to speak at the forthcoming 11th Durban Film Mart. He is also among the filmmakers that received funding from the Berlinale World Cinema Fund (WCF) for his documentary ‘No U-Turn’.

“My vision has always been to be one of the topmost African international filmmakers. The WCF grant is a big encouragement. It shows that one is on the right part,” he acknowledged.

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