Nigerian actor and producer, Femi Branch has criticised some cinema owners, accusing them of unfair practices that promote certain movies over others.
In a recent Instagram post, the 54-year-old Sagamu-born filmmaker alleged that some cinema staff wear branded merchandise to advertise specific films, compromising their neutrality.
He also claimed that promotional materials for certain movies are removed from cinema counters, while others are prominently displayed.
Femi Branch expressed concern that these practices harm the film industry by fostering division among filmmakers and undermining the country’s economy.
“I do not see anybody talking about it in the industry. I know people know what is going on. I am talking about cinemas promoting one movie above the other. It is so bad that some cinema staff wear T-shirts for one film. They remove the media cards of some movies from their counters and put others out there,” he said.
The actor also highlighted cases where cinema staff actively recommend certain films to patrons or alter screening schedules to favor more popular titles.
“In some cinemas, they tell people, ‘This is the best film to watch’. In some cinemas, they change somebody else’s time for another person. As you know, you are supposed to screen your movie at a particular time, but you go there, and they are now telling you to watch another better film,” he added.
Branch criticised the lack of neutrality, stating, “It is not the business of the cinema to tell what film to watch or not. We have been having a lot of problems at the cinemas recently. Especially, this December. We have heard of different fights at different cinemas. This industry is constantly under one bondage or the other.”
He further expressed concern about the financial struggles of filmmakers who face challenges recouping investments due to what he described as “unfair screen time allocation.”
“We are divided already. Cinemas want to add to it. Many producers are groaning now that the money they invested is not returning. Some of us who are working on projects to go out into cinemas are afraid because we do not know what’s going on,” Branch lamented.
“When they give you screen time and see that another film has become popular, they will then give your screen time to other people. Some will even time that is not good. You are not helping our industry, you are not helping the economy, and you are not assisting actors, too. Cinemas are supposed to be neutral. Give everybody an even-playing field”
