Nollywood has made history by setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest audience for a movie screening. More than 51,000 Nigerians gathered at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos to watch the crime thriller, Black Market.
This milestone was announced during the event on Saturday night. An official from Guinness World Records confirmed that over 51,000 people attended the screening.
FilmOne, the distributor of the movie, shared a statement on social media on Saturday, celebrating the achievement. They wrote, "51,000+ people. One screen. One moment that just made history."
They added, "We’ve officially set a WORLD RECORD for the Largest Audience Gathering Ever for a Movie Screening. Nigeria, we didn’t just watch a movie. WE MADE HISTORY."
Our correspondent reported that Tafawa Balewa Square was filled with movie lovers who arrived early for the screening. Hundreds of attendees made their way to the venue long before the event started.
The screening was planned to break the Guinness World Record, aiming for an audience of 50,000 people in one place. The gates opened at 2 PM, followed by a red-carpet event around 3 PM. The main screening was set to take place between 7 PM and 8:30 PM.
The turnout was huge, with long lines stretching to the TBS roundabout as movie fans arrived for the event. There were also music, food, and games, and many celebrities showed up.
Lagos State's Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, arrived at the venue around 8:50 PM. Celebrities like Gabriel Afolayan, Real Warri Pikin, and Tomi Ojo were also spotted at the event.
Black Market was produced by Rixel Studios, Signet Ring Studios, and FilmOne Studios, with FilmOne handling distribution. The film is directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and produced by Nora Awolowo.
It stars Omowunmi Dada, Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim Yekini, known as Itele D Icon, and Uzor Arukwe, among others.
The story follows five market women involved in a smuggling operation during fuel shortages and economic challenges. The plot thickens when one of the women's daughters is kidnapped.
The Lagos State Government supported the event through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, along with several corporate partners.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇