Trino Motion Pictures brings in former Paramount executive for advisory role

Nigerian film company Trino Motion Pictures is celebrating its 10th anniversary by adding Richard Aseme, a former Paramount Pictures executive, to its Advisory Board.

The Lagos-based company said this milestone and Mr Aseme’s appointment show its plans to boost global distribution, co-production chances, and partnerships across Africa and Europe as it moves into its second decade.

Trino Motion Pictures was founded in 2016 by Babatunwa Aderinokun and Uche Okocha. It has grown into one of Nigeria’s top companies for film production, international sales, content acquisition, marketing, and distribution.

In the past ten years, the studio has created 16 titles, including eight feature films like Sylvia, Three Thieves, The Razz Guy, The One for Sarah, KM17, The Weekend, Love Lockdown, and Grandpa Must Obey. It also has a short film collection that includes the well-received historical drama The Encounter.

Trino gained worldwide attention with The Weekend, which was the first independently produced Nigerian film to be showcased at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in 2024.

The film later showed at the BFI London Film Festival, Screamfest, and NollywoodWeek Film Festival in Paris. It received a record 16 nominations at the 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards, winning Best Film, Best Nigerian Film, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.

The company noted that its films have reached audiences in over 75 territories around the world through cinema releases, in-flight entertainment, and major streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Canal+, Kava, HBO Max, and Circuit TV.

Thanks to distribution deals, The Weekend became available to HBO Max subscribers in Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, a deal with Canal+ helped it reach more than 60 French-speaking areas in Africa, Europe, and French overseas regions.

Reflecting on the company’s journey, Managing Director Uche Okocha said the anniversary is both a celebration of past successes and a promise for future growth.

“Ten years ago, we said we wanted to take African stories to the world. This anniversary is a celebration of everyone who believed in and helped shape that vision before the evidence was there: our creative collaborators, our partners, colleagues, friends, family, and the audiences. The next decade is about building the partnerships, distribution networks, and industry infrastructure that allow even more African stories to travel globally,” Mr Okocha said.

According to the company, its next growth phase will focus on expanding its international presence through investments in distribution, content acquisition, co-production, and partnerships, especially in European markets.

Mr Aseme is a former Co-Head of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Paramount Pictures. He has over 20 years of experience in global film distribution and currently leads global fintech investments at DCG. He is also a voting member of BAFTA and studied at Oxford University and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Mr Okocha described the appointment as a smart move for the company’s future.

“Richard’s appointment comes at a key moment for Trino. He brings a rare mix of studio experience and investment knowledge, which will be important as we enter new markets and look for new growth ways,” he said.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Aseme said Trino’s global vision made the role appealing.

“What’s exciting about Trino is not just the projects, but the ambition behind it. There is a clear chance for production companies from Africa to work on a global level, not just as regional players, but as part of the international scene. Trino is already heading in that direction, and I’m eager to help with that next phase,” he noted.